Wire for soldering on PCB?

[R3DOPS]

Hello! I'm trying to find a set of multi color wires for soldering small leads. I tried to cut and use the wiers in a CAT 5 cable. Yet they are not solid and have many small copper wires inside them. What are the best weirs for soldering on a PCB that are not too big. Thanks for the help. 

[emosun]

ribbon cable is probably as small and sturdy as it gets , some rainbow ribbon cable could do you well.

[Lord Nicoll]

2 minutes ago, R3DOPS said:

Hello! I'm trying to find a set of multi color wires for soldering small leads. I tried to cut and use the wiers in a CAT 5 cable. Yet they are not solid and have many small copper wires inside them. What are the best weirs for soldering on a PCB that are not too big. Thanks for the help. 

I use some very fine pitch wires for volt modding on GPUs, I think its like 28 AWG size. 

[W-L]

4 minutes ago, R3DOPS said:

Hello! I'm trying to find a set of multi color wires for soldering small leads. I tried to cut and use the wiers in a CAT 5 cable. Yet they are not solid and have many small copper wires inside them. What are the best weirs for soldering on a PCB that are not too big. Thanks for the help. 

You can get solid core hookup wire that's 30 AWG, nice and small for solder work, if you need to go smaller you can always get magnet wire. 

https://www.digikey.com/catalog/en/partgroup/solid-hook-up-wire/1915

 

-Moved to Hobby Electronics- 

[R3DOPS]

this is what im soldering or working with. if that helps 

[R3DOPS]

also what is the best way to de solder all of these joints. I have tried a solder sucker but it wont remove as much as i hoped 

[darknife]

For small solder mods, you cant go wrong with 28 or 30 AWG solid core wire (sometimes called wire wrap wire). its great for through hole stuff or even tagging onto Surface mount components .I use this type of wire at work for PCB mods

[darknife]

3 minutes ago, R3DOPS said:

also what is the best way to de solder all of these joints 

I would suggest a solder sucker or some solder wick, remove as much solder as possible, the try to move the component a bit from the other side while heating the remaining joint.

 

If using solder wick, i suggest putting flux on the joint or on the wick, it helps it soak up solder

[W-L]

3 minutes ago, R3DOPS said:

also what is the best way to de solder all of these joints. I have tried a solder sucker but it wont remove as much as i hoped 

A good solder sucker with the proper tip should do the job, use lots of flux when removing solder, just flood it. 

[Hackentosher]

For holes that small, I like 20-22 AWG wire. Mostly because it's the smallest my wire strippers go  That and it's  around the same size as a traditional through hole pin.

[MadModder]

For different colors look to wire suppliers. Many have a large variety of options......I've even used translucent purple  on a mod.

This is an example, there are many more suppliers:

(this is probably to large for your needs)

http://www.galco.com/shop/Jumper-Wire-Kit-Wire-and-Cable

 

Here's a place I go to for things:

https://www.pololu.com/product/2612

 

As others have stated, a good solder sucker, lots of flux, and you should be able to clean the contacts up nicely. I also use solder wicks, but mostly for larger gauge applications.

[mariushm]

You can buy wires of all thicknesses and insulations (enamel aka magnet wire or transformer wire , pvc, various plastics, teflon, fiberglass) , wire type (solid or stranded), with or without shielding, with one wire, or twisted pairs of wires or ribbon style ...  you just have to hit a store that's specialized in electronic components and related materials.

 

See Digikey.com , newark.com (they probably have a Canadian version of their site) , mouser.com

 

Ex on Digikey:

 

single conductors : https://www.digikey.com/products/en/cables-wires/single-conductor-cables-hook-up-wire/474?newproducts=1

multiple wires / pairs : https://www.digikey.com/products/en/cables-wires/multiple-conductor-cables/473?newproducts=1

ribbons : https://www.digikey.com/products/en/cables-wires/flat-ribbon-cables/472?newproducts=1

wire wrap , magnet wires : https://www.digikey.com/products/en/cables-wires/wire-wrap/470

 

As for desoldering that connector.

 

That's difficult. First you'd have to remove the solder out of the "ears" on the side of the pins.

 

A simple trick would be to use leaded solder (60/40 is cheap and common) and add to the pins solder, a lot of it. 

Then, one option would be to keep the iron tip in the solder to keep it hot and then use solder sucker to pull the solder from the pin. It may not work because there's a lot of copper in the circuit board around the pins which will suck heat quickly so some solder may still remain around the pin and around the hole.

 

The second option would be to get some solid core wire and basically connect all those pins with solder and the wire , literally connect all the pins together. If the ears on the sides are loose, you can then lay the iron tip flat on the solid core wire or the blob of solder at a high temperature and after a few seconds when the whole solder goes liquid you can wiggle the connector and the whole row of pins should fall out of the holes or at least move a bit.

You can warm the other row of pins or maybe alternate heating the first row and the other one and back to the first row , the 60/40 solder will stay liquid or semi liquid for a few seconds

 

Once the connector pops off the board - which it will do if you loosened those ears on the side, those are your big problem - you'll still have a lot of solder on those holes and around the holes but you can take away most of it with your iron tip and solder suckers or solder wick (i personally don't like using wick, it's expensive and can solve problems without it) and then you can clear the holes by carefully shoving a stainless steel needle through the solder as it's warmed up. Solder won't stick to stainless steel.  So worst case, just add solder to each hole and while solder is liquid slide a stainless steel needle in the solder to clear the hole.

 

btw... careful with that ethernet cable .. lots of cheap ethernet cable is CCA (copper clad aluminum), just aluminum wires plated with a thin layer of copper and that layer of copper can be broken when bending wire or soldering to it, so that could explain why it may be hard to solder wires to those.

But really, you would normally solder a connector there, the distance between holes would be pretty standard, probably 1.27mm (0.05") or 2mm or 2.54mm (0.1")

 

sort of like this but across all those pins (use a wire laid flat across row of pins to make solder stick easier and allow for heat to flow over the whole row)

 

 

btw .... BUY AND USE LIQUID FLUX

 

I can't stress how much adding liquid flux helps with solder. Even though solder wire has flux in it, it almost always helps to apply extra liquid flux over pins you have to solder or desolder.

Pens with flux are expensive, but you can buy 100ml or bigger bottles for cheap and lasts a very long time. Well worth the money.

[bob345]

https://www.amazon.com/StrivedayTMFlexible-Silicone-Electric-electronic-electrics/dp/B01LH1G2IE/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1506896328&sr=8-4&keywords=24+gauge+silicone+wire

 

this or any other silicone insulated wire. No melting insulation helps a ton

[TsuraniEmpire]

To get the solder off I only use, it really makes a difference over that cheap single spool stuff on the ghetto floss dispensers. 

https://www.amazon.com/Chemtronics-Desoldering-Braid-Chem-Wik-10-50L/dp/B0019V5MAC/ref=sr_1_10?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1506900268&sr=1-10&keywords=desoldering+braid

 

Be generous with the flux and when you go to use the desoldering braid make sure your somewhat acclimated to the amount of time its going to take @ what temp for the soldering iron to heat the wick to start pulling the solder off the board, also when your drag desoldering be sure to finish your pull slightly off the pads and on the PCB, pulling off while still on the solder pads can result in lifting the pads clean off. 

 

2 hours ago, darknife said:

For small solder mods, you cant go wrong with 28 or 30 AWG solid core wire (sometimes called wire wrap wire). its great for through hole stuff or even tagging onto Surface mount components .I use this type of wire at work for PCB mods

Agree 100% here, here is a link for a cheaper low volume option w/ assorted colors. I've always got the kynar insulated but that is superfluous in this application. 

https://www.amazon.com/StrivedayTM-Flexible-Silicone-electronic-electrics/dp/B01KQ2JNLI/ref=pd_cp_60_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=XJJ5S15KN3M2Q147BTV6

 

Lastly i'd highly recommend some solder paste to apply after you've cleaned the board. I always use hot air to repad the boards it flows like magic w/ the right preparation, a soldering iron works as well, i prefer a drag tip if you have one. If you have oxidation on the board the no-clean flux in this solder paste will not work as well as rosin flux, doubt that will be applicable but, the more you know!

https://www.amazon.com/Kester-EP256-Solder-Syringe-Dispenser/dp/B006UTCYM2/ref=sr_1_2?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1506901503&sr=1-2&keywords=solder+paste+63%2F37

 

If your using this jumped up PCB(haha) in a static application where there will be little to no stress on the jumpers then you could get away with a lower ratio that may or may not have came w/ some of your components. ChipQuik sent out a LOT of samples for a while, thanks ChipQuik. AFTER wicking, but BEFORE soldering your jumper wires on, use the ChipQuik / Kester Solder Paste to get nice uniform beads of solder to work with. 

 

And if you notice problems with flowing or connecting, use more flux, lot of purists out there who will probably get angry over that statement, but for a beginner, flux is your wingman, its the social lubricant for your awkward attempts at heating things up. 

 

[TsuraniEmpire]

As for desoldering the joints, without a hot air gun or station, completely agree with mariushm. Only real option is to drag solder, bridging the connections, and thats going to be extremely risky, most folks who don't have a lot of experience will pull pads when they use this method. 

 

So buy a hot air station, or invest the $15 US in ChipQuik.

https://www.amazon.com/ChipQuik-SMD-291-Clean-Syringe-Nozzle/dp/B00CM2A97S/ref=sr_1_2?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1506902909&sr=1-2&keywords=chipquik

 

Its extremely expensive by volume, and normally I don't hold any stock in branded products when it comes to soldering. That being said this stuff is magic, remove as much of the older solder as you can with lots of flux, and solder wick / sucker, the more you can get off the better ratio you'll get and longer reflow to slowly slide the pins out.Apply this stuff generously, as mariushm said you can keep the solder flowed for a few seconds. Given no other options i've snuck a wedge under the connector, something more then gravity, but not enough to pull pads(fine line to walk), and be patient. I spent 15 minutes hopping across the pins heating one side, trying to move the pins a tiny bit before it dropped temp, and repeated, over and over. If you get impatient you'll pull the pads off the PCB. 

 

Summary, remove as much of the older solder as you can w/ wick and sucker, clean the board and apply lots of flux, then lots of ChipQuik(bridging the pins, have a "pool" of it across the pins you want out) or other low temp solder. Heat the solder to flow, and work the pins, doubt you can keep whole area flowed at once for very long, so be patient and work out sides, or zones, as well as you can. Slowly, slowly, slowly, and then my first thread becomes applicable for jumper wires. I've actually beaded up and pulled the ChipQuik back off the PCB w/ a metal spudger to save it because i'm cheap.

 

[Pixel5]

On 1.10.2017 at 10:53 PM, R3DOPS said:

Hello! I'm trying to find a set of multi color wires for soldering small leads. I tried to cut and use the wiers in a CAT 5 cable. Yet they are not solid and have many small copper wires inside them. What are the best weirs for soldering on a PCB that are not too big. Thanks for the help. 

 

going with an ethernet cable is not a bad idea but i guess your cable is of low quality.

 

i recently installed some cat 7 cables and used all the cut offs and waste that i had from crimping the connectors for small soldering projects, in my cat7 cable there were solid copper cores so they are perfect for permanent installs.