Page
6
k-3
PROPER SOLDERING TECHNIQUES
Only a small percentage of HEATHKIT equip-
ment purchasers find it necessary to return
an
instrument for factory service.
Of
theseinstru-
ments, by far the largest portion
malfunction
due to poor or improper soldering.
If
terminals are brightandclean andfreeof wax,
frayed insulation and other foreign substances,
no difficulty will be experienced in soldering.
Correctly soldered connections are essential
if
the performance engineered intc;
a
kit is to be
fully realized.
If
you are a beginner with no
experience in soldering, a half hour's practice
with some odd lengths of wire may be a worth-
while investment.
For most wiring, a 30 to 100 watt iron or its
equivalent in asoldering
gun
isvery satisfactory.
A lower wattage iron than this may not heat the
connection enough to flow the solder smoothly
over the joint. Keep the iron tipclean and bright
by wiping it from time to time with a cloth.
Wherever there isapossibilityof bare leads
shorting to other parts orto the chassis,the
leads should be covered with insulating
sleeving. Where the use of sleeving is spe-
cifically intended, thephrase "use sleeving"
is included in the associated construction
step.
In
any case where there is the pos-
sibility of an unintentional short circuit,
sleeving should be used, Extra sleeving is
provided for this purpose.
4.
Crimp or bend the lead (orleads)aroundthe
terminal to form a good joint without re-
lying on solder for physical strength.
If
the wire is too large to allow bending or
if
the step states that the wire is not to be
crimped, position the wire so that a good
solder connection can still be made.
5.
Position the work, if possible, sothat gravity
will help to keep the solder where you want
it.
CHASSIS WIRING AND SOLDERING
6.
Place a flat side of the soldering iron tip
1.
All wire used is the type with colored against the joint to be soldered until it is
insulation (hookup wire).
In
preparing a heated sufficiently to melt the solder.
length of hookup wire, remove
11'4"
of
insulation from each end unless directed
otherwise in the construction step.
7.
Then place the solder against the heated
terminal and it will immediately flow over
the joint; use only enough solder to thor-
2.
Leads on resistors, capacitors and similar oughly wet the junction. It is usually not
components are generally much longer than necessary to fill the entire hole in the
they need to be to make the required con- terminal with solder.
nections.
In
these cases, the leadsshouldbe
cut to proper length before the part isadded
to the chassis.
In
general, the leads should
8.
Remove the solder and then the iron from
be just long enough to reach their termin- the completed junction. Use carenottomove
ating points. the leads until the solder is solidified.
