Why soldering flux

As you know, soldering is essential for the complex motherboard of a computer or a simple electronics hobby project while creating most electronics or electrical circuits. Only have the correct technique and right tools can it get the perfect bond.

However, so many beginners and non-professionals tend to heat up the gun and begin soldering immediately, it may have an effect most of time, but it is totally unprofessional and rarely reliable.

So you should use the solder flux so that there is a perfect and reliable solder. What is solder flux? Types of solder flux. There are three major types of solder flux based on electronics industry standard.

Rosin flux: one of the oldest types of flux, which is mainly made up of natural resin extracted from the oleoresin of pine trees and refined, however, the modern rosin is blended with different fluxes to optimize its performance. Flux is easy to flow particularly in a hot weather, make it quick to remove the oxides, and is good for removing foreign particles from the surface of the metal being soldered.

Though rosin flux is acid as liquid, it will be inert and solid when it cools. Because rosin flux is inert as solid, it can be left on the circuit board without harming the circuit unless the circuit will warm to the point where the rosin may be liquid and eat away at the connection.

There are some common weak acids used in organic acid flux, such as citric, lactic, as well as stearic acids. They are combined with solvents like isopropyl alcohol and water.

Organic acid flux is more quick and stronger than rosin flux as cleaning the oxides off, in addition, it also has a good soldering with great flux activity, making it easy to clean the circuit board with regular water. However, it needs to remove the flux residue as soldering because the OA residue will make an effect on the operation and performance of a PCB with conductivity.

Inorganic acid flux: another solder flux type that works better with stronger metals for instance brass, copper and stainless steel. You will need to clean the surface completely so that remove any corrosive residues from the surfaces if you use the inorganic acid flux. However, it will achieve a perfect solder joint if the residues are on the surface. Why is solder flux used in soldering? Clean and remove any oxide and impurities from a PCB, which is the the main function or use of flux in any printed circuit board assembly or rework.

It may have a poor solder joint for the oxides deposited on the board, and there will be poor electrical conduction or poor flow of electricity through the circuit. Soldering flux makes a good effect on soldering and wetting, as well as is good for de-oxidizing metals copper tracks on the board and leads of electronic components. How to use solder flux? So in general, the flux used for soldering, brazing is inorganic in nature, however, it may contain organic compounds as well, which are activated at higher temperatures.

The following is how to use solder flux:. You should clean the metal contact with a good solvent before using the soldering flux so that remove the dust, grime as well as excessive oxidation that may be present. Then, it needs to apply an even coat of the flux to the surfaces where the actual soldering is slated to happen. It should be placed on the metal contacts covered with flux when the tip of the soldering gun is hot and ready.

And it should melt the flux and spread, covering the metal surface, which will remove the oxide layer, until the flux is present. It should introduce and melt the soldering wire after vaporizing the flux, making sure the solder bonds before oxidizing again so that there are an effective soldering.

There is no doubt that solder flux is a very useful material that cleans surface of PCB before soldering process and removes oxides which form on electrical contacts, as well as make a good effect soldering the metals so that there will be a great bonding.

Designed to be used with a volt battery, this soldering iron is the perfect fit for the toolbox when travelling.

Scope PSU 3. This soldering iron unit also comes with a number of safety features including an automatic self-resetting thermal overload. Further, it has a sustained duty cycle in order to keep the PSU operating for long periods without damage. Check out our range of Variable Temperature Controlled Solder Station ideal for both hobbyist or professional below.

Further, it is supplied with a fine conical tip 0. A high-performance 60W soldering iron SIA combined with a fume extractor, this unit is designed to keep your work area free from fumes and smoke. Supplied with 1. You must be logged in to post a comment. We use cookies to ensure you have the best experience on our site. If you continue to use this site you consent to the use of these cookies. Find out more in our Privacy Policy. What is Flux in Soldering? December 8, Jump to Section.

Share to Social Media. Understanding the Use of Flux When Soldering Electronics You may be wondering why flux is necessary when a soldering iron alone can supply the necessary heat to melt solder, binding the joints together. Hence, this chemical solution is important to your soldering projects. Flux in Soldering: Different Types There are three different types of fluxes used for soldering electronics and these are: Rosin Based — this flux often requires cleaning with specific chemical solvents that involve fluorocarbons.

Water Soluble — Also known as the organic acid flux product. Deionized water and detergents are a few of the cleaning agents that can be used for water-soluble fluxes. No-clean — these fluxes require little or no cleaning at all. However, a residual no-clean flux can reduce the adhesion of the effectiveness of conformal coatings. With this, cleaning is recommended. When overlooked, this flux can cause serious problems for the circuit board as time goes by.

Flux in Soldering: Agents You Must Avoid Inorganic Acid Flux Agent — While this type of cleaning agent is good for bonding strong metals, it includes strong acids like zinc chloride or ammonium chloride.

These fluxes in soldering are ideal for handling higher-containment leads for general-use cables, PCBs, and electronic components. Rosen-activated RA fluxes provide the best cleaning performance among all rosin-activated fluxes. Soldering for electrical components with this product is the best choice for soldering hard-to-clean surfaces.

In current technology, a printed circuit board assembly can be soldered without having to be cleaned. These fluxes are stronger in soldering than rosin fluxes, but they are less efficient than inorganic fluxes.

In addition to organic acids, water-soluble fluxes are also known as organic acid fluxes. For military and commercial applications, organic acid fluxes are justified with mixed assemblies types II and III.

Once the assembly has been thoroughly dried, the flux residues can be removed using normal water since they are water-soluble. Soldering surfaces that are difficult to bond with inorganic acid fluxes are perfect. These fluxes have a much higher melting point than organic fluxes. Frequently oxidized, these methods can remove metallic parts. Hydrochlorides, hydrofluoric acids, stannous chlorides, sodium fluorides, and zinc chlorides fall into this category.

Solder flux in non-electronic applications is used for brazing copper pipes, an inorganic flux in soldering. Chemically active residues can cause serious field failures because they leave behind chemically active residues that can cause corrosion. Related Articles 1. Step by Step Reflow Soldering Process. How does it work? How to Prevent Solder balls after Reflow 4. How to Test a Capacitor with a Multimeter- 5 Methods. Writing is one of my hobbies. With more than 20 years of broad experience.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. What is flux? Cleaning the dirt and oxidized layer on the metallic surface to be soldered. Reducing the surface tension and viscosity of molten solder to improve the wettability. When contact and spread on metal surfaces prevent metal from being re-oxidized at higher temperatures. Allow molten solder paste to form solid long-lasting electrical and mechanical joints At room temperature, all metals except pure gold and platinum oxidize in the air.