jameuwissen
New member
Hello - novice builder and solderer here with some questions. I'm working with a Yihua 926 solder station and Weller lead free solder (SnCuNi alloy, 3.5% flux). I understand that lead free is far, far, far harder to work with- especially as a beginner, but lead vs lead free is not the question here. I understand it is important because I know you need much higher temps for soldering while using lead free. But I’m needing to push to temp levels that have me questioning myself and many other things... I cannot even get the solder wire to melt directly on the solder tip of any shape or size unless I am at >/= 820 deg F, and I have found that I get the most timely weld when I go at 839 deg F, and that is after heating up the through hole + component lead for anywhere between 8-15 seconds.
So…am I completely frying my boards and components at these temperatures? I looked at the data sheet for the 1k resistors I just soldered, they say the solderability is 245±5°C for 3±0.5 Sec. I’m currently soldering at 447 deg C to make it work within that 8-15 seconds. And I’m creating what appear to be OK joints, but again… did I fry everything here in the process? Does anyone else need that much time or heat, especially if using lead free? Any guidance is very appreciated.
Some other context : I’m using one of the standard conical tips that came with the iron (it’s 1.5mm diameter at the tip). I clean and tin it basically every 1 to (maybe) 2 components because I know I’m running super hot. I’ve watched a ton of videos, scoured forums just to make sure my technique and approach is at least adequate for a novice. I feel good with what I am supposed to be doing, but I am surprised at the temps.
I also had my dad give it a go too, since he has >40 years of welding experience that does include some soldering, and he was needing the same temps to get a weld. One thing he brought up is maybe the temp at the tip isnt exactly matching the temp that the iron’s thermostat is reading? I dont have any tools to test this, and I dont want to blame the tool when the vast majority of the time it is the user, not the tool, that is the issue…but I am just shocked that even trying to tin any tip with some wire, I cannot get the wire to melt directly onto the tip below 820 deg F when this stuff should melt somewhere in the neighborhood of 450 deg F.
Thanks so much, I am super grateful for these forums. I spent a lot of time here learning as much as I could before I made the jump.
So…am I completely frying my boards and components at these temperatures? I looked at the data sheet for the 1k resistors I just soldered, they say the solderability is 245±5°C for 3±0.5 Sec. I’m currently soldering at 447 deg C to make it work within that 8-15 seconds. And I’m creating what appear to be OK joints, but again… did I fry everything here in the process? Does anyone else need that much time or heat, especially if using lead free? Any guidance is very appreciated.
Some other context : I’m using one of the standard conical tips that came with the iron (it’s 1.5mm diameter at the tip). I clean and tin it basically every 1 to (maybe) 2 components because I know I’m running super hot. I’ve watched a ton of videos, scoured forums just to make sure my technique and approach is at least adequate for a novice. I feel good with what I am supposed to be doing, but I am surprised at the temps.
I also had my dad give it a go too, since he has >40 years of welding experience that does include some soldering, and he was needing the same temps to get a weld. One thing he brought up is maybe the temp at the tip isnt exactly matching the temp that the iron’s thermostat is reading? I dont have any tools to test this, and I dont want to blame the tool when the vast majority of the time it is the user, not the tool, that is the issue…but I am just shocked that even trying to tin any tip with some wire, I cannot get the wire to melt directly onto the tip below 820 deg F when this stuff should melt somewhere in the neighborhood of 450 deg F.
Thanks so much, I am super grateful for these forums. I spent a lot of time here learning as much as I could before I made the jump.
