Hey everyone! I'm brand new to soldering and I'm running into a frustrating issue. I have this inexpensive soldering kit from China and I'm trying to solder stranded copper wires, but the solder just won't stick! It either beads up or doesn't flow at all.
I've been using flux on both the stripped wire and the soldering iron tip, and I can tell the wire is getting hot because my PETG helping hands are melting. Here are some extra details:
- The solder is the kind that came with the kit, probably cheap and possibly lead-free.
- I'm heating the wire first before touching the solder to it (not to the iron).
- I clean the iron tip using a damp sponge.
- The wire is freshly stripped and definitely not corroded.
- Despite everything, the solder just won't flow onto the wire.
Could the issue lie with the solder itself, or is my iron just not powerful enough? I'd really appreciate any guidance or advice—thanks a ton!
3 Answers
Have you thought about using a magnet on the wire? Sometimes, really cheap import wires can be steel coated with a thin layer of copper, which won't solder easily. Also, try putting a small dab of solder on your iron tip before touching it to the wire—this can help with heat transfer, especially with stranded wire. It sounds like you're getting the wire hot, but keep it brief to avoid melting insulation.
First off, double-check if you actually have real copper wire or if they might have sent you aluminum instead. Solder won’t stick to aluminum, which would explain your trouble. If the solder melts when applied to the wire, then it should be hot enough. You might want to scrape a little bit of the wire with a knife to check for any enamel coating. Soldering stranded copper should usually be straightforward, so testing with a different wire could help determine the problem.
Make sure you've tinned your soldering iron tip correctly, as this helps with heat transfer. If your soldering iron isn’t getting the wire hot enough, the solder won’t bond right. It might also be a good idea to try soldering a different piece of wire to see if the issue persists. If it does, then the problem might lie with the current wire being oxidized or something else.