Is it better to use a high or low power soldering iron?
There are various types of power for electrified iron, ranging from 15 watts and 20 watts for smaller ones, 200 watts and 300 watts for larger ones, and 500 watts for pistol style ones. When performing welding work, the power of the soldering iron must be determined based on the welding object, and sometimes the power of the electric network iron must also be selected based on the climate season (winter, summer). Welding electronic components, using 15 watts to 20 watts is good, using 500 watts, a soldering iron will be a black hole, of course not good.
Whether the power selection is appropriate depends mainly on the melting and flow of the solder, which should not exceed three seconds. Too long can damage electronic components, too short can lead to unstable soldering, and the solder joints are not smooth.
Generally, it is recommended to use a soldering iron with a power of 20 watts for welding small components such as resistors, capacitors, transistors, and integrated blocks. In winter, it is recommended to increase the power by one level and use a soldering iron with a power of 25 watts. When welding large components such as heat sinks, transformers, shielding covers, or grounding large-area copper plates, it is recommended to use 35 watts to 40 watts. So, it is necessary to choose the appropriate power of the soldering iron according to the welding object, and there is no such thing as whether the power is too high or too low.
An electric soldering iron is an electric heating device that can generate a high temperature of about 250 ℃ when powered on. During the soldering process, an electric soldering iron is actually a process of heat conduction. When it comes into contact with the soldering surface, the heat on the soldering iron tip is transferred to the solder, which absorbs the heat and melts, flowing and forming a bright and round solder joint under surface tension. In the process of welding heat conduction, due to the fact that metals are good conductors of heat, heat transfer is fast. During the melting process of solder, due to the heat loss of the soldering iron tip, its temperature decreases to some extent. If the solder joint area is large, it needs to absorb more heat to make the solder on it reach the melting point. If the volume of the soldering iron tip is small and stores less heat, the temperature drops quickly. Due to the small power of the soldering iron core, the heat generated cannot replenish the lost heat. At this time, the most obvious phenomenon is that the solder does not melt or melts incompletely. In this case, we need to use a high-power soldering iron for welding. On the contrary, if the welded part is small, we do not need to use a high-power soldering iron; If using a high-power soldering iron, be sure to pay attention to the soldering time, otherwise excessive heat can easily cause damage to the circuit board through which the current flows, resulting in the printed copper foil falling off. There is no specific quantitative requirement for the appropriate power of a soldering iron, and the long-term work experience accumulated by maintenance personnel is the best way to choose a soldering iron that suits oneself.
