REISTANCE SOLDERING

I have considered using a soldering gun and using insulated braided wire, by replacing the soldering tip with two braids and making a probe on one and an alligator clip on the other. rather than making a tweezer make just a separate probe to get into tight places. That allows you to use the gun trigger and still hold onto the probe. You can connect the alligator clip anywhere as needed.

This Question is from American Beauty :

Q. What is a 50% duty cycle?

A. When ever you are operating an American Beauty Resistance Soldering power unit at 50% of its available output, or higher, you will need to cycle the unit so that the idle time is equal to, or greater than the active time. For example, if your power unit is set to 50% and it takes ten seconds to solder a joint, you will need ten seconds or more of idle time before soldering the next joint. This is to ensure the power unit is not over taxed and to help keep the hand-piece from over heating. You should periodically check the handpiece and cabling for any excess accumulation of heat.

You should never run the unit continuously on any setting for more than 20 seconds.

I just purchased a unit that looks like the following picture. Mine was obtained from the PASARA (Antique Radio) parking lot sale north of Seattle. Got mine used for $40

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It is a WESSCO Glow tip
I need to get a foot operated switch for it, so off to Harbor frieght I go, later.

thanks cliff ive been to these links many times. the last link is where i learned to use the mini torch. and believe me. it is a very effective method. i am still using it. im just like a kid in a candy store. i see somethin new i wanna try. resistance soldering unit. this technique was mentioned 2 me several years ago. by diz at therfc just google it will come up. thats where i buy my connectors they run about 1;40 a pc all silverplating and goldplating. anyway he mentioned carbon resistance soldering. and how professinal the joints are. so now i am in the process of trying it out. the only problem is finding someone on the web videoing this method. and believe me i have searched all the resistance sites but none are showing the pl 259 uhf. diz uses the luma 551 unit made by luma-electric in ohio. with a 1/8 inch carbon rod . check out this unit cliff and the handpiece its only like 72 dollars the 551 unit is roughly 475-500 bucks. it has 900 watts output. it also has the five stage switch panel like my hotip 200 he uses nb 3 stage 4 tip and nb 4 on body of connector. anyway. i will try and get rick to send me a diagram of my unit. the cost of the 2oo hotip is roughly 450.00 - 500.00. of course i got it alot cheaper at bmisurplus used. it came with the wire stripper . so got to get the probe or tweezers. which are about 140.00 bucks. that is why i say the probe 4 the luma is cheap. i made a 3 ft jumper and mailed to rick the owner of contact-inc up in maine. he is going to expeirement with a 200 unit like i have to see which method works best tweezer or probe . i will update u guys when i get setup. sorry to be so long there just may be someone on this forum like me and want to get into. a professional method of soldering pl259.

Here's a link to the discussion of soldering those connectors.
It's a very informative.

Another thing is use silver plated ones not the nickle plated ones.
they also talk about not soldering the braid, but trimming it and folding.
That may make a difference.
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1. Click Here for Pictures and instructions
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I did find a web page that has pictures on using a resistance soldering method.
Hang on I'll search for it and be right back. Found it

4. Resistance soldering Method

I am going to save these for my own use also.
If you want to save them as files do this:
Click on the link, when it comes up, go to the top of your browser and click on : File : Save as... : then in the block that says save as type
Web Archive, single file (*.mht)
Just rename before saving and browse a location on your computer where you want to store it.
Of course the PDF files don't need this as you have the option to save normally.

COOL THE BOND OF THE GROUND THRU HOLES ON CONNECTOR TO BODY IS CRITICAL . I ALWAYS TRY AND HAVE A CONCAVE LOOK TO EACH HOLE IF ITS PULLED DOWN BY THE HEAT. IT SHOULD BE A GOOD CONNECTION ON THE GROUND SIDE. VERY EASY TO DO WITH A MINI TORCH. PUT THE FLAME IN BETWEEN THE HOLES IT TAKES ABOUT 10 SECONDS THE SOLDER WITH SUCK RIGHT IN. JUST HAVE 2 BE QUICK OR WILL DESTROY THE INNER CABLE. TOO MUCH HEAT!!! THATS WHY IM TRYING THE 200 HOTIP REISTANCE UNIT. SHOULD BE MUCH QUICKER LESS DAMAGE TO INNER CABLE. I DRIVE A TRUCK 4 ABF FREIGHT IN ATLANTA. THE PAST 5 YRS I PROBABLY HAVE SOLD OVER A HUNDRED OF THESE CABLES. EVERY NOW AND THEN I WILL GET ONE BACK SHORTED. TOO MUCH HEAT. BUT I HAVE ALSO USED A 100 WATT IRON. AND HAVE GOTEM BACK SHORTED. THATS WHY I ASKED IF THIS METHOD WOULD BE BETTER. RESISTANCE THAT IS. THANKS 4 LETTING ME DISCUSS THIS SUBJECT ON THIS FORUM. IF ANY VIEWERS ARE INTERESTED IN THIS SUBJECT YOU CAN EMAIL ME [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] THANKS A BUNCH GUYS 73 N4RCK

Kester 44 has highly activated rosin core, which will clean and prep very good. The Japanese have a much better Eutectic solder called Almit that we used on printed circuit boards. But it was through Govt purchasing.
No clean is a water based product I believe and doesn't clean the surface as aggressively.
I would stick with rosin core and clean with Isopropyl Alcohol.
If you use paste flux, don't use acid base flux as thats for plumbing and will corrode electrical connections even with cleaning afterwards.

THANKS CLIFF I SUPPOSE YOUR TALKING ABOUT 63/37 SOLDER I BEEN USING 60/40 WHAT BRAND IS BEST I SEEN KESTER NO- CLEAN AND 44 ROSIN CORE WHICH CORE DO I NEED AND I GUESS IT WOULDNT HURT TO USE PASTE FLUX

I now understand your talking about the barrel of the PL 298, I was assuming you meant the panel jack (the picture that I posted)that mates to the Rf connector. I was thinking of mounting that and soldering that, as it too has 4 holes.

Getting back to using the resistance method, I would try it without the cable installed first, and see what you can do at the lowest setting first. Just use a small piece of solder in one of the holes to see how it works. You are actually tinning the barrel holes, not filling them. If it takes a long time (relatively) then wait till the connector is cool, then switch to the next higher setting and try doing another hole. If its quick, no more than 2-5 seconds without melting the jacket or inner insulation then it will take just a few (1-2 seconds more) to solder the cable in-place.
I would opt for the more expensive connectors (Cannon or Amphonell) as they have true Teflon for the inner insulator.
Also I would use Eutectic solder as the melting point is 361.4 °F which allows for not heating the connector as long and having less of a Chance of melting the insulation.

cliff heres a pic of pl259



clickhere

yes cliff thats it

Is this what your unit looks like?
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Are you trying to solder the RF connector to Sheet metal?
If it has 5 position switch for resistance soldering then I would think it may be linear
= 5/200w composing (40-80-120-160-200)
Or positions of 25/50/75/100/200 watts

Is the connector a SO-239 like this? NOTE: Picture has disappeared here


If this is the style then it's called a panel or bulkhead connector.
You will find it's easier to take the shield and make it into a pigtail and put a terminal connector on the pigtail.
Use Stainless screws, star washers and flat washers, and nuts.
Take the pigtail connection and set it over one of the holes and mount it using the screw and nut. That should make a good electrical ground with the pigtail.
Otherwise Soldering the connector is going to take some doing if it is soldered to the bulkhead or panel.

SORRY CLIFF I DIDNT ANSWER YOUR QUESTION IT IS A 200 WATT HOTIP 101A IT HAS A SWITCH ON FRONT 5 LEVELS OF HEAT I DONT HAVE A MANUAL DONT KNOW TEMPS SORRY

THE BODY HAS 4 HOLES TO SOLDER BRAID TO CONNECTOR I MAKE 18 FT JUMPERS WITH 8X COAX TO SELL TO TRUCKDRIVERS. MY INTENTION IS 2 MAKE A PROFESSIONAL JOINT THE IRON TIP IS TO BIG TO GET A PROFESSIONAL JOINT THE RESISTANCE UNIT CAN BE USED WITH TWEEZERS OR CARBON PROBE .

200 watts? wow.
Way to much you probably need only 20 or 30 watts.
What is your brand and model of resistance solderer? Is it adjustable?

Usually the PL 295, center pin is soldered, the shield is crimped, by folding over the shield and when tightened the braid is forced tightly against the plug shell.

Click Here for Assembly instructions

IS 200 WATTS ENOUGH TO SOLDER PL 259 THE HOLES IN BODY AND TIP I HAVE NEVER USED THIS UNIT ANY HELP IS APPRECIATED