Soldering thick wire

[Marcyg]

This IS a DCC related question, but it involves basic wiring so I thought this would be the best place. I'm having real issues soldering my dropper wires to my main bus. The droppers tin perfectly, but the bus wire is having none of it. It 2mm multi strand copper wire, the stuff used in high quality audio set ups. The iron is getting the wire hot enough, it melts the insulation, but as soon as the solder hits it, the solder congeales and wont flow. I'm using thick, flux core solder and a 100w iron. I have some rosin flux on the way, to see if this helps. If it doesn't I need to find a different way to attach the wires. Choc blocks is untidy, and I can't find a suitcase connector that will go from 20AWG wire to 14AWG wire. The layout is a permanent home one, but I do have about 175 meters of this stuff to wire in, so am looking for a good solution if the new flux doesn't help

[kevinlms]

This IS a DCC related question, but it involves basic wiring so I thought this would be the best place. I'm having real issues soldering my dropper wires to my main bus. The droppers tin perfectly, but the bus wire is having none of it. It 2mm multi strand copper wire, the stuff used in high quality audio set ups. The iron is getting the wire hot enough, it melts the insulation, but as soon as the solder hits it, the solder congeales and wont flow. I'm using thick, flux core solder and a 100w iron. I have some rosin flux on the way, to see if this helps. If it doesn't I need to find a different way to attach the wires. Choc blocks is untidy, and I can't find a suitcase connector that will go from 20AWG wire to 14AWG wire. The layout is a permanent home one, but I do have about 175 meters of this stuff to wire in, so am looking for a good solution if the new flux doesn't help

What sort of wire is the bus wire made of, it sounds like it could be aluminium?

[Marcyg]

What sort of wire is the bus wire made of, it sounds like it could be aluminium?

Copper audio wire. It's not aluminium. If it was, I dare say I'd have a large puddle on the floor by now with the heat I put through it

[Enterprisingwestern]

I use thick copper audio wire for my DCC bus soldered to tag strips, I have had no problems using a 25 Antex iron and cored solder.

Is your iron actually kicking out the power you think it is?

 

Mike.

[Marcyg]

I use thick copper audio wire for my DCC bus soldered to tag strips, I have had no problems using a 25 Antex iron and cored solder.

Is your iron actually kicking out the power you think it is?

 

Mike.

I've tried 3 different irons. 2 are an unknown rating, 1 is 100w, which I think could be close as the wire gets real hot real quick, which makes me think its the solder, or there's not enough flux in it

[Junctionmad]

almost certainly your iron is underpowered , as a general comment all electronics irons tend to be 40-50W  in any professional outfit ( I use a Hakko) , newer Direct tip heater versions are now often 100w or more 

 

a Large length of multi stranded wire is a considerable heatsink and your iron needs to be able to conduct sufficient heat to locally raise the temp sufficient , its clearly not doing that , 

 

also for this work you need a " meaty " bit , chisel shaped or slanted truncated cone bit around 3mm across 

 

PS , dont use those quick heat " electricians " soldering irons , utter junk 

Edited May 18, 2018 by Junctionmad

[Junctionmad]

 

 

flux core solder and a 100w iron. I have some rosin flux on the way,

post an image of the label associated with the solder, its sounds like ordinary rosin cored solder, as the droppers thin perfectly 

 

There is generally no need for any extra flux in this case

[Orion]

Have you tried cleaning the copper to see if this makes any difference? Just wondering if it has some sort of coating. Also, are you using lead solder or lead free?

 

I find no problem with soldering thick copper wire with a 40w iron and lead cored solder, no extra flux. Never a problem.

[Marcyg]

OK, just been called lots of rude names by an electrician friend. I have a variable temp iron, which he said is perfectly good, but the tip I was using was junk. I now have something that resembles a prybar end on it and am now going through the wiring like Speedy Gonzalez. So in a nut shell, it was user error

[stewartingram]

OK, just been called lots of rude names by an electrician friend. I have a variable temp iron, which he said is perfectly good, but the tip I was using was junk. I now have something that resembles a prybar end on it and am now going through the wiring like Speedy Gonzalez. So in a nut shell, it was user error

 

You mean Digital Malfunction surely? (Finger Trouble). You are installing a Digital system.

 

Stewart

[lesmond]

Good you got it sorted though