Each person at least once in his life faced a similar problem, like a wire break. Not many want to make such a trifle request to the workshop, therefore they prefer to independently master the soldering technique and carry out repairs at home. To carry out this operation is quite realistic. But you need to know some nuances. We will talk about all the intricacies of the work in our article today.
Soldering methods
During the use of aluminum conductors, a significant disadvantage is their rapid oxidation. In order for such a process not to impede the passage of electric current, their twists are soldered.
Soldering aluminum wires in the junction box is carried out using a gas burner or a soldering iron. If you compare these two methods, then using a soldering iron is much more difficult. This is due to the inability to for sure perform heating to the required temperature value. And for aluminum, both overheating and insufficient heating are unacceptable.
As for the gas burner, with its help the heating temperature is much easier to control. Regardless of the equipment used, the necessary preparation must be carried out before soldering the aluminum wires at home. Next, we consider in detail this moment.
Preliminary preparation
According to its characteristics, aluminum is considered to be a low-melting material, which can melt at the slightest inconsiderate heating. It is in this property that the main difficulty of such soldering lies. The operation is also complicated by the fact that aluminum wires undergo oxidation in air.
The resulting film as a result of oxidation reliably protects the surface of the material from the negative effects of external factors, but also interferes with the connection of the material. Before you solder aluminum wires with a soldering iron, you must remove this film.
Under normal conditions, it will not be possible to mechanically remove the film from the wires, since they will immediately undergo oxidation and, accordingly, become covered with a new film.
To cope with such a problem will help oil, which previously needs to be heated to two hundred degrees. This is necessary in order to remove the oxygen present from it. But even in this case, the process of removing the film at home will be uncomfortable and very time-consuming.
The best option is tinned wires before soldering. For this, a mechanical method and a special flux should be used. All manipulations should be carried out until the moment the wires are twisted. Otherwise, cleaning the surface completely will not work. After the ends become tinned, they can be twisted together and begin to solder.
Necessary tools
Before you solder aluminum wires, you should take care of the presence of a soldering iron, solder and flux. It is best if all the work will be carried out on a wooden stand, which must be prepared in advance so as not to damage the surface of the table.
Before starting work, the wires must be carefully stripped. To do this, prepare and use sandpaper (coarse fraction paper is best). Before starting the soldering of aluminum wires, they must be degreased with an alcohol solution.
For convenience, you need to prepare safety glasses and tweezers. They will help to neatly dock delicate elements and prevent eye injuries.
Work sequence
The soldering of aluminum wires among themselves should be carried out in the strict sequence:
- first of all, a thorough cleaning of the surface of the conductors is carried out, since any extraneous plaque can make the connection unreliable;
- then all the stripped ends are coated with a flux, which prevents oxidation of the wires during operation;
- when using a soldering iron, the solder is melted, which is subsequently applied in an even, thin layer to the ends of the conductors.
- the wires must be neatly connected with tweezers or temporary twisting;
- to prevent the appearance of rust under the solder, it is additionally necessary to apply a flux to the joint;
- after that, using a soldering iron, melt the solder and evenly distribute it around the docked ends;
- the final stage is a thorough cleaning of the soldering iron, special attention should be paid to the sting, which is then best treated with an inactive flux.
Welding joint
Soldering of copper and aluminum wires is often done by welding. This type of connection provides reliable and monolithic contact. The work is carried out at the ends of the conductors, which must be previously stripped and twisted. Recently, inverter welding machines have been used to connect wires in this way.
All joints that are obtained by welding have excellent mechanical strength and are also characterized by durability and excellent contact conductivity.
Flux
Soldering aluminum wires is carried out using flux. This is a kind of mixture that is specially created to improve the quality of the connection of conductors. Melting of the flux begins before the soldering process, as it directly prepares the surface for connection.
Flux for soldering aluminum wires is passive and active. The latter is distinguished by the fact that it contains acids and harmful volatile substances, which directly pickles the metal, and also removes fat and oxides from it. Passive does not contain acids and acts on pollution as a solvent. The most popular flux is rosin, which is made on the basis of wood resin.
Thanks to fluxes, it became possible to solder metals, which without them would be practically impossible to combine.
Additional devices
So that the soldering of aluminum wires does not lead to property damage, care must be taken about the availability of additional devices. For the soldering iron, you must have a stand. It will help protect surrounding objects from heat. For soldering, you will also need to purchase a special site that will be resistant to molten flux or solder.
To ensure convenience during work, it is better to fix all objects. To do this, you can use pliers with which you can press the wire to the place of soldering. To fix the desoldering, it is recommended to use a clamp.
Process features
To solder aluminum wires with your own hands was performed perfectly, experts recommend adhering to certain recommendations. Before you start connecting the wires, be sure to check the soldering iron. It must be clean, no sinks or bumps, nor black soot should be present on it. If there are any deviations, then it must be cleaned.
You can use the file. During the operation, you should also pay attention to the state of the soldering iron. Try to always keep it clean. It is best to start soldering from the side farthest from the insulation. Upon completion of work, all joints must be isolated. To do this, it is recommended to use polyvinyl chloride or cotton insulation.
Temperature selection
You must be able to handle the soldering iron correctly. First of all, you need to learn how to determine if the soldering space is sufficiently heated. If you use a regular soldering iron for work, then in this case you need to navigate by the behavior of the flux or rosin. If these components boil and produce steam, then this indicates a sufficient level of heating.
Once the soldering place is properly warmed up, you can add solder, which is applied both in liquid and solid form. In order for the connection to be of high quality, it is necessary to closely maintain the temperature and perform all actions carefully. It is not recommended to overheat, and also use a large amount of solder.
The final stage
To ensure a reliable connection of wires, the entire process must be carried out competently and accurately. If the wires were treated with acid fluxes, then after cooling them, it is necessary to wash off the remnants of solder. This can be done with a damp rag or sponge, which is pre-wetted in a soapy solution, and then slightly dried.
The ability to solder independently in modern life is simply a necessary experience. Now there are many methods of compounds of different metals. But first of all, you need to have skills in working with a soldering iron. Only in this case can a reliable connection of the wires be ensured. During the soldering process, all recommendations must be strictly observed, since this process is considered rather complicated and does not accept errors. This is especially true for the choice of connection method, flux and solder. Soldering wires with your own hands at home will help you out more than once and help repair any equipment.