Solder won't take/stick!? Interconnect wire.

hybridtech

hybridtech

Active Member
Friends Straight Wire interconnect "LSI Encore", had very green corroded RCAs' on one end. Cut them off to replace. Cut back an extra inch, bared the cables & prepared to pre tin them .... solder won't flow onto the wire? The cable consists of a twisted pair "copper", with a "copper" braiding, all of which are very bright and shiney. Hakko solder station, set to "normal" 350C/650F. Tried 2 different brands of leaded solder which I've used successfully thousands of times before and after. Turned the station up to max 480/900 that's when I get a "blackened globby mess" all over the wire, like it's melted some sort of coating.
Any clues?
 
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As you have noticed, there must be some sort of coating on the wire, maybe you could burn it away with a lighter? if the cable insulation can handle the heat that is.
 
... if the wire is coated (e.g., with varnish, enamel, polyimide, or something like that) yes, you'll need to scrape, abrade, or burn off the coating. You can try heat (they make solder pots for just this purpose, but that's a pricey solution), fine abrasive paper, or a sharp hobby knife.

If you're using a good old tin/lead electronics solder with rosin flux core (e.g., good ol' Kester "44") you should be all set in that regard.
 
You will need to dip or coat your wire on Flux first.This will make solder stick without any problem.

Regards,
Sachin
 
Thanks to all.
Yup, (it now) stands to reason it's got a coating, just didn't register in the single celled amoeba, I call a brain.
I'm using Multicore 5 core Ersin 362 fluxed solder, so theoretically ......
Tried the lighter, no visible signs of it melting off, turns it black, bit of scraping, still doesn't stick.
Is it worth trying the separate rosin flux (don't have any)?
Turning the station way up, the end result is not pretty.

Cheers Tony

OOPS! 2 more posts in the time it took me to compose.
Will try both.
 
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I don't think I've tinned a wire without flux, at least not once I learned how effective it is. I like how quick I can hit the wire, and be back off it . In and out. :thmbsp:

but i am just a newbie:scratch2:
 
i have had wire like that .. needs a good scraping then the iron tip rubbing on the wire whilst adding solder . guess extra flux should help .
 
hybridtech said:
Is it worth trying the separate rosin flux (don't have any)?
Click to expand...

YES! I keep some around just for these little wires that won't gracefully take regular solder - stuff like headphone wire, tone arm wire, speaker tinsel wire and of course, stubborn interconnect wire. Makes a huge difference.
 
I put a very small drop of solder on some regular all copper wires I was tinning and then heat and solder. The flux sucked that solder up to the insulation like I have never seen before. Usually tinning the end of a speaker wire requires heating on all sides and extra time. That flux made an amazing difference. Flux, heat, solder, BAM Done and fully tinned. Wow.
 
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