[TR] soldering

[Dave1massey at cs.com]

In a message dated 3/3/2012 10:00:42 PM Central Standard Time, 
nafzigerg at yahoo.com writes: 
> Do I need a larger soldering iron or do I need
> different solder?  Is there a solder specifically for electrical 
> connections
> in cars that has a lower melting point?
> 

You have received a couple of well informed replies already but let me add 
my technique to the list.  

The secret to soldering is to get the parts hot enough to melt the solder.  
I apply a small ammount of solder to the tip of the soldering gun/iron as 
this will greatly improve heat transfer.  Then I heat the bullet since this 
is the largets mass.  I then apply the solder to the bullet.  When it gets 
hot enough the solder will begin to melt and I feed the solder in to make the 
joint.  With that ammount of heat and the bullet hot enough the wire will 
quickly heat up enough to take up the solder and the joint will be a solid 
one.

I just made a dozen or so of these joints last weekend on my TR3 and the 
biggest problem I had was caffine related.  Trying to hold the soldering gun 
sdeady for the 30 seconds or so on a bullet ballanced precariously on the end 
of a small, wavering wire while trying to apply solder with the other 
required much concentration for this old man.

It ain't easy and I have quite a bit of experience in electrical soldering.

Dave