How To Make My Soldering Iron Hotter

Can I modify my 120v 30a soldering iron to be hotter.

How to make my soldering iron hotter. 400-500ºF - small components. Take a wet sponge and rub it over the top of the solder iron. 450-550ºF - typical soldering most through-hole stuff.

Then dip into the tin of tinner cleaner with a slight twisting action. Anything bigger such as thick wires or screens on metal jack plugs and I put in a bigger tip and turn the temperature up to 370C. When cold soldering the opposite approach needs to be taken.

This particular model here offers an adjustment knob that we. Typically the iron is too hot if your components no longer work or insulation begins to melt. If you have a high effect soldering iron and a large soldering tip that transfers heat in an efficient way you dont need that high temperature.

Then allow the solder to touch the heated components. Use sulfur-free sponges made specifically for soldering as regular sponges will not remove the solder as efficiently. I used to take them out in the garage and file off the plating then Id use a small hammer and an anvil to hammer the point of the tip to the small size I prefer.

This step will coat the iron in a mixture of flux and solder. Making sure that the soldering tip is properly soaked during the soldering process is necessary for excellent heat transfer and to keep its iron plating unscathed for long. Whether its your childs electrical toys or circuit boards in a production facility that you solder the wise thing to do after unboxing a new soldering iron is to tin its tip to protect it from oxidation.

Then place the iron where the two metal components meet for one second. The flux in tip cleaner removes the oxidisation and build up from the soldering iron tip and then the solder re-tins the tip ready for use. Heres the ballpark temperatures I use note that I am by no means an expert so Im sure someone will come along and correct me.