Thread: Help with soldering PSOne in DC area?

Soldering is _not_ difficult.

You should probably just have someone show you how to do it.

Here are a few tips:
1) WAIT until the iron is HOT before trying to solder. Don't try and solder when the tip isn't completely hot - you'll get strange results. Turn the iron on, wait for 10 minutes (I know that sounds like a long time for you young guys; but it's really worth it).

2) Use small guage solder - particularly if you're soldering something with small contacts like a VGA cable.

3) "Tin" the wires first. After you strip the wires, take each wire and feed solder/flux (usually the same thing) into it as you hold the iron to the wire. Hold the iron there until the wire changes from copper to "silver". Then tap the wire or flick is so the excess solder flys away / off. It won't hurt you; but definitely wear glasses when soldering (normal eyeglasses work fine).

4) Apply a small amount of solder to the board and while it's hot, connect the wire. Keep the iron on the "joint" / connection point until they both seem like liquid. Now, remove the iron, _while_ holding the two peices together. This is the hardest part - keeping the 2 peices together while pulling the iron away. Use a weight or something to prop everything together.

5) *** DON'T use too much solder. It doesn't take a lot to make something stick. The trick is making what is there melt and holding it there while it drys (usually 2 seconds or so). This is probably where most people make mistakes. It's much easier to add small amounts of solder than to remove it from a 15 pin VGA cable that is completely soldered into a big metal blob. ***

6) Just try soldering random **** together. Take a couple of wires, solder them together, etc. After soldering a dozen wires or so together you'll start to figure out how it works. It's not rocket science. It's much easier than welding, etc. because you don't need special goggles, etc.

My best advice to you is to just experiment on some other things before working on your VGA connector. After screwing with it for like 30 minutes, you'll figure out how easy it is.

Have fun!
-CB

flux

Originally Posted by yellowfellow21

Thanks a lot for your input. I got very discourage after trying and trying and it didnt work. The "liquid" keep sticking to the iron instead of falling off and stick to the two piece.

Thank you, I'll definitely try again and I hope I can do it this time.

Stick to the iron because the part/wire isn't hot enought and/or the soldering iron is not hot enought. Try brush the part with flux first. It makes it easier to stick.

Yellowfellow - it sounds like you're using an old soldering iron, an iron with a bad/old tip, or possibly a very low power soldering iron.

I paid about $40 for a Weller, and it's definitely worth the money. The Radio Shack models are ****ty, and they can make soldering/electronics seem like they aren't fun. Try using a good soldering iron, and you'll find electronics to be much more enjoyable.

$40 might sound like a lot, compared to the $9 radio shack stick; but if you consider that it'll open up a new world of computing/electronics to you - it's a very small investment. Also, the iron will probably last you 10-15 years or more.

It nothing else, try getting a brand new Soldering iron tip ($2.99 at Rad Shack for their model) and some small solder (I use the radio shack solder (60/40 .032 diameter).

Be careful with the Radio Shack iron; it's not well balanced and if you're not careful you could burn down your dorm/apartment/mom's house/whatever.

Kind regards,
CB

yellow, sent you a PM (sorry, I havent been on in a while)...

I tried practicing with my $9 Radio Shack soldering iron. It was very tough to make a decent connection. It barely got hot enough to DEsolder a connection. This was my first try, but I wish I had seen CB's suggestion about spending a little more for a quality iron.

Here are the pics I mentioned...