Soldering irons?

[Roy]

What brand or model or watts would be best for automotive wiring?

Also, thoughts on heat shrink tubing or electrical tape to finish up?

Thanks,
Roy

[DynoDave]

When my trusty old Weller finally bit the dust last year, I bought a new "gun" style iron at my local Radio Shack. It's a dual heat unit, with a two step trigger, delivering either 150, or 230 watts.

www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062752&cp=&sr=1&kw=solder+iron&origkw=solder+iron&parentPage=search

I hate electrical tape. No matter where you use it, eventually the glue softens, and it unwraps itself.

For repairs inside the car, I solder, use a brush on sealer like Star Brite Liquid Electrical Tape,

www.starbrite.com/productdetail.cfm?ID=1076&ProductCat=Home%20Care&ProductSCat=Liquid%20Electric%20Tape%20%28Home%29&ProductSSCat=

, then heat shrink tube over that.

For external repairs, I use the same process as above, and have also been known to wrap the heat shrink tube in electrical tape, then wrap the free end of the electrical tape with a small zip tie to prevent it's unraveling. This adds an extra seal, as well as some extra abrasion resistance.

I've chased a lot of poor, or corroded connection in my life. I've never had one of these fail. Is it overkill? Maybe, but nothing is as big of a P.I.T.A. as an electrical problem, and they always surface at the worst times (no wipers in the rain, no lights at night, etc.).

[DynoDave]

I should add...be patient! Proper soldering takes a few minutes. Let the iron get good and hot, as well as the connection you are soldering. Allow the brush on sealer time to set up. Don't rush it, and you will get a repair that will last a lifetime.

[Roy]

Much thanks, Dynodave. Weller had a lot of good reviews on various sites. I'll also check on that liquid tape.

[brock]

Flux core solder is good; but having a tin of flux on hand is even better!

[DynoDave]

Aug 28, 2008 13:49:33 GMT -5 Roy said:

Much thanks, Dynodave. Weller had a lot of good reviews on various sites. I'll also check on that liquid tape.

You're welcome Roy. You can't beat Weller. Mine was probably 30 years old. Used to be made in the USA, but I have no idea if they still are. I'd have bought another, but no one around here carried them.

[Jer]

I still have my Weller...I bought it when I was 15, so that makes it....

well....older than yours, Dave!!


I seriously wonder how many Made In China electronic tools (or any tools/products, for that matter) will still be performing
38 years from now!!....

....8 years?

....1 year?

[DynoDave]

Aug 29, 2008 21:30:30 GMT -5 Jer said:

I still have my Weller...I bought it when I was 15, so that makes it....

well....older than yours, Dave!!


I seriously wonder how many Made In China electronic tools (or any tools/products, for that matter) will still be performing
38 years from now!!....

....8 years?

....1 year?

I hear ya Jer. Mine was my Grandfathers. I even went as far as to buy a group of 3 of them off of ebay, just because I hate sending my money to China. I figured if they didn't work, I'd have enough parts to fix mine. Sadly, all 3 were duds. The bakelight case of one was so broken apart, the guy had wrapped the entire thing in electrical tape.

So that's when I gave up about bought the Radio Shack piece. Unlike some $1 store tools, it actually appears to be pretty well made.

[Jer]

New follow-up on an old topic:

I was in Lowe's the other day, waiting for the "DMV Girl" to fill
out my paperwork on the new trailer, just browsing around.

Over in the Tool Corral was not one, but two Weller Soldering
Iron package/combos!

I had to laugh, because the more expensive model (by around a buck or two) was "Made In Mexico" (or was in Taiwan?), and the
cheaper--in price, appearance and obviously quality--was
"Made In China."

Proof positive that even the Manufacturers are admitting that we
as consumers are getting what we pay for.

Footnote: Sadly, and not surprisingly, there were no Weller Soldering Irons offered that were "Made in USA."


End of Mystery Shopper Report.

[DynoDave]

Thanks Jer. I had assumed that Weller's production had moved off shore...so much has. Now I don't feel quite as bad about buying the Radio Shack / China iron that I got.