Why does the soldering iron tip oxidize so easily?
The soldering iron tip oxidizes easily if it has been used for too long, or has been left unused for a long time. The oxidized iron tip won't get hot enough, ,even won't be able to take solder. It will damage the heating wire if we keep using the oxidized tip.So, how can we deal with an oxidized soldering iron tip and how to avoid easy oxidation?
How to deal with the soldering iron tip? Well, it needs to be handled carefully, but it's not too complicated.
Firstly, turn off the power immediately. Wait until the tip cools down completely. Then use a file or sandpaper to polish the soldering iron tip carefully – please note that you should polish it into a certain pointed shape or follow its original shape. It's better to use sandpaper . Or for a heavily damaged soldering iron tip , you can use a file to grind it flat first and then use some sandpaper to make it smooth.Then, it's best to find some special abrasive sponge.When the newly polished soldering iron is turned on and heated, it will oxidize again. Use the sponge to wipe the tip lightly ,it can prevent oxidation effectively. When the soldering iron tip gets hot enough, you can dip it in some rosin first – just a little bit. (When we solder something, dip it in rosin first and then apply solder or do the soldering.,which will help the solder to melt and improve its fluidity, and the quality of soldering will be improved greatly.).
Then, coat the soldering iron tip evenly with a layer of solder carefully. If you do it well, the solder will spread evenly and thinly on the soldering iron tip. If you rotate the electric soldering iron, the solder liquid is flowing,that means you've done a good job. However, it's better to be patient, turn it off, wait for it to cool down completely and turn it on again, and apply another layer of solder. Repeat this two to three times, the soldering iron tip will be better protected.
During the process of using the soldering iron, or after each soldering task,we should always apply a layer of solder to the soldering iron tip before turning off the power. In short, we should always keep it protected by a layer of solder to avoid oxidation. we need to practice more and more times to master the skills of using the soldering iron, Gradually, you'll find that the soldering iron in your hand becomes much easier to use.
