DIY Revelation

[bobmac]

I'm not bad at most DIY jobs around the house except one.....the art of soldering.

I got the soldering iron and the solder and off I went, rubbish. Solder everywhere except where I wanted it.

Then someone asked if I used flux, nope.

A quick search on Youtube provided me with the revelation that is flux. OMG!

If, like me you have always been rubbish at soldering, I suggest you watch the video below.
(It starts about 1.30 secs in)


[video=youtube;3Z8CzB4BYJA]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Z8CzB4BYJA&t=154s[/video]




Today, I will be mostly going round the house re-soldering everything I can find

 

[Hobbit]

Even with flux, you need enough heat to make the solder flow. I’d been soldering every working day, quite well I thought, for 9 years when I was sent on an advanced PCB repair course. As part of the course we were asked solder a component onto a PCB, the results then put under a microscope and displayed on a large screen. It looked like the surface of the moon, all pitted.

The solder needs to flow, and the flux needs to be burnt off.

 

[bobmac]

Fortunately, my attempts wont be scrutinised to that extent, I'll mainly be reconnecting the LED light strips in my kitchen.

 

[jim8flog]

If you are using standard soldering wire for use on electric cables it already contains enough flux.

Sounds like you are using flux free solder that is used for plumbing.

As has already been said sound like your not getting it hot enough and always remember to apply some solder to the tip of the iron before presenting it to the cable.

Please remember the legal requirements if you are doing electric work, particularly in a kitchen.

 

[bobmac]

If you are using standard soldering wire for use on electric cables it already contains enough flux.

Sounds like you are using flux free solder that is used for plumbing.

As has already been said sound like your not getting it hot enough and always remember to apply some solder to the tip of the iron before presenting it to the cable.

Please remember the legal requirements if you are doing electric work, particularly in a kitchen.

What legal requirements do I need to connect up some 12V led lights?

 

[jim8flog]

What legal requirements do I need to connect up some 12V led lights?

It would depend on how they are being installed. I assume to get it down to 12v there is some sort of power supply involved and it would then depend upon how that power supply is connected in to the mains. Standard 13amp plug in to a socket no problem. Hard wired in to a main or lighting ring it's a different story.