Flux

[staypuft]

Will this work?

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=64-029

or would i need this?

http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&product%5Fid=64-022

And some people say that these are corrosive. Is that true?

Thanks.

[prisoner1138]

you want the second one.

and yes, flux is corrosive.

but, thats only lif you leave it on crap for quite a long time, or use tons of it and make a mess, and dont other to clean it up. if you get some where it shouldnt be, a q-tip and some rubbing alcohol should be able to clean most of it up. if you want you can get some flux dissolver, but you really shouldnt be using so much flux you would need that.

[staypuft]

Is flux even really that much of a help?

What does it do?

[prisoner1138]

helps the solder stick and controls where the solder will actually flow. solder likes to stick to flux, flux likes to stick to metal. the flux basically keeps the solder where it should be until it's hot enough, and evaporates in the process. it's the excess flux that can be a problem.

it's really easy to observe too. strip a section of wire, hold the wire hanging from your fingers with the stripped end at the bottom. put some flux on it, get some solder on your iron. touch the iron to the end of the wire and the flux will draw the solder up the wire.

[necrolop]

Its by no means needed to do an install. But it does make it easier, and i would recomend using it if you havnt had much experiance or just want some help. It is corrosive, but thats the whole idea, it eats up the layer os crap and cleans the point so that solder can flow into the small pors and get a good clean and fast hold. Apply it on, lightly scratch the points then burn off all the flux.

[ShadowKnyght]

pesonally have not used it since my study days...

never needed it - hate using corrosive fluids or pastes on sensitive equipment - also hate the idea of having to clean it off with yet more chemicals after using it.

If using freshly stripped wires and not pre cut wires you can get solder to bond easily enough - and the idea of leaving the iron on longer than you need to on each point just to burn the flux off is concerning - to much heat and off comes the pad...

[prisoner1138]

true about having to clean it up, and yes it isnt only a help and not a requirement, but in the end it's really just a personal preference. personally i've never bothered to use any flux solvent, because i simply dont use enough for it to be an issue as all the flux(what little i use) burns off with no problem.

and i tin my wires first anyway, so worrying about the solder sticking to them isnt an issue

[staypuft]

I was only using it on the wire not both the point and the wire.

I was having trouble getting the solder to stick to the wire evenly enough that it wouldnt cause bridges while soldering. It kept blobbing.