Hand Soldering Guidelines for Tip Longevity

Ryan_2724 · July 26, 2019, 9:36pm

Use quality solder iron with adjustable temperature, making sure the tip is tight before use.
Adjust the temperature of the iron just above the melting temperature of the solder being used. Using excess heat can damage the circuit board, oxidize and damage the tip, and render flux useless in flux cored solder.
Flux cored solder reduces tip oxidation and promotes quicker more solid solders, minimizing heat damage to parts on the board. Additional flux can also be used (pens, paste etc).
Turn solder iron off when not in use for extended periods of time.
After each solder, shake any excess solder off of the tip, plunge the tip into brass wool a few times, and tin the tip with solder before placing into the holder, to prevent tip oxidization.
After every few solders, or a couple times an hour, use actual tip tinner. Similar to step 5, shake any excess solder off of the tip, plunge the tip into brass wool a few times, dip soldering tip into tip tinner and then tin the tip with solder before placing into the holder.
For storage, turn solder iron off, repeat step 6, but be more liberal with the final solder tinning leaving almost a ball, rotating the tip can help flow the solder around the tip. Carefully place the iron into the solder stand leaving the solder ball on the tip to harden.

Mentionable Products:
Solder Stations 243-1229-ND | 243-1228-ND | 2260-AO469-ND | 2260-AO469KIT-ND

qu1j0t3 · July 13, 2020, 6:43pm

Hi,
I’m curious why you didn’t list 63/37 (eutectic) solder in the recommendations instead of 60/40.

Thanks!

Ryan_2724 · July 13, 2020, 9:59pm

Hello qu1j0t3,

Thank you for pointing this out, a couple 63/37 options have been added. Hopefully this helps, thanks!