A soldering iron is as good as its tip; this means that without a highly reliable soldering iron, it will be relatively challenging to work on your project. Usually, a soldering iron tip is considered the most critical component for the performance of a soldering iron.
A soldering iron cannot be effective if the heat transfer to the connecting is not transferred accordingly. This makes the soldering iron unreliable. Poor maintenance of your soldering iron is one of the leading causes of ineffective soldering irons.
In addition to that, soldering iron tip tends to wear out as time progresses and will eventually require a replacement. However, by taking good care of your soldering iron tip, you will be able to boost its longevity significantly, hence saving your money and improving your soldering skills. In this article, we shall be discussing why soldering iron tips wear out.
What Causes A Soldering Iron Tip To Wear Out?
Some of the causes of wear out in soldering iron tip include:
Type of solder used
The type of solder used in soldering different products has a significant impact on the lifespan of the soldering tip. When you use a high-quality solder will help in boosting the longevity of a soldering iron tip as opposed to a low-quality solder.
Usually, a low-quality solder is full of impurities; these impurities are often the primary reason for the build-up of contaminants on your soldering iron tip. As a result, it will get in the way of heat transfer, making the soldering process relatively challenging. In addition to that, it increases the chances of your soldering iron to wear out.
Therefore, to protect your soldering iron tip against such problems, you should consider purchasing a solder from a reputable brand. This will ensure that you get a high-quality solder to work with on every purchase.
Temperature
Maintaining an optimal temperature while soldering an object aids in boosting the longevity of your soldering iron tip. When marinating the temperature of the tip at a constant level and close to the optimal level is vital and helps in boosting the functionality of your soldering iron.
Usually, when using a soldering iron, the temperature of the tip tends to reduce naturally. Therefore, in order to compensate for heat loss, some individuals tend to turn the temperature level more than the required level. However, when using the soldering iron in excessive temperature, the longevity of the tip is reduced, and it often leads to suboptimal results.
Soldering station iron equipped with temperature sensors aids in regulating temperature without causing any damage to your soldering iron tip. A soldering station designed to sense whenever the temperature has dipped or risen more than the required range will automatically adjust. This protects the tip from wearing out hence boosting their longevity significantly.
Cleaning
Failure to clean your soldering iron tip will result in the build-up of oxidized elements, which will inhibit sufficient heat transfer. When it comes to taking care of your soldering iron equipment, you will need to understand how to clean it and boost its functionality.
Undoubtedly, keeping the tip of your soldering iron clean is crucial when it comes to enhancing its performance and protects it against wear out. Always clean your soldering iron tip before, during as well, as after use. To tell whether or not your soldering iron tip is clean, it will appear bright and shiny.
Before you start soldering an object, you should consider using alcohol and a clean cloth to help in removing impurities from the tip. Some of the commonly present contaminants you will need to get rid of include corrosion, grease as well as oxidation that are often present on the surface of your soldering iron tip. These contaminants are the ones responsible for causing wear out in a soldering iron tip.
Flux
When various metals come into contact with oxygen, an oxide layer is formed. Usually, the oxide layer prevents solder from wetting adequately in the joint. This often ends up having a negative impact on the strength of the soldered joint.
As a result, flux is used to help in protecting metal against oxidation. Usually, it dissolves the oxidized layer of metal and evaporates as the flux reaches the boiling point.
Flux is essential in preventing oxidation; however, you should avoid dipping a soldering iron tip to clean it. This is because the flux is highly corrosive. A water-soluble flux is capable of damaging a soldering iron tip at high temperatures. Most individuals tend to use flux when working out on a project that needs wave soldering; once they are through, they clean the tip and get rid of excess flux on a circuit board.
Oxidation
Oxidation is one of the major culprits of wear out in soldering iron tip. It would be best if you considered protecting your tip against oxidation. One of the best ways to do that is by tinning the tip. By tinning a soldering iron tip, you will create a protective layer between iron and air hence preventing oxidation from occurring.
It would be best if you considered the tinning soldering tip after every soldering session. Ensure that the tip of your soldering iron is tinned all the time, from the first of using it to the time you discard it.
Since oxidation is one of the major causes of wear out in a soldering tip, it is best that you tin all your soldering tips to help boost their functionality and longevity significantly.
Final Verdict
As a soldering enthusiast having a functional and reliable soldering iron tip is essential. To achieve this, it is always advisable to have proper maintenance of your soldering tip.
By adhering to the tips discussed in this article, you will be able to significantly boost the functionality and reliability of your soldering iron tip.
In addition to that, you will save money and improve your soldering technique in one way or the other. Proper caring of a soldering iron tip will offer a repeatable result.
