shadow-meter on 116 - Printable Version

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+--- Thread: shadow-meter on 116 (/showthread.php?tid=12291)

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shadow-meter on 116 - Danny - 05-16-2015

I've rewound this and now I'm having a hard time
trying to solder leads to it. This 40 gauge wire keeps
burning up when I try to solder it. I've using a Weller 
8200 and even at 100 watts setting it burns.  Do I need
to buy a pencil, if so which do you recommend? Or is there
another process to connect leads?
Thanks....

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RE: shadow-meter on 116 - Eliot Ness - 05-16-2015

Yeah, a 100 watt gun is probably most of your problem.  If you don't want to spring for a soldering station like the Weller WESD51 or WES51 you can use a 25 watt iron or maybe even a 45 watt if you're careful.  I prefer a temperature controlled iron, but an el-cheapo like the following will easily get you by:

https://www.parts-express.com/variable-wattage-soldering-iron-0-50-watts--370-340

Look at the 2nd review by the guy in Lexington.... he is a friend of mine and he loves that iron.  

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RE: shadow-meter on 116 - Radioroslyn - 05-16-2015

If you are cheap like me you can remove the tip and make a larger (longer) one with coat hanger. The longer the cold.
Terry

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RE: shadow-meter on 116 - morzh - 05-16-2015

A technique I learned and used: take a thick gauge copper wire, like the one used for house wiring or just a tad thinner, and tightly wrap it around your 100W tip, as many turns as fits. Then allow about 1-1/2 to 2" long tip, shape it with a file to a bevel. It is excellent to use for small wires. The ratio of tip length to number of turns dictates the temperature.

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RE: shadow-meter on 116 - Hank G - 05-17-2015

I have run my 35 watt pencil iron on a variac to reduce the heat, not great regulation if the house voltage is jumping around, but works good for quick job.
Hank

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RE: shadow-meter on 116 - Danny - 05-19-2015

Great help thanks everyone....I do appreciate all the replies,
Morzh...I tried your suggestion and it worked great.

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