Plated Through Hole Soldering

Materials by Lindsay Craig

Plated Through Hole Soldering
 Soldering Iron

•The main soldering tool

•Used to melt solder
 Solder

• Metal “glue” used

to join together
metal parts
• Contains flux
• Made of Tin and
Copper, sometimes Lead
 Tweezers, Clippers, & Pliers

•Tools used to handle, bend or cut

components and PCBs
 Sponge

•Used to clean off soldering iron tip

•Can be made of various materials
•Should be used every time before soldering
a joint
 Flux

•Makes solder melt easier

•Always use extra flux for rework
 Solder Wick

•Use to remove solder

•Careful, it gets really hot!
 Pins and Via

•Male and female parts that you will solder

together
 PCB

•Printed Circuit Board

•Comprised mainly of fiberglass and copper
foil
 Safety Goggles

•Wear them, you only have 2 eyes and solder is

very, very hot! (Like this guy.)
 What is oxidization?

•Oxidization is what happens when oxygen breaks down

matter
•It impedes heat and electricity transfer
•As a result you must clean your iron tip constantly…
really!
 What is polarity?
• Some parts have to be
attached in a very particular
way due to polarity
• These parts will not work if
you put them in incorrectly,
pay attention
• Polarized parts are
highlighted in yellow in
your kit card Example of polarized LEDs
 Cleaning your soldering iron

•Cleaning your soldering iron is one of the most

important aspects of soldering
•If you can’t get the oxidization off using a sponge try
tip tinner
 Perfect solder joint, step 1 of 4

•Hold the iron touching both the pin and the via for
the count of one
•Make sure to touch the side of the tip of the iron to
the pin and via
 Perfect solder joint, step 2 of 4

•Feed solder into the pin and via from the opposite
side of the pin as the soldering iron
•If you’re having trouble getting the solder to flow,
briefly touch the iron with the solder
 Perfect solder joint, step 3 of 4

•Pull the solder away first and then the soldering iron
•If your solder gets stuck to the via or pin you can
just melt it off with the iron
 Perfect solder joint, step 3 of 4

•Don’t feed too much solder into the joint

•Solder covers entire via, but no more
•You can see solder from the other side of the joint (if it
isn’t blocked by a component)
 Perfect solder joint, step 4 of 4

•Clip excess wire off using clippers

 Perfect and not so perfect solder joint

•“Jumpers” will give electricity another path to travel

(one that you don’t want it to travel)
•“Cold joints” may look like they are connected, but
won’t conduct electricity
Questions?
 www.sparkfun.com
6175 Longbow Drive, Suite 200
Boulder, Colorado 80301