Tír Na HiFi

Well if you had a tip the size of your finger I'd be using it


400 degrees is loads but the problem is the cells rapidly cooling the solder
So it could go 400 down to 200 degree's in a couple of seconds a huge tip will act as a heat reservoir

Just try it
The cells are very tough

Thanks again.

Hoping this aluminum flux comes in today so I can give it a try. And more than that that it will get the solder to stick quickly.

SO going back to your fireplace comment - took me awhile to understand what you meant - should I try to concentrate some heat in the room where I do this? I am thinking of setting up the jig on my oven door with the oven on - is that what you are getting at?

Take care,

no nothing technical like that i mean using a red hot poker as a soldering iron as it will hold its heat better

Was discussing this today with Nigel. I had similar issues on soldering. Have got a new tip. It has a reasonable surface area compared to the one supplied with the machine which is only pin head size. Am working towards this option but it has been fraught with self inflicted wounds so will hold my council until I have something positive to report.

Tony, I will be wishing you the best of luck and result.

From what I read a flux formulated for aluminum can reduce the time needed for the solder to adhere.

This is what was recommended and what I ordered:

This is copy from the sellers website. I got the paste version. They offer liquid, gel and paste. I think paste would be best for aluminum and its quick oxidation.

SUPERIOR NO.1260
Aluminum Soldering Flux Gel
High Activity, Chloride-free, Organic-Based
Effective in joining aluminum to aluminum and aluminum
to most ferrous and non-ferrous alloys,
including some grades of stainless steel**.
Active 350 - 550 deg. F (177 - 288 deg. C)
Clean up with hot water
See Spec Sheet for more information
Excellent for soldering LiPoly Cells
or other cells with Aluminum tabs.
Note: Great care must be taken when working
with any type of battery (Disclaimer)
Use with 91/9 Tin/Zinc Solder for Aluminum
Use with 96/4 Tin/Silver Solder for other metals
Great for repairing cast RR cars and engine chassis
** For Soldering Stainless Steel, not aluminum, and other difficult
to solder metals, See Superior No.71 or Superior No.78.
We recommend using solid wire solder with this flux,
this will give a stronger and cleaner joint.
This flux can only be shipped to US and Canada.

Why they cannot ship it elsewhere is not explained. There might be a distributor in other countries which would explain this as a territory issue.

The manufacturers website: http://www.superiorflux.com/aluminum_so ... _flux.html

I had read a few recommendations for this product BEFORE I started looking from whom I could buy it.

At the manufacturers website there is a place where you can ask about non-USA/Canada distribution.

Should have retained the links to those recommendations but I did not.

Wonder if I should get some tin/zinc solder? Meant to do that and forgot. any thoughts?

Thanks Rick, BTW Big tip works! For me anyway. Soldering tonight was easy and a joy. See if you can source a larger tip for you iron it should definitely improve your work. Not sure on flux but any soldering flux should do (I haven't read through all your posts so maybe you are looking for special solder for a reason)

My attempt at Picoless Zuma has half got off the ground. Without Nigel and Pearse I think I would have blown up more than just 2 usb sticks! My intel board is powering up ok and I Have music playing but have taken the plunge and ordered an i3 haswell and msi board as I do not have faith in the intel board surviving and also have a small issue with getting the mouse working which is PITA.

tony wrote:Thanks Rick, BTW Big tip works! For me anyway. Soldering tonight was easy and a joy. See if you can source a larger tip for you iron it should definitely improve your work. Not sure on flux but any soldering flux should do (I haven't read through all your posts so maybe you are looking for special solder for a reason)

My attempt at Picoless Zuma has half got off the ground. Without Nigel and Pearse I think I would have blown up more than just 2 usb sticks! My intel board is powering up ok and I Have music playing but have taken the plunge and ordered an i3 haswell and msi board as I do not have faith in the intel board surviving and also have a small issue with getting the mouse working which is PITA.

cool whats it sound like

My picoless build is working perfectly. Refer to my signature for the components I used.
SQ is breathtaking. Details in spades and tonal accuracy are the highlights.
Thanks a lot to Nige.
Next step will be the A123s.




By the way, Nige, it's not possible to change the multiplier for the new Haswells I3.
Do you think it's worth soundwise streatching to an I5K to underclock?

you need to type in 8 or what ever your setting it to

This option is enabled only if the CPU allows it, which is not the case for the new I3 Haswell.
Now, only the Intel K types allow overclocking (access to the multiplier) and there's no I3 K.