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Date:         Wed, 24 Oct 2001 23:23:32 -0500
Reply-To:     Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Stan Wilder <wilden1@JUNO.COM>
Subject:      Re: Ultimate Fix #1
Comments: To: Rubatoguy@MINDSPRING.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Generic solders from Radio Shaque etc. is about what you need for general soldering needs. There are also specialty fluxes that are Acid, Rosin and Alkali base depending on your specialty application. Flux is basically a cleaning solvent incorporated into the solder (hollow core) or applied by brush or squirt bottle. Since every body is trying to make an extra buck on every sale there are also solvents for removing extra flux. Over the years I've done quite a bit of silver soldering, liquid flux welding (nickle silver) and it gets complicated the more you discuss it. One of the tricks to soldering is to quit with the heat before the solder runs back under your insulation and solidifies making your wire brittle at the connection.

Stan Wilder

On Wed, 24 Oct 2001 21:10:12 -0700 Todd Last <Rubatoguy@MINDSPRING.COM> writes: > Is flux generic? > I know that plumbing solder and electrical solder are different. > (The plumbing > solder having an acid core.) I was always told never to use plumbing > solder (acid > core) for electrical wiring unless you want to have the wires > corrode over time. > > Todd > '88 Westy > > Matthew Pollard wrote: > > > Flux. Flux is what is used when soldering copper pipes and is > nice to use > > when soldering circuits. A lot of solder is 'flux-core' so it is > often not > > necessary. BUT to clean the copper, you may want to use some > plumbing flux > > (just dip the end in and scrub. Maybe heat a bit with a torch > too). Or if > > you have access to some chemicals- Hydrochloric acid (0.01M) will > do the > > job of cleaning copper, so will muric acid (same thing!) or MAYBE, > but i'm > > not sure- Acetic Acid- aka Vinegar (but i think vinegar is too > weak). > > > > Or just keep scrubbing! > > -Matthew > > > > Matthew Pollard "Racing with the wind and flirting with > death > > Dept. Of Chemistry So have a cup of coffee and catch your > breath" > > University of Idaho > > www.uidaho.edu/~poll7356 > > > > On Wed, 24 Oct 2001, Laurence Smith wrote: > > > > > I am attacking all my ground wires with a vengence and doing the > Ultimate > > > Fix #1 on them. > > > > > > I have discovered that almost all of them in the engine > compartment are crap > > > and in poor condition. So now I am SOLDERING new eyelets etc > (as per > > > Ultimate Fixc #1) on all of them. > > > > > > Question: All the ground wires have this black oxidation crud on > them, even > > > when I strip the insulation off. I've tried cleaning with a > wire brush but > > > it does a poor job. Is there a better technique or goop that I > can use to > > > clean up the copper before soldering? > > > > > > Thanks. > > > > > > Laurence Smith > > > Hamilton, Ontario > > > 90 Westy "Fanumbos" > > > > ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/.


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