roamingyak Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 Time to get into my Defender electrics a little more and fix up some of the past disasters installed... I'd like to order a solder kit, aiming for what is detailed below, but happy to add to it if people suggest anyting useful... So any suggestions for a good quality kit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 For doing stuff on a Land Rover I'm a massive fan of the Portasol Super Pro 125 (now Mk2) gas iron - it's far easier than dragging extension leads about and doubles as a hot-air gun and (small but fierce) blowlamp, which lets you do heat-shrink and other useful things with the one tool. Very nicely made too. For on the bench, Metcal SP200 is the king. Failing that, something you can get tips for is a good idea - Weller are decent and have been around forever. A more modern portable is the no-brand TS100 rechargeable which are all over eBay but I've no idea about reliability / performance. For LR wiring, some good quality glue-lined heat-shrink makes things lovely and keeps moisture out - 3:1 shrink ratio is more forgiving of size differences. RS sell bags of pre-cut lengths. Oh and remember - wiring soldering is NOT plumbing soldering! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 A second for the Portasol stuff, 130W, so will solder anything you will see on a land rover, do buy the gas in bulk though, it is hungry on the higher settings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianmayco68 Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 +1 for the Portasol , great bit of kit . Don’t forget some spare tips as well . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ooops Posted August 17, 2018 Share Posted August 17, 2018 +1 for the Portasol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamingyak Posted August 18, 2018 Author Share Posted August 18, 2018 (edited) 23 hours ago, Bowie69 said: A second for the Portasol stuff, 130W, so will solder anything you will see on a land rover, do buy the gas in bulk though, it is hungry on the higher settings. What gas does it take and how is it feed in (top it up or gas canister etc?) please? I can order the kit, but need to make sure I can order or buy locally the gas 😉 Edited August 18, 2018 by roamingyak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roamingyak Posted August 18, 2018 Author Share Posted August 18, 2018 23 hours ago, FridgeFreezer said: For doing stuff on a Land Rover I'm a massive fan of the Portasol Super Pro 125 (now Mk2) gas iron - it's far easier than dragging extension leads about and doubles as a hot-air gun and (small but fierce) blowlamp, which lets you do heat-shrink and other useful things with the one tool. Very nicely made too. For on the bench, Metcal SP200 is the king. Failing that, something you can get tips for is a good idea - Weller are decent and have been around forever. A more modern portable is the no-brand TS100 rechargeable which are all over eBay but I've no idea about reliability / performance. For LR wiring, some good quality glue-lined heat-shrink makes things lovely and keeps moisture out - 3:1 shrink ratio is more forgiving of size differences. RS sell bags of pre-cut lengths. Oh and remember - wiring soldering is NOT plumbing soldering! Portasol sounds like a good tool to have on a trip in Africa, very keen... Read that tips don't last long and the kit available only comes with three. What sized tips are most useful for Defender electrics (including the odd large cable like a winch cable etc) please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 18, 2018 Share Posted August 18, 2018 Hmm, not worn out a tip yet on mine, very odd that people say they don't last.... @roamingyak, it just uses the fag lighter butane canisters to top it up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnoK Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Weller are also very good, both gas and electric. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Portsol takes standard lighter gas refill (butane in aerosol can), I've not worn a tip out either and mine was my work iron for ~5 years plus a load of stuff around the shed. My Mk1 only got replaced with a Mk2 recently because I dropped it and broke the diffuser in the burner tip (Mk2 the burner is replaceable). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Hmm, perhaps someone has been using it to melt plastic, the tips don't like this, as I believe the plastic turns to an acid, though it is a long, long time ago I remember reading about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 One of the included tips is (or certainly was) a hot knife for cutting things, I imagine soldering tips don't like being gunked up with plastic by filthy heathens - same heathens probably then ruin the plating by scrubbing the tip clean on something abrasive I shouldn't wonder... Mine's all original tips and must be over 10 years old now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowie69 Posted August 20, 2018 Share Posted August 20, 2018 Yeah, the hot knife is excellent on rope! My dad proudly informed me the other day he had cleaned the tip of my mains soldering iron with some emery cloth.... *doh*. I informed him politely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Poore Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 On 8/17/2018 at 12:16 PM, FridgeFreezer said: For on the bench, Metcal SP200 is the king. Depends on the kind of bench work... My preference is the JBC Nase but then again I'm probably dealing with much smaller stuff One of the technicians at work commented that the Metcals (at least some of them) are constant power rather than constant temperature, so subtly different in how they operate but can make a difference depending on what you're doing. I've got an old Weller in the shed for bigger stuff and it's perfectly fine and the tips have lasted for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zardos Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 For soldering I find a pair of helping hands is usefulhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Rolson-Tools-60335-Helping-Magnifying/dp/B001BMSBD4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
=jon= Posted August 21, 2018 Share Posted August 21, 2018 I had an Iroda solderpro for a long time - it was very good, although some of the supplied tips were a bit iffy and got *way* too hot. By too hot I mean 'touch the solder on the reel and watch the solder instantly catch light and go off like a bomb fuse' 😲Swap to another tip which appeared the same and it was much better/cooler! I'm not sure if you can still get Iroda stuff any more - the gas adjuster has started leaking, Maplins were the main seller so guess it's defunct My Dad has one of the cheapy aldi gas irons: https://www.aldi.co.uk/workzone-mini-soldering-torch-kit/p/052152004497400 It's a bit bulkier but works fine, and you can't complain at the price! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miggit Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 (edited) If you want a good reliable soldering iron for general work then you wont go wrong with an Antex 25w iron. I have been using the same iron for over 30 years! I was first introduced to Antex when I got a job as a computer printer engineer, and have used them ever since. Before that I had a 25w Weller iron, OK, but can be a pain to change the tips (held in with a grub screw, the Antex is just push fit. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antex-XS-25-25W-230v-Soldering-Iron-complete-with-PVC-Cable-UK-Plug-Free-P-P/263891257086?epid=28015207005&hash=item3d712506fe:g:-fAAAOSwqQBbYBcl You can get temperature controlled irons, but unless you plan on building computers from scratch I really wouldn't bother. Gas irons are great in a power cut, but the platinum catalyst suffers from moisture and will fail. If you need to use the iron away from mains power get an inverter (12vdc - 230vac) a small one will do as you only need 25 watts..... I picked up a 300 w inverter for a friend to run a TV in his horsebox for £35. I run my iron allday on a slave battery from the inverter without draining the battery, although if you lift the bonnet you'll find one there Best place for heat shrink that I know of is here https://cpc.farnell.com/ , they sell the Antex irons too but they are a little bit dearer than fleabay. For heating the heat shrink I use one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MINI-CORDLESS-REFILLABLE-GAS-BLOW-TORCH-HOT-AIR-HEAT-GUN-HEAT-SHRINK-SOLDERING/360667108172?hash=item53f96f534c:g:A78AAOSwsTVas7Yf , it does use a fair ammount of gas, but it's better than having to run power to the job to use a mains heat gun... and yes you could use an inverter but it would need to be a very big one.... big is expensive and power hungry! Best advice for joining wires is to strip about 15mm off each, overlap at a slight angle and twist them together. If you lucky they will hold together so you have both hands for soldering... heat the wires with iron and add solder..... took a while to master, but it's the only way to get a good joint. A small amount of solder on the tip will help, and to get things started if you can get the solder to the wires / tip at the same time it will speed up the process. Once it starts to melt just apply solder to the wires, and moving the iron will drag the solder to it! Edited August 26, 2018 by miggit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miggit Posted August 26, 2018 Share Posted August 26, 2018 On 8/20/2018 at 3:56 PM, Bowie69 said: Hmm, perhaps someone has been using it to melt plastic, the tips don't like this, as I believe the plastic turns to an acid, though it is a long, long time ago I remember reading about it. I hate to say this but the flux in the solder is acidic, so the tip will wear down.. if you use it enough! I used to go through a tip every month or so when I was soldering allday every day! You can use abrasives to clean the tip, just remember to heat it up and cover it with some solder after (re-tin), removing excess solder with the expensive (wet) sponge provided... or a wodge of kitchen towel / hand towel is a good alternative! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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