Using drill batteries in robots

[psycho_fling]

whats a good wattage? mines 150 watts

thanksa alex

[woody]

Your gun has more watts than mine ...... I use a 10 year old Weller 9200ud rated @ 100watts.

You shouldnt have any problems in the heat department.

Are you putting the heat to the wire then putting the solder to the wire or putting the heat directly to the solder ?

With some cheap soldering guns often although the quoted wattage is plenty sufficient they are utterly useless at transmitting the heat (I had one that melted its own element housing for instance).

Perhaps the gun isnt up to scratch or perhaps you are not heating the piece before applying solder as Simon suggested?

[psycho_fling]

i just heated the solder, and it may not be a good one made by power craft and bought from aldi?

also has some soldering grease in the kit, whats the use for it?

thanks alex

[grant_ploughbot]

Thats probably why then. Put the soldering iron on the back of the tab, and the solder on the other side until it melts and it should stick better, then do the same with the wire, heat the wire with the solder pressing on the wire until it melts, that way you get a much btter joint. when both the tab and the wired are coated in solder, solder them together.

[Mouldy]

The grease is known as Flux. Its used to clean the wire during the heating process.

[woody]

soldering grease = flux
Dip your wire in it before you solder and smear a little on the battery tabs.

http://www.teamnovak.com/tech_info/how_to/solder/index.htmlhttp://www.teamnovak.com/tech_info/h...der/index.html
Worth a read.

[psycho_fling]

i think i need a new soldering iron, looked on technobots and found some will these be suitable?