Electrical Engineering V3

[Chryseus]

There isn't any reason not to use leaded solder, unless you're doing mass production.
It's perfectly safe as well unless you start eating your solder.

[Ddrl46]

[QUOTE=Chryseus;50280478]There isn't any reason not to use leaded solder, unless you're doing mass production.
It's perfectly safe as well unless you start eating your solder.[/QUOTE]

You'd probably want to use lead free solder if you are doing any plumbing.

[Chryseus]

[QUOTE=ddrl46;50280488]You'd probably want to use lead free solder if you are doing any plumbing.[/QUOTE]

You're in the wrong thread, this isn't Plumbing V3.

[TCWilliamson]

[QUOTE=ddrl46;50280488]You'd probably want to use lead free solder if you are doing any plumbing.[/QUOTE]

Rubbish! It just helps protect against the radioactive chemtrails they put in the air!
Why do you think they outlawed lead in products??

[pentium]

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50278885]I found a soldering iron my grandpa built a few decades ago, along with what seems to be some ancient supplies

[t]http://i.imgur.com/RSgmT42.jpg[/t]
[/QUOTE]

That iron. It's identical to my Weller except yours is in black. I still use it as my main iron. Does the heater cap have a threaded top to hold the tip in?

[Fourier]

Sad thing is this iron is working better than my 400€ Weller.

[Papkee]

I still stand by the opinion that the best purchase you can make is a good soldering iron.

My FX-888D has been an absolute lifesaver.

[pentium]

I built a thing and tried to make it look nice.

[IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/IMG_3750.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/ballsandy/IMG_3751.jpg[/IMG]

[media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=YhA0w--RU6Q[/media]

[proboardslol]

[QUOTE=pentium;50281622]That iron. It's identical to my Weller except yours is in black. I still use it as my main iron. Does the heater cap have a threaded top to hold the tip in?[/QUOTE]

I don't know what a heater cap is :v: I feel like my grandpa hates me from the grave for becoming a software guy and not a hardware guy

[Zero-Point]

The heater cap is the do-what's-it that holds the heating kajigger in place as well as where the pokey hot bit usually is inserted/held in by a washatello (set-screw) or a hooter-bang (a screw-on cap).

[pentium]

The little metal thing you twist so you can switch tips.

[Chryseus]

I like my cheap chinese hakko clones, when you can get a complete station for [url=http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/__19241__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_with_EU_Plug.html]16 bux[/url] and extremely cheap tips with good performance any other brand can't really compete.
Unless you're going high end like a JBC but you'll pay the price for that performance.

[ben1066]

[QUOTE=Chryseus;50299991]I like my cheap chinese hakko clones, when you can get a complete station for [url=http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/__19241__Soldering_Station_with_Adjustable_Heat_Range_with_EU_Plug.html]16 bux[/url] and extremely cheap tips with good performance any other brand can't really compete.
Unless you're going high end like a JBC but you'll pay the price for that performance.[/QUOTE]

I managed to get an older JBC station on eBay and it's amazing. If you're in the EU you can actually get an analogue JBC station which doesn't cost an insane amount [url]http://www.weidinger.eu/en/shop/soldering_equipment/jbc/jbc_soldering_and_desoldering_device/jbc_compact_line/wl26830[/url]

[Ddrl46]

I have been slowly upgrading my soldering equipment over the last year and a bit after starting out with a Toolcraft 50W soldering station and a Duratool de-soldering station. Once you try a cartridge based soldering system like the JBCs, Metcals, PACE Intelliheat series or even the Hakko 951 series you'll never go back.

[thumb]http://i.imgur.com/bSFMUMZ.jpg[/thumb]

JBC CD-2BD
JBC JT7000
Pace MBT250 series 3 channel rework station (I use it for the de-soldering iron and soldering tweezers)

[Zero-Point]

[QUOTE=pentium;50299856]The little metal thing you twist so you can switch tips.[/QUOTE]

Oh sure, make things more complicated than they need to be. :v:

[proboardslol]

Where do you guys buy wire?

[editline]11th May 2016[/editline]

Also I'm looking for a switch for VIL 1.0 and VIH 3.5, but I feel like I don't know the correct terminology to look for? I'm literally just looking for a switch like
[t]http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/FSW1-400.jpg[/t]

[LoneWolf_Recon]

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50302114]Where do you guys buy wire?

[editline]11th May 2016[/editline]

Also I'm looking for a switch for VIL 1.0 and VIH 3.5, but I feel like I don't know the correct terminology to look for? I'm literally just looking for a switch like
[t]http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/FSW1-400.jpg[/t][/QUOTE]

Safety covered switch or missile switches is what you're looking for.

I typically just get wire from scrap electronics 90% of the time, but I found [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Electronix-Express--Hook-Wire-Solid/dp/B00B4ZRPEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463014664&sr=8-1&keywords=22awg+wire"]this to be the best 22AWG set[/URL].

[proboardslol]

[QUOTE=LoneWolf_Recon;50303383]Safety covered switch or missile switches is what you're looking for.

I typically just get wire from scrap electronics 90% of the time, but I found [URL="http://www.amazon.com/Electronix-Express--Hook-Wire-Solid/dp/B00B4ZRPEY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1463014664&sr=8-1&keywords=22awg+wire"]this to be the best 22AWG set[/URL].[/QUOTE]

When these switches say 12v 20A, that's just max rating correct?

[Chryseus]

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50303601]When these switches say 12v 20A, that's just max rating correct?[/QUOTE]

Yes, although it's never good practice to use them anywhere near that, particularly with the cheaper Chinese stuff, the 12V rating seems bullshit though unless it has a LED inside it, even the smallest switches can easily withstand 48V or more.

[Van-man]

[QUOTE=Chryseus;50306199]Yes, although it's never good practice to use them anywhere near that, particularly with the cheaper Chinese stuff, the 12V rating seems bullshit though unless it has a LED inside it, even the smallest switches can easily withstand 48V or more.[/QUOTE]

That's probably their rated voltage at the set amount of current.

I got some switches at work that can handle X amounts of current at 12v DC, and a (lower) Y amount of current at 24v DC

I believe it's the same deal with the contactors in industrial relays.

[KGS]

[QUOTE=Van-man;50306792]That's probably their rated voltage at the set amount of current.

I got some switches at work that can handle X amounts of current at 12v DC, and a (lower) Y amount of current at 24v DC

I believe it's the same deal with the contactors in industrial relays.[/QUOTE]

As somebody working in the industrial side of electricity i can confirm.
If you can see the actual contact then it's usually pretty easy to estimate what load you can use it for.
Try to stay away from the max rating it gives though.

[pentium]

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50302114]Where do you guys buy wire?[/QUOTE]

For >1 amp jobs which is a lot of stuff I have several meters of old 50 strand telco trunk cabling. It's all solid core and I have a ton of colors I can choose from. The larger stuff I just go to an automitive shop and they have a variety of colors in assorted spool lengths.

[quote][img]http://www.polevolt.co.uk/acatalog/FSW1-400.jpg[/img][/quote]
Buy these online from china. You go to any automotive store and they'll be selling them for 10x the price.

[Goz3rr]

[t]http://i.imgur.com/ami7U43.jpg[/t]

[i]oops[/i]

[nikomo]

It fitted, before you went all fancy with the board edge.
Live and learn.

[Lily]

Anyone got any tips when building a reflow oven? Trying to do this with only hot air was a bad fucking idea; not enough control, so I guess I'll just have to build one.

IGBTs seem to have gotten really cheap these days though, I can get ones that can handle 600@49A for a dollar each. Neat.

[editline]17th May 2016[/editline]

[QUOTE=nikomo;50337212]It fitted, before you went all fancy with the board edge.
Live and learn.[/QUOTE]

I'd be more concerned about the cracked chip.

[nikomo]

I legit didn't spot the chip.
You fool. Don't be breaking chips.

Also, I "made" a "resistor".
[t]http://i.imgur.com/ITcALWa.jpg[/t]
It's literally made out of 1/4W eBay resistors, hot glue, and a cut up energy drink can. I pushed 32W through it for a few seconds, and had bubbles come out, and thought I cooked it, but it's still drawing the same amount of current at 5V as in the beginning. Needs further testing.

Edit: The water, compared to ground, is 3.3V, so there's some leakage going on there. On the upside, you could power a micro off of it.

[Goz3rr]

[QUOTE=nikomo;50338149]You fool.[/QUOTE]

It's a store bought shield:

[t]http://www.elecrow.com/wiki/images/c/cd/Bluetooth_Shield_v1.0.jpg[/t]

I asked a teaching assistant to desolder the ICSP passthrough since I didn't feel like taking it home and it was making the headers not fit properly.
Got it back like this with the pins cut off because he couldn't be arsed to do it properly

[nikomo]

How the hell did he break the IC whilst cutting pins off

[Zinc]

[QUOTE=Goz3rr;50338212]It's a store bought shield:

[t]http://www.elecrow.com/wiki/images/c/cd/Bluetooth_Shield_v1.0.jpg[/t]

I asked a teaching assistant to desolder the ICSP passthrough since I didn't feel like taking it home and it was making the headers not fit properly.
Got it back like this with the pins cut off because he couldn't be arsed to do it properly[/QUOTE]

It sucks because some people really dont respect other peoples property. First couple of weeks into my CET program and this guy (lets call him bob) is my partner in DC lab. He borrowed my banana clips and alligator clips and dropped out the next day. Never saw them again..

[andreblue]

[QUOTE=Tobba;50337771]Anyone got any tips when building a reflow oven? Trying to do this with only hot air was a bad fucking idea; not enough control, so I guess I'll just have to build one.

IGBTs seem to have gotten really cheap these days though, I can get ones that can handle 600@49A for a dollar each. Neat.

[editline]17th May 2016[/editline]

I'd be more concerned about the cracked chip.[/QUOTE]

[url]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckcHyMxqesM[/url] is a decent guide to it