Despite the fact that in modern construction, during electrical work, aluminum cables are increasingly being replaced by copper cables, aluminum remains an indispensable material in the manufacture of large-section wires and cables.
The reasons for this lie on the surface - the electrical resistivity of aluminum is approximately one and a half times greater than that of copper, and the volumetric weight is three times less.
With a large conductor cross-section, when weight is more important than strength, the choice in favor of aluminum is obvious. The cross-sectional area of an aluminum conductor will be one and a half times greater than that of a copper conductor, and at the same time, aluminum will still be two times lighter than copper. Soldering, among other methods, is used to connect wires.
Soldering methods
The problem with using aluminum conductors is their rapid oxidation.
The oxide film significantly impedes the passage of electric current during connections. To do this, twisted aluminum wires are soldered. You can solder aluminum wires in a junction box using a soldering iron or a gas torch. It is more difficult to use a soldering iron due to the inability to accurately heat to the required temperature. And for aluminum, overheating is just as unacceptable as underheating.
Metal has high thermal conductivity, and the insulation over a large area from the soldering point can simply melt.
It is easier to regulate the heating temperature with a gas burner, but it takes a long time to prepare the surface. However, it is the torch that will need to be used if it is necessary to solder any massive parts to each other. In any case, when soldering aluminum wires, they need to be prepared.
Rod for soldering aluminum at home
Hi all! Many people know that aluminum is soldered mainly in an argon atmosphere with a special welding machine, but there is also an option for working with a gas torch, and even a turbo lighter can be used on a small scale.
In general, this is not my first acquaintance with this wire, but the shopping experience is not very good, so I will share not only the test result, but also trusted places to buy so as not to get sample No. 2 , but let’s start in order.
Content
- Characteristics
- Unboxing and appearance
- Testing
- Results
Characteristics
B-Zn98Al 381-400 Approximate composition (weight%): 2.4 Al – rest Zn Melting point ºС: 360 Tensile strength (MPa): Up to 100 (Al) Density (g/cm3): 7.0
Unboxing and appearance
The last and most profitable purchase was sample No. 3 from banggood.
Came in a small gray package
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The rod is additionally packaged in a transparent zip bag.
5 meters cost me $8 with points, that is $1.6 per meter - go to the store
White powdery flux is visible in the center, the rod is moderately hard, looks like aluminum without oxidation
Comparison
The first one I bought was the leftmost sample No. 1 from Ali. Its properties are absolutely identical to sample No. 3 , but 3 meters cost me $12 , that is, $4 per meter , which is almost three times more expensive. check current price
In the center is sample No. 2 . It costs $5 for 3 meters or $1.7 per meter , like sample No. 3
But as soon as you take the bag in your hand, you realize that this is a POS with not very thick flux inside.
Two more samples at $8 for 3 meters were never delivered, they were probably not even sent.
Testing
Over time, aluminum becomes covered with an oxide film, due to which the surface becomes dull, so, before soldering, the surfaces must be cleaned to a shine, otherwise the solder will simply roll off in balls on the surface, regardless of the degree of its heating. Sample No. 1
In general, it is correct to heat the part to a temperature of about 400 degrees, and then simply move the rod, which will melt and fill the cracks, but I have little experience, so in order not to overheat the surface, I periodically bring the rod into the burner flame. If the temperature is low, the solder will roll down the surface like a ball; if it is sufficiently high, it will tin it.
The fracture test shows a good result - the break does not occur along the seam
Sample No. 2 . It melts very well, emits a lot of smoke, and smells like burnt “aspirin.” It sticks to aluminum, but if you overheat it, it burns out pretty quickly.
It is inconvenient to work due to the stench and the need to control the temperature.
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Sample No. 3 . I decided to solder the tubes with the outer walls
We try to break the seam. After the tube came out of the vice, I clamped it higher, bringing it out of focus and only noticed this at the stage of creating GIFs
But there is a photo of the result which shows that the seam was not damaged.
And finally, let’s splice the aluminum tube with a piece of duralumin.
The tear test was also successful.
Results
An interesting wire - aluminum solders perfectly, filling even small gaps, the main thing is that the joints are not dirty. It also sticks well to copper, but experienced people say that it is better to use other alloys to work with it, although this rod is quite suitable for emergency field repairs.
The melting point of aluminum is about 660ºC, it would seem that you can use rods at 450-500 degrees, but you may encounter two problems: 1. A massive part needs to be heated up to 500 degrees with something else 2. You can overheat the soldering area and ruin the part
Sample No. 3 seemed to me the most optimal . It corresponds to the declared characteristics and costs at least half as much as the others. There are also lots of different lengths to choose from: 1 meter - $2.89 2 meters - $4.39 3 meters - $6.39 5 meters - $9.89
Preliminary processing
The difficulty with soldering is that aluminum itself is a very low-melting material (660 ℃) and if heated carelessly it can melt.
Another factor that makes soldering aluminum wires difficult is rapid oxidation in air.
The oxide film on the surface of the material reliably protects aluminum from the effects of all kinds of external factors, but it also prevents the adhesion of solder to the material and must be removed.
It is almost impossible to mechanically remove the oxide film under normal conditions. The material is instantly oxidized and covered with a new film. You can mechanically remove the oxide film under the oil layer.
But before this, the oil must be heated to 200 ℃ in order to remove any active oxygen that may be present there. This method is very inconvenient at home and labor-intensive.
Therefore, the ends of aluminum conductors must be tinned before soldering. Using rosin or most other fluxes will not work due to the high chemical resistance of the oxide film. It does not dissolve even with organic acids.
To tin the wires, you must use both a special flux and a mechanical method.
Of course, this must be done before the wires are twisted, otherwise it will not be possible to mechanically clean the entire surface of the wire. Only the tinned ends can be twisted together and soldered.
How to solder copper to aluminum?
Sometimes a situation arises when it is not possible to replace old aluminum wiring and you simply need to make a high-quality connection between aluminum and copper. For this, of course, you can use specialized connectors, crimps or terminal blocks, but I want to tell you how you can reliably and efficiently solder copper and aluminum.
What is the difficulty of soldering?
As you know, aluminum is a very active metal and when interacting with atmospheric air, it is almost instantly covered with an oxide film, which rejects the solder and does not allow aluminum to be simply tinned.
In order for the solder to “stick” well to the metal, you need to remove the existing film and prevent it from forming again until you apply the solder.
Special fluxes were invented specifically for these purposes: they actively use soldering acid, and use a mixture of rosin and acetone.
Preparing inventory
In order to successfully complete this work you will need: a soldering iron with a power of at least 60 W, a knife, pliers, sandpaper or a file, POS 61 or POS 50 solder, F-64 flux or its equivalent, a brush, a sponge and rags.
We solder aluminum with tin and F-64 flux
Important
. Soldering of conductive elements using F-64 and any of its analogues is prohibited according to the rules of the PUE. Since the use of acid causes not only the destruction of the oxide film, but also actively destroys the metal itself, and after tinning, this acid cannot be removed and it continues destructive processes under the solder.
In this way you can, for example, solder an aluminum decorative part.
The algorithm for working with F-64 flux itself is very simple. First, we strip the insulation on the aluminum core, then use sandpaper or a knife to process the core itself in order to remove a thick layer of film.
Then we apply flux to the stripped core with a brush and clean it again under flux. Thus, the flux prevents the formation of a new film.
Then, using a well-heated soldering iron, we begin to apply tin to the prepared core. At the same time, you use a soldering iron to rub in solder.
Once you have tinned one track, apply flux again and repeat the procedure. This way you can completely cover the core with solder and then solder it to the place or part you need.
After you have completely processed the veins, you must rinse it in a soda solution (five tablespoons of soda per 200 grams of water). This is necessary to wash away the remaining active substances, which are part of F-64.
Soldering aluminum to copper using tin and rosin
In order to solder the conductive cores of copper and aluminum wires, you cannot use acid fluxes, but you need to use liquid rosin, which will also ensure a reliable connection.
This rosin can be purchased ready-made, or you can prepare it yourself; for this you will need lump rosin (it is crushed into powder) and pure alcohol.
Then we mix these two components in the following proportion: 60% rosin and 40% alcohol. Then put the bottle in warm water, wait until it warms up and mix thoroughly until the rosin is completely dissolved.
That's it, the solution is ready and you can use it.
Also, in addition to all the above equipment, we still need to prepare a small container into which we will immerse the stripped end of the wire.
We also remove the insulation and clean the core from a thick layer of foam, then immerse our bare end of the wire so that it is completely in liquid rosin and use a knife to process the core again.
Next, we take a preheated soldering iron and begin to process the core at the very surface of the rosin, rotating it and removing it as the wire is tinned.
The trick is to tin the aluminum right at the border between the rosin and the air so that the air does not oxidize it.
Make sure that the soldering iron does not lose temperature and, if necessary, remove it from the bath so that it warms up well.
Important. This work produces a lot of smoke, so it is better to do it outdoors or in a room with excellent forced ventilation.
After you have tinned the aluminum, the residual trace of rosin can be easily removed with a rag soaked in alcohol. You can then twist the tinned aluminum and copper wires into a classic twist and immediately solder it.
Tin will serve as an excellent neutralizer of the galvanic interaction of copper and tin and guarantees that such a connection will last a very long time and trouble-free.
Perhaps the only and significant drawback of such a connection of copper and aluminum is the fact that soldering in a distribution box located under the ceiling and in the absence of the proper supply is almost impossible.
In this case, it is better to use other methods of connecting the wires in the junction box.
That's all I wanted to tell you about soldering aluminum using special solders and regular tin with rosin. I hope you find this article useful and interesting. Thank you for your attention.
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Soldering steel, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, galvanized
Greetings! In this material I will talk about the differences between soldering and welding, how to solder non-ferrous and ferrous metals, and also give some tips on strong soldering and safety precautions. Go.
Differences between metal soldering and welding
There are two main methods of joining two metals: welding and soldering. In the first case, the elements are held together by melting the edge of the metal. This can be either heating or bonding using pressure. In the case of soldering, the workpieces are fastened together using filler material - solder.
In some cases, soldering is a more gentle and economical way of joining workpieces. Soldering also has a number of advantages:
- Both parts do not heat up to the melting point. In this way, it is possible to preserve their physical and chemical properties.
- The workpieces do not require thorough cleaning and processing, as is required when welding.
- Soldering equipment costs much less than welding machines.
- Possibility of manufacturing complex units and structures.
- The strength of the resulting joint. The parts do not bend or deform after soldering.
Let's take a closer look at the methods of soldering different metals.
Soldering of non-ferrous metals
Products made of non-ferrous metals require precise fitting. That is why they are often soldered rather than boiled. Let's study certain types of non-ferrous metals and their bonding using soldering.
Always secure both workpieces using a vice, clamps or other fasteners. Especially if you are working with large parts. Vibrations or shifts during soldering can warp the seam and the solder can drip. This will make the joint brittle and, over time, cracks or fistulas may form on it.
Soldering copper
Copper is a fairly common metal in everyday life. Water pipes, electrical cables, electronic components - they are all partially or completely made of copper.
There are mainly two methods for soldering copper:
- High temperature (working temperature about 600 ˚С);
- Low temperature (working temperature up to 450 ˚C).
In this article, we are considering soldering at home, so we will take low-temperature technology.
To solder copper you will need:
- Solder. It is mainly made from alloys of tin (95-97%) with copper, antimony, bismuth, silver, and selenium. Silver-containing solders have the best properties. Three-component types, which include tin, copper and silver, are also widely used. The use of tin-lead solders in production is limited due to the harmfulness of lead. At home, you should also protect your lungs from lead fumes. Use an active hood.
- Flux for soldering copper (activated, acidic, non-acidic, anti-corrosion).
- Gas-burner.
Large industries and factories often use solder paste. Most often it contains: flux, small particles of solder and special additives.
Let's look at the step-by-step technology for soldering two copper elements:
- Flux is applied to both parts. They cover the joint and the area where solder will be applied.
- Solder is placed at the joint. This can be tin wire or a special paste.
- The resulting compound is heated using a gas burner. Solder is distributed over the joint, as well as partially over the area near the solder.
- The resulting workpiece is left to cool. At this moment, you cannot twist or bend the resulting part. The joint must be completely cool before the solder can fully harden.
- Remaining flux is removed using an abrasive brush.
Do not point an open flame directly at the solder. It should melt and fill the seam due to heating of the edges of the parts.
Soldering aluminum
Aluminum is a rather capricious material. Many experts believe that it is simply impossible to fasten two aluminum blanks at home, since the place of fastening must be heated to a temperature of about 600 ° C, and this risks burning out the aluminum sheet itself.
But this statement is not entirely true. You can solder two aluminum elements if you use a special flux and solder. Let's take a closer look at all the components that will be needed to work with aluminum:
- Solder. The best solders for working with aluminum are those containing: silicon, aluminum, copper, silver and zinc. These include domestic solder “34A” or its foreign analogue “Aluminium-13”.
- Flux. It is better if it contains ammonium fluoroborate with the addition of triethonalamine. Some people use regular borax.
- Soldering iron with a power of at least 100 W.
Solders with a high zinc content have better anti-corrosion properties.
Step-by-step guide to soldering aluminum blanks:
- Clean both workpieces from dirt and dust.
- Remove the oxide film using sandpaper. This operation is performed in order to reduce the oxide layer that instantly forms on the surface of the aluminum.
- Flux is applied to the joint.
- Solder is applied evenly and gradually, without subjecting the surface of aluminum workpieces to constant heating.
- The resulting joint is cleaned using a wire brush or fine sandpaper.
Soldering sheet metal
Ordinary tin is fastened quite simply. Metal without impurities or coating most often produces an even seam and does not change under the influence of high temperatures. To solder sheet metal you will need:
- Solder. Solders based on tin and antimony are mainly used. These include POS-40 or POS-30. In some cases, POS-90 is used, which contains lead.
- Flux. Both hydrochloric acid and ordinary rosin will do. Fresh oxide film on tin can be removed very easily.
- Soldering iron with a power of at least 40 W.
Working with a soldering iron
In order to solder aluminum with a soldering iron, there are several methods, the essence of which is to clean immediately under the flux layer in direct contact with the molten solder.
The first method is that aluminum conductors, before soldering, are cleaned with a hot tinned soldering iron using a mixture of rosin and steel filings.
Sawdust has an abrasive effect, rosin removes all impurities and immediately the cleaned areas are covered with solder, which should be on the soldering iron tip.
The second method involves stripping the aluminum wire on medium-grit sandpaper directly under the influence of a hot soldering iron with solder and flux.
Gas burner
Processing with a gas burner is carried out when the parts are in the position relative to each other in which they will be used. The processing smoothly transitions into the soldering process itself.
This happens as follows:
- the burner heats the surfaces of aluminum parts;
- upon reaching the temperature at which the metal is reduced from the oxide, the film is mechanically peeled off;
- under the influence of a flame, the parts are coated with flux, and solder is introduced into the soldering area.
If the parts are thick, then their edges must be cut at an angle of 45°. Typically, heating occurs to the melting point of tin, when the solder spreads and fills the twist groove.
Which is better: welding or soldering aluminum
It’s impossible to say unequivocally that welding or soldering aluminum is better. It depends on the purpose of the parts and the professionalism of the person. For an experienced welder, welding is naturally a more acceptable option, while soldering is more suitable for a craftsman with a soldering iron.
If it is necessary to repair the radiator, it is better to use soldering, since it is much cheaper, and welding is more suitable for carrying out more critical work.
Soldering aluminum is a complicated process, but you can do it yourself at home. However, carrying out work without the use of special materials does not guarantee high-quality adhesion of parts. This will only lead to wasted time and effort. Therefore, you need to immediately prepare for the procedure in order to carry it out efficiently and quickly.
Korovin Sergey Dmitrievich
Master of Architecture, graduated from Samara State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. 11 years of experience in design and construction.
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There are the following soldering methods:
- with rosin;
- with solder;
- electrochemical.
With rosin
Step-by-step implementation of the method:
- The soldering iron is warming up.
- The tip is tinned to remove dirt or carbon deposits.
- Rosin is applied to the joint seam and melted with a soldering iron.
- After melting, use a sting to rub the surface until the oxide film is removed. At the same time, tinning occurs.
- After the process is completed, the elements are joined, heated to the melting point, and then left to cool.
Using solders
The method using solder for soldering aluminum is implemented as follows:
- The joining surfaces are cleaned mechanically.
- The parts are securely fixed.
- Local heating of the structure is performed.
- The rod with solder is guided along the joint seam, simultaneously heating it with a burner until it melts.
If solder without flux is used, it will need to be used separately. It is pre-applied in an even layer on aluminum.
Electrochemical method
Step-by-step electrochemical soldering of aluminum:
- The surface is cleaned of dirt, partly of the oxide film, mechanically.
- Apply a thin layer of copper sulfate.
- The negative electrode of the current source is connected to the part.
- The positive electrode is connected to a high purity copper wire (diameter greater than 1 mm). It is located above the structure on a special stand, ensuring contact only with the treated area.
- The power source turns on. The electrolysis process begins to take place.
- After removing the oxide film, the wire is removed, and the parts are heated with a soldering iron to the melting temperature or solder is used.
To ensure high quality soldering, it is necessary to apply galvanic coatings with special tools. They will allow for uniform copper plating.
Differences in technology when using flux
Thanks to the achievements of modern science and technology, flux compositions for aluminum have been obtained that actively dissolve the oxide film and protect the material from further oxidation.
Examples of such drugs are formulations labeled F-59A and F-61A. The letter A means that these compounds are intended for soldering aluminum.
When using these fluxes, soldering aluminum wires is greatly facilitated. It is enough to simply treat the finished twist with flux, without even heating it, and then, after heating it with a soldering iron or torch, apply solder.
It will spread over the entire surface of the wires and adhere well, providing a strong and electrically conductive solder joint.
How to solder copper to aluminum - Metals, equipment, instructions
Soldering aluminum, as many experts rightly believe, is a rather difficult technological process to perform.
Meanwhile, this opinion can be considered correct only in relation to those situations when they try to solder aluminum products using solders and fluxes that are used to join parts made of other metals: copper, steel, etc.
If you use a special flux for soldering aluminum, as well as the appropriate solder, then this technological process does not present any particular difficulties.
Soldering aluminum using a propane torch
Process Features
The difficulties encountered in soldering aluminum using traditional solders and fluxes are explained by a number of factors, mainly related to the characteristics of the metal.
The main one of these factors is the presence of an oxide film on the surface of aluminum parts, which is characterized by a high melting point and exceptional chemical resistance.
When soldering, such a film prevents the connection of the base metal and the solder material.
Before soldering aluminum products, their surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned of the oxide film, for which you can use mechanical processing or use fluxes that contain potent components.
Duralumin parts prepared for soldering
Aluminum itself, unlike the oxide film on its surface, has a fairly low melting point: 660 degrees, which also complicates the soldering process.
This characteristic of aluminum leads to the fact that when heated, parts made from it quickly lose strength, and at a certain temperature, in the range of 250–300 degrees, structures made from this metal begin to lose stability.
The most fusible component, which is part of the most common aluminum alloys, begins to melt already in the temperature range of 500–640 degrees, which can lead to overheating and even melting of the parts themselves.
The basis of most low-melting solders used for soldering is tin, cadmium, bismuth and indium.
Aluminum does not bond well with these elements, which makes solder joints made using them very weak and unreliable.
Aluminum and zinc have good mutual solubility, so this element, when used in solders, provides the resulting joint with high strength.
Characteristics of fluxes for soft soldering
Composition of fluxes used for soldering aluminum
Materials used
When soldering aluminum products, you can use solders of the tin-lead group if you thoroughly clean the surface of the parts and use highly active fluxes.
The compounds obtained with their help, due to the poor mutual solubility of aluminum, tin and lead, are characterized by low reliability, and they are also prone to the development of corrosion processes.
To make such compounds more resistant to corrosion, they must be coated with special compounds.
The highest quality, reliable and corrosion-resistant solder joint allows us to obtain solders containing zinc, copper, silicon and aluminum.
Solders containing these elements are produced by both domestic and foreign companies.
The most common domestic brands are TsOP40, which contains 40% zinc and 60% tin, and 34A, which contains aluminum (66%), copper (28%) and silicon (6%).
Tin-lead solders have the lowest melting point of all of the above. The highest temperatures are those that contain aluminum and silicon, as well as materials containing aluminum along with copper and silicon. The latter, in particular, includes the popular brand 34A solder, the melting point of which is in the range of 530–550 degrees.
For information: materials based on aluminum and silicon melt at a temperature of 590–600 degrees.
Taking into account the melting point, such solders are used in cases where it is necessary to connect large-sized aluminum parts that provide good heat dissipation, or products made of aluminum alloys that melt at fairly high temperatures.
But, of course, low-temperature solders demonstrate maximum ease of use, one of the most common brands of which is HTS-2000.
Solder HTS-200 for soldering parts made of aluminum and non-ferrous metals
The technology for soldering aluminum necessarily involves the use of a special flux, which is necessary in order to improve the adhesion of the base metal to the solder material. That is why it is necessary to approach the choice of such material very responsibly.
This requirement is especially relevant in cases where aluminum parts need to be soldered using tin-lead solder. The composition of fluxes contains elements that form its activity towards aluminum.
These elements include: triethanolamine, zinc fluoroborate, ammonium fluoroborate, etc.
Flux F-64 for soldering light alloys without preliminary mechanical surface treatment
One of the most popular domestic materials is flux brand F64. The popularity of F64 is due to the fact that this material is characterized by increased activity. Thanks to this quality, it is possible to perform soldering with F64 flux without even cleaning the surface of aluminum parts from the refractory oxide film.
Among the popular high-temperature fluxes, we should highlight the 34A material, which contains 50% potassium chloride, 32% lithium chloride, 10% sodium fluoride and 8% zinc chloride.
Features and principles of soldering
The low temperature value of metal melting complicates the technological process of soldering, as well as repairing products with your own hands.
Parts very quickly lose strength when heated, and structures reduce stability when the temperature reaches 300 degrees.
Low-melting solders consisting of bismuth, cadmium, indium, and tin come into difficult contact with aluminum and do not provide sufficient strength. Excellent solubility is observed in the metal in combination with zinc, which makes the soldered areas highly reliable.
Before soldering begins, aluminum elements are well cleaned of oxides and dirt. To do this, you can use mechanical force with brushes or use special fluxes made from a potent composition. Before the procedure itself, be sure to tin the areas to be treated.
The tin coating will protect the part from the formation of oxides. In order to reliably solder aluminum products, it is necessary to choose the right heating tool, taking into account the volume of metal being processed.
In addition, the reliability of the connection depends on the alloy chosen, as well as the flux for soldering aluminum.
Soldering methods
Soldering of aluminum products is carried out with an electric soldering iron, a blowtorch or a gas torch. There are three ways to solder various aluminum objects:
- with rosin;
- using solders;
- electrochemical method.
With rosin
This option for soldering aluminum objects, wires, cables is used for small parts.
To do this, the cleaned section of the electrical wire is covered with rosin and placed on a piece of sandpaper with a medium grain size. The wire is pressed from above with the tinned tip of a heated soldering iron.
This action is carried out several times, after which the procedure of soldering the electrical wires itself is performed. You can use a rosin solution in diethyl ether.
In this case, the end of the soldering iron is not removed from the end being tinned, but rosin is added on top. An electric soldering iron with a power of about 50 W is suitable for twisting thin aluminum wires. With an aluminum thickness of about 1 mm, a 100 W soldering iron is required, and parts larger than 2 mm require preheating of the joint.
Using solders
This method is the most common and is used in electrical engineering, in the repair of automobile parts, as well as other products. Before soldering aluminum, the area to be soldered is pre-coated with an alloy and the tin-plated elements are subsequently connected. Pre-tinned parts are connected to each other, as well as to other alloys and metals.
Soldering of elements can be carried out using light alloy solders containing tin, zinc, and cadmium. In addition, refractory materials based on aluminum are actively used.
Why are light alloy compounds used? Because they allow you to solder an aluminum product at temperatures up to 400 degrees. This does not produce qualitative changes in the properties of the metal and maintains its strength.
Compositions with cadmium and tin do not create sufficient contact reliability and are susceptible to corrosive effects. Refractory materials containing zinc, copper, and aluminum-based silicon do not have these disadvantages.
Electrochemical method
This procedure requires a plating facility. With its help, copper plating is carried out on the surface of a product or wire. In its absence, independent processing of the part is used.
To do this, apply a few drops of a saturated solution of copper sulfate to the area cleaned with sandpaper.
After this, the negative pole of an independent power supply is connected to the workpiece.
They can be a battery, an accumulator, or any electrical rectifier.
A cleaned copper wire with a diameter of about 1 mm, located in an insulated stand, is connected to the positive terminal.
During the electrolysis process, copper will gradually deposit on the part, after which the area is tinning and dried using an electric soldering iron. After this, you can easily solder the tinned area.
Solders, materials, fluxes
Soldering of aluminum with tin is carried out subject to the use of highly active fluxes, as well as good cleaning of parts of the parts. Such tin compounds require additional coating with special compounds, since they have low strength and poor protection against corrosion processes.
How to solder aluminum elements? High-quality solder joints are obtained by using solders with silicon, aluminum, zinc, and copper. These materials are produced by both domestic and many foreign manufacturers.
Domestic brands of rods are represented by the most used solders TsOP40, which according to GOST contain 60% tin and 40% zinc, as well as 34A (aluminum - 66%, silicon - 6%, copper - 28%). The zinc used gives high strength to the contact area and provides good corrosion resistance.
In addition to solders, aluminum soldering requires the use of special fluxes containing ammonium fluoroborate, zinc fluoroborate, as well as triethanolamine and other elements.
The most popular is the domestic F64, which has increased chemical activity. It can be used even without first removing the oxide film from products.
In addition to it, 34A is used, containing lithium, potassium and zinc chlorides, as well as sodium fluoride.
Preparation of products
Reliability, as well as excellent quality of connections, is ensured not only by using the right technology, but also by preparatory work. These include the treatment of sealed surfaces. It is necessary to remove contaminants and thin oxide films.
Mechanical processing is carried out using sandpaper, a metal brush, stainless steel wire mesh or a grinding machine. In addition, various acid solutions are used for cleaning.
Surface degreasing is carried out using solvents, as well as gasoline or acetone. On the cleaned aluminum area, an oxide film appears almost immediately, but its thickness is significantly lower than the original one, which facilitates the soldering process.
Heating tools
How to solder aluminum at home? Electric soldering irons are used to solder small-sized aluminum products at home. They are a universal tool, quite convenient for soldering wires, repairing small tubes and other elements.
They require a minimum of working space, as well as the presence of an electrical network. Repair of large-sized products and welding are performed with a gas torch that uses argon, butane, and propane.
To solder aluminum objects at home, you can use a standard blowtorch.
When using gas burners, it is necessary to constantly monitor their flame, which characterizes a balanced supply of oxygen and gases. With the correct gas mixture, the fiery tongue has a bright blue color. A dim hue, as well as a small flame, indicate an excess of oxygen.
Technological process
The technology for soldering aluminum objects is similar to the process of joining parts of other metal materials. The first step is to clean and degrease the areas of future adhesion. Then the connected elements are installed in working position for ease of processing.
Flux is applied to the prepared area, and the initially cold product begins to heat up using an electric soldering iron or a torch. As the temperature rises, the solder bar begins to melt, which must constantly touch the surface of the elements, controlling the heating process.
Soldering aluminum elements at home with an electric soldering iron is done in a well-ventilated room, as hazardous compounds are released during operation.
Using flux-free solder requires compliance with some nuances. To prevent the oxide film from interfering with the alloy getting onto the parts, the end of the rod makes scratching movements along the area where the elements are soldered. This breaks the oxide integrity and the solder comes into contact with the metal being processed.
Destruction of the oxide layer during soldering can be done using another method. To do this, the area to be treated is scratched with a metal brush or a stainless steel rod.
To ensure maximum strength of aluminum parts in the soldered area, the treated areas are pre-tinned. Compliance with the technology of soldering aluminum elements guarantees excellent quality of the connection, as well as its protection against corrosion.
Can it be connected to copper?
Situations often arise when it is necessary to connect an aluminum wire to a copper wire. This is perhaps the only case where soldering cannot be used.
It's all about the aluminum itself. It cannot be soldered to other metals at all due to its physical and chemical properties. When connecting directly to copper, galvanic corrosion will occur between the two active metals and will quickly destroy the connection.
And if they are soldered using solder that is neutral to both materials, then the different coefficients of thermal expansion of the metals will quickly destroy the soldered contact. After all, when current passes through a conductor, it will certainly heat up, and after switching off, it will cool down.
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Safety precautions
Safety precautions when soldering aluminum wires boil down to observing general precautions when working with electric heating devices, open flames and aggressive liquids, such as fluxes.
It is unacceptable to use faulty soldering irons with damaged insulation and with more power than necessary.
Do not use burners near flammable objects. When working indoors, forced ventilation must be properly organized.
Difficulties in soldering aluminum wires
The main difficulty when soldering aluminum wires, as indicated above, is the presence of an oxide film on the surface of the metal. Fighting it greatly slows down the soldering process.
And if you consider that aluminum wires are now used mainly for laying external power wiring, it becomes obvious that a regular soldering iron and sandpaper will not be enough in this case. Welding is increasingly being used to connect such wires.
Solder selection
For soldering aluminum, it is better to choose ordinary soft tin-lead solder - PIC. The main thing is that it contains more than 50% tin, in order to make sure of this you need to look at the number following the name, it must be more than 50 (POS 50, POS 61, POS 90, etc.).
In addition to the above solders, you can use those based on silicon, copper, aluminum or silver. These include 34A and TsOP-40, which contain zinc, which increases their strength coupled with corrosion resistance.
Expert opinion
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