Solder wires are used to make permanent and strong connections to electricians, technicians and plumbers to their work. The diameter for the solder wires will differ based to your project requirements and what you really need. Solder wires, which are too large may not melt before you cause too much heat damage. It also can cause the solder to “bridge” onto other connections resulting in short circuits, while too small solder may not apply enough solder on the first try. Here are the guides on standards of solder wire thickness that you can use according to the project.
Things You Need
- Solder
- Torches
Steps
- For the big jobs needed, choose solder with large diameter such as plumbers solder copper pipes up to one inch or more in diameter.
- They will need to be accompanied by two torches to heat the joint up enough to make the solder melt, which in this case will need a large diameter solder to work better.
- The size will depend on the application and the plumber’s personal choice. 1/8 inch diameter works for standard household plumbing applications, however there are no rules stated the exact size.
- Standard electrical or electronics projects will need a medium size solder. For components to terminal lugs or through the holes in printed circuit boards, most technicians will use solder, which is 1/10 inch in diameter. You can use smaller solder if you don’t leave excess globs of solder on the joint.
- The smallest diameters of solder are needed for intricate and tiny circuits such as cell phones. The smallest will look like a string of hair, which is up to 0 or 00 gauges or ΒΌ inch. There are no exact sizes for this project as you need practice and experience and in a way that will teach you on which diameter of solder to use for each project.
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Additional Reading:
Snip, Burn, Solder, Shred: Seriously Geeky Stuff to Make with Your Kids
Circuitbuilding Do-It-Yourself For Dummies
