Soldering is the process of combining metal alloys usually used in circuit boards. It is similar to pasting, but it requires heat to melt the soldering lead. Soldering circuits is an easy task but requires caution and attention. Anyone can do this if he is properly equipped with the necessary materials and familiar with the safety guidelines.
Instructions
1 Clean the board to be soldered. The surface must be clean to ensure a strong solder joint and low electrical resistance. You can cautiously use steel wool to remove unnecessary tarnish from the board. Then use solvent to eradicate chemical contamination and steel wool bits. Dry the board with compressed air.
2 Position the components on the board. Do not place them all at once. Position the smaller components before the bigger ones to maintain the stability of the board. Sensitive parts should be placed last to prevent them from being damaged. Bend the lead of the component at a 45 degree angle to keep it in place.
3 Turn on the soldering gun to begin warming it. Apply a small amount of solder to the tip of the soldering gun to ensure that the solder will stick to the circuit board. Using the pre-warmed soldering gun, position the tip of the gun between the board and the component lead. Make sure the gun is touching both to keep them warm.
4 Apply the solder. Once you are sure that the board and component are warm enough, put the tip of the solder on both of them. Add more solder until the pad is fully coated.
5 Allow the solder to cool. When you are satisfied with the result, let the lead and solder cool on the board to ensure that the joint is tight.
6 Check for cold joints. Cold joints appear when the joint is moved after being soldered. It is usually indicated by a rough texture of the joint. After thoroughly inspecting it, repeat steps 2-6 for every other component.
7 Clean the solder residue using a rag soaked in methyl hydrate. Then dry the board using compressed air.
