SOLDERING IRONS · GUIDES
Soldering Iron Guides
From your first through-hole joint to fine-pitch SMD rework, these guides cover the technique that makes solder flow: tip choice and care, temperatures for each alloy, flux, wire and connector joints, and what to do when solder beads up, bridges or lifts a pad. When you need a new iron or station, the buying guide and use-case picks compare what fits each kind of work.
69 guides
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How to Use a Soldering Iron
Tinning, prepping a joint, and spotting a cold solder joint
Best picks by use case
How-to guides
Soldering Iron Tip CareCleaning, tinning, and knowing when to replace a tipWhy Won't My Soldering Iron Melt Solder?The usual causes, from a cold tip to the wrong solderWhy Does My Soldering Iron Temperature Keep Dropping?Tip, power, supply and sleep-mode causes of a sagging temperatureWhy Does My Soldering Iron Take Too Long to Heat Up?Compare with the maker's figure, then supply, tip, element and settingsWhy Does My Soldering Iron Damage Components Even at a Low Temperature?Low heat, long contact: why parts still get cooked, and how to fix itWhy Does My Soldering Iron Work on Small Wires but Fail on Thick Wires?Why thick wire beats your iron: copper mass by gauge, wicking, fixesSoldering Iron vs. Soldering StationWhat a closed-loop station actually buys you over a wand iron60/40 vs 63/37 Solder: What's the Difference?Eutectic vs. non-eutectic alloys, and which to buyHow to Solder Wires TogetherTwist splices, flow splices, and heat-shrink strain reliefSoldering Iron Temperature by MetalMatching tip temperature to solder alloy and the metal being joinedWhy Does Solder Stick to the Tip?Dross, excess solder, and oxidation build-up explainedWhy Won't Solder Stick to the Soldering Iron Tip?An oxidised tip, how to re-tin it, and when to replace itWhy Does a Soldering Iron Tip Turn Black?Oxidation and burnt flux, whether a black tip can be saved, and how to prevent itWhy Won't Solder Stick to Copper Wire?Tarnish, enamel, CCA and too little heat: how to check the wire and get solder to flowWhy Does My Soldering Iron Keep Switching Off?Sleep timers, motion sleep, USB-C power resets and real faultsHow to Remove Solder from a Circuit BoardSolder wick, solder suckers, and hot air, comparedCeramic vs Nichrome Heating ElementsWhat's actually inside a soldering iron, and why it mattersHow to Test a Soldering IronChecking a new, used, or suspect iron before you rely on itHow to Store a Soldering Iron SafelyCooling, tip protection, and safe shutdown between sessionsSoldering Iron Tip Types ExplainedConical, chisel, bevel, and knife tips, and what each is forWhy Does Solder Bead Up Instead of Flowing?An oxidised surface, too little flux, or a joint that isn't hot enoughHow to Solder Wires Without Overheating InsulationStrip back further, pre-tin the ends, and use a heat sink clipHow to Choose Solder Wire DiameterThinner for fine SMD control, thicker for faster feed on bigger jointsHow to Solder Fine-Pitch SMD ComponentsTack, drag solder and inspectHow to Prevent Solder BridgesWhy bridges form and how to clear themSoldering Iron for USB Port RepairTip, temperature and when hot air helpsHow to Solder a JST Connector Without Damaging the Plastic HousingShort dwell, a mating plug as a jig, and pitch-sized tipsHow to Solder Wires to a Toggle Switch TerminalLug layouts, hook-through joints, and heat-shrink firstHow to Repair a PCB Trace Using Solder and Jumper WireBridge short gaps, run jumper wire for long breaksHow to Solder a Replacement DC Power Jack on a Circuit BoardFreeing heavy ground lugs, matching size, checking polarityHow to Remove Excess Solder From a Small Connector PinDrag, wick, and reflow a blob into a proper filletHow to Solder Copper Wire to a Circuit Board Ground PadBeating the ground plane's heat sinkingHow to Solder a Broken Headphone Wire With a Soldering IronFind the break, strip enamel, spliceHow to Solder a Replacement USB Connector Onto a Circuit BoardMatch, remove, tack and solder a USB portHow to Solder a Coaxial Cable ConnectorStrip, protect the dielectric, solder and testHow to Solder SMD Resistors Without Hot AirTin one pad, tack, reflow and fix tombstonesHow to Remove a Stuck Soldering Iron TipFree a seized tip safely and stop it happening againHow to Stop Solder Wicking Up Stranded WireHeat, flux and strain relief for flexible jointsHow to Repair Lifted PCB PadsRe-bond, replace or rebuild a pad after desolderingHow to Solder Magnet WireEnamel-coated copper wire needs stripping or burning off firstWhy Does Solder Wick Away From the Tip?The same capillary action that makes good joints, pulling too hardHow to Solder Wires to Battery Terminals SafelyLead-acid tolerates brief heat; lithium cells need far lessHow to Solder a Wire to a Small PCB Through HoleStrip, tin, insert and fillet a wire on a padHow to Remove Solder from a Plated Through HoleClearing stubborn barrels on multilayer boardsHow to Solder a Replacement Headphone Jack to a Circuit BoardTRS/TRRS pinouts, desoldering and refittingHow to Solder Small Gauge Stranded Wire to a ConnectorSolder cups, pins and strain reliefHow to Fix a Cold Solder Joint on a Circuit BoardSpotting a cold joint and reflowing it properlyHow to Solder a Wire to a Small Surface Mount PadThin bodge wire, one-touch tacks, and anchoringHow to Solder a Replacement Speaker Terminal on a PCBPolarity, heavy ground pins, and short checksHow to Clean Flux Residue After Soldering ElectronicsWhich fluxes need cleaning, and the IPA brush methodHow to Solder a Ribbon Cable Connector Onto a PCBPin 1, tack the corners, solder the rowsHow to Solder a Replacement Rotary EncoderMatch, desolder, fit flush and test A/BHow to Solder a Replacement PotentiometerMatch value and taper, fit square, testHow to Remove Solder From a Multi Pin ConnectorWick, flood, low-melt alloy or hot airHow to Solder a Broken Wire on a PCB Without Removing the BoardIn-place lap joints with heat protectionHow to Solder Enamelled Wire to a PCB PadAnchoring coil leads and solderable enamelHow to Solder a Small Surface Mount Diode by HandCathode marks, SOD packages and polarity checksHow to Remove Solder from a Small PCB ViaClearing tiny and tented vias for jumpersHow to Solder a Replacement Tactile Switch Onto a PCBMatching, desoldering and fitting 6×6 mm switchesHow to Solder a Replacement Microphone Onto a Circuit BoardElectret polarity, heat and shielded leadsHow to Solder a Surface Mount Capacitor by HandMLCC cracking and tantalum polarityHow to Prevent Components from Moving During Hand SolderingBent leads, tape, clamps and tack soldering