WHERE to buy flux for soldering wire

[limitedgt4]

soooo, i visited a few local stores and its a stupid question but what other stores sell FLUX for soldering wire (please remain locally aka a store not ebay ill entertain ebay if i cant get it anywhere locally)

already checked:
-harbor freight
-home depot
-advance auto
-autozone
-trusty old Walmart

and no luck cant find it or they dont have it, or its sold out, or back ordered or some other BS

i need this so i can extend the wiring for the wiretuck

 

[Nick M]

It wasn't a part of the solder? Radio Shack.

 

[Dirgle]

Most solder wire for electronic assemblies is rosin core. If it says this it has flux in it. If you need more then like Nick said Radio Shack is your best bet.

 

[jetjock]

Yikes. As if soldering used in that application isn't bad enough....

 

[Dirgle]

Crimping seems to have taken on a evil mythos of its own. Not surprising when you consider the type of crimps typically available at the places the OP listed above.

 

[Poodles]

Proper crimping pliers make even crap crimp fittings pretty decent.

But yes, most people don't know how to properly solder, and use crap tools/supplies.

*hugs his Hakko FX-888*

 

[91Supra313]

I used to solder crap when I was in the Navy, and my habits carried over with it....try using the flux free kind over at Radio Shack. I have 3 spools of it in the shed. Might be a bit more price wise but when you consider having to get the paste and anything else....

 

[limitedgt4]

thanks everyone i got the flux and ive been extending my harness like crazy, updates can will be posted on my thread after the whole process is done

 

[grizlbr]

I pick up a rosin pen each time I see one at Radio Shack near the soldering irons, pocket exacto knives and forceps. Geek gadgets.

 

[jetjock]

Just to point out what some in this thread already know: crimped connections done with quality devices and the proper tooling are superior to soldering even when done by somebody who knows how to do it.

 

[suprarx7nut]

Just to point out what some in this thread already know: crimped connections done with quality devices and the proper tooling are superior to soldering even when done by somebody who knows how to do it.

This came up recently at my work with my co-worker (manufacturing engineer who previously specialized in electronics) and his take was soldering was decidedly better. One of his backing points was that all the work he'd ever been involved with for spacecraft used solely soldering and no crimping.

I've always favored crimps because I've never had a really good iron at home. This being said, is there any reason high quality soldering with high lead solder (for heat resilience) can't match the quality of crimps?

 

[Nick M]

Don't buy the crimps at Autozone, Checker, or even Napa. The Toyota procedure is to crimp, then fill it with solder. I think I have mentioned it before.

 

[jetjock]

Solder is inferior electrically, mechanically, and not as corrosion resistant. There must be reasons this car and others come crimped and not soldered right? There's also reasons aircraft use crimped. The comparison to spacecraft is apples and oranges but some of it basically comes down to the lack of an oxidizing atmosphere. For example properly made crimps are gas tight while soldered connections aren't.

 

[91Supra313]

I was an Aviation Electrician in the Navy, and we did not crimp a single thing. I worked on every different type of aircraft the Navy flew....They taught us to never crimp because it stands a very small chance of being pulled loose. Even if it never happens, there is that one small chance. We were taught not to twist it, but to slide them together, then fill the wires with the solder. Then a simple heat shrink and done.

Any crimp can come loose....done with a proper tool or not. Solder melts around the wires and makes it one complete wire. So, unless you heat it up hot enough to melt the solder in the wires, I really don't understand how squeezing wires in a crimp, is better then melting them together.....Everybody has their own opinions though.

 

[Dirgle]

Where the hell did you work? I was an Intermediate level Aviation Electronics Tech in the Navy as well. I was 2M certified and worked in Shop 69B/C for those that don't know the B side of 69B/C preformed rework on avionics circuitry after other shops preformed the troubleshooting process. So I got a lot of time behind a soldering Iron. And the C side of 69B/C was the cable repair and manufacturing side. I've built more main engine harnesses for Aircraft than I care to remember. And solder splices were absolutely not acceptable except in emergency situations where the wire would be replaced at the earliest possible time.

We primarily used two pubs(as I'm sure you know).

NA01-1A-23
NA01-1A-505

From the NA01-1A-23 solder repair manual in the section concerning Feasibility of repair when using solder splices WP010 00 Page 4

10.3.4 Feasibility of Repair. Make the following considerations prior to repairing damaged wires. If required,
obtain proper authorization to perform the repair.

NOTE

Splicing, as defined in this work package, should only be used for an emergency
repair. Broken wires should be replaced in their entirety.​

And from the NA01-1A-505 the manual concerning the repair of cable assemblies WP 014 00 Page 3

When discussing Splices for single conductor wire repair.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL RESISTANT SPLICES.
The environmental resistant splice conforming to AS
81824 or MIL–S–81824 shall be used to splice single
conductor wires, single conductor wires within a
multiconductor cable, and single conductor wires in
ribbon cable size 12 to 26 AWG. These splices may
be used in all cases where the total temperature does
not exceed 302°F (150°C).​

Now both manuals go on to state that soldering is acceptable when used for terminals, so long as it can be insured that the wire will not wick or bird cage.

 

[91Supra313]

I was in 69E in Virginia Beach. Gen shop. All we did was solder. All of the shops around us when on shore soldered. I never knew a single shop while deployed that used crimps....Regardless this is starting to stray from the OP's topic. Let's drop this whole one is better then the other stuff. This is going to end up locked lol.

 

[jetjock]

... I really don't understand how squeezing wires in a crimp, is better then melting them together...

Except you're not melting them together. Soldering is not a fusion process and in fact increases resistance in the connection versus crimping. Think about it. And I'm pretty sure there's lots of things you don't understand. It'd be best if you knew it though.

I've been around civilian aircraft for over 30 years. I currently own, operate and maintain two, one a former eastern bloc jet fighter/trainer. As an air carrier pilot I'm around transport category aircraft all the time. Other than in avionics I've never seen any of these types use solder. I also hold an BSEE and prior to becoming a bus driver spent years as a machine design/automation engineer. It's not as if I'm a noob at this stuff.

All that aside I'll ask again: if solder is better why do automotive makers not use it? In fact show me a vehicle that does, from cars to farm equipment. Lastly, it's not as if all this wasn't settled decades ago by NASA. I suggest you hunt that research down. It's online and makes for a good read.

Nobody is saying solder won't work or is inadequate. What we're saying is it's inferior to a properly done crimp in every way. A soldered joint has more resistance, is mechanically weaker, and subject to corrosion among other things. That remains fact, not opinion, even if you refuse to accept it.

You can do as you wish on your own car. My recommendation for others is to look at the facts. Of course, since it's unlikely youngsters working on old cars are going to do things to this level of correct (the OP is but one example), all this is mostly academic.

 

[CyFi6]

What are the best crimps to use for automotive repair?

 

[jetjock]

Best is relative but Amp PIDG (Pre-Insulated Diamond Grip) are more than good enough as they're commonly used in aviation. Not cheap compared to hardware store junk but deals can often be had from ebay. The 3M equivalent is good too. For tooling the Amp Pro Crimper does a nice job and is a good balance between price and quality. It also has interchangeable dies.

 

[limitedgt4]

Except you're not melting them together. Soldering is not a fusion process and in fact increases resistance in the connection versus crimping. Think about it. And I'm pretty sure there's lots of things you don't understand. It'd be best if you knew it though.

I've been around civilian aircraft for over 30 years. I currently own, operate and maintain two, one a former eastern bloc jet fighter/trainer. As an air carrier pilot I'm around transport category aircraft all the time. Other than in avionics I've never seen any of these types use solder. I also hold an BSEE and prior to becoming a bus driver spent years as a machine design/automation engineer. It's not as if I'm a noob at this stuff.

All that aside I'll ask again: if solder is better why do automotive makers not use it? In fact show me a vehicle that does, from cars to farm equipment. Lastly, it's not as if all this wasn't settled decades ago by NASA. I suggest you hunt that research down. It's online and makes for a good read.

Nobody is saying solder won't work or is inadequate. What we're saying is it's inferior to a properly done crimp in every way. A soldered joint has more resistance, is mechanically weaker, and subject to corrosion among other things. That remains fact, not opinion, even if you refuse to accept it.

You can do as you wish on your own car. My recommendation for others is to look at the facts. Of course, since it's unlikely youngsters working on old cars are going to do things to this level of correct (the OP is but one example), all this is mostly academic.

your level of arrogance is only second to your ego, the fact that you believe your age and experience makes your more knowledgeable in such an absolute way that you feel the need to post your credentials just to feel important and prove you are right is a sad thing. my age an experience have absolutely nothing to do with my preference for doing things. you like crimping and thats fine by me. circuit boards never crimp does this mean its an inferior piece of technology and it is flawed? well by your definition yes. ever thought car makers crimp because it is easier? quicker? more cost effective than training someone how to solder? i dont know the answers however i know that using electric tape to wrap a crimped wire in an engine bay that gets considerably hot is not such a good idea and yet auto maker do it, so it has to be right? (notice how i dont care to specify how hot the engine bay gets? this is because all engine bays heat up differently so no need to specify) that logic is flawed my friend.

this thread (as someone stated) was not to start a whats best discussion but more a where can i get what i want discussion. at the end of the day, it is preference so stop trying to impose your preferences on everyone simply because your so arrogant you believe that only your way is the right way.

i wont even bother to reply to any more posts you make about this topic because your opinion is just that and it is irrelevant to the original question. maybe you should consider learning how to read better before you continue to provide uneeded/unwanted information. i appreciate you all for your input but i am already done with what i was trying to do (i could care less whose right)

MODS PLEASE CLOSE THIS