Soldering questions

[Xdragonxb0i]

Just a basic soldering question, Can the heat of the solder travel up the wires and damage the electronics?

I asked this because i tried to solder up wires on my motorcycle ex-500 , and it like im not getting any current. it was my first time but i feel confident that i had sufficient solder hold on the wire to wire.

[developer]

Possible but unlikely. How long was the wire? I would bet you either have a bad solder joint or blew the fuse.

[zebradust311]

Originally Posted by Xdragonxb0i

Just a basic soldering question, Can the heat of the solder travel up the wires and damage the electronics?

I asked this because i tried to solder up wires on my motorcycle ex-500 , and it like im not getting any current. it was my first time but i feel confident that i had sufficient solder hold on the wire to wire.

An easy way to check is to take a multimeter and run a continuity test. How did you solder the wires together if you don't mind me asking? (i.e. did you twist the wires together and then solder or did you just tin one of the wires and try to connect the wires using the solder) Hope this helps

[Xdragonxb0i]

i twisted the wires together, then solder the two wires together.

The wires are long but, the area where i soldered and joined the wires together was about 1inch

and ill check the fuse now.

[Gir]

While technically possible, it's highly unlikely. You should be able to feel how far up the wire the solder went, as the wire will be extremely ridged where there is solder.

[neutron256]

It's all about technique. You say you had enough solder, but its not really a matter of how much, but rather how well the solder adheared. You need to get it to really flow properly. I've seen lots of bad soldering where they just globed it on and never got a good connection.

Lots of good how too soldering videos on YouTube

[Bigmaxy]

Heat will definitely travel up the wire but you would have to be very heavy handed to cause damage in most instances. What is it you are soldering exactly and why. What are the electronics you are referring to and what is the problem now?
You say you aren't getting any current? Are you saying the bike isn't charging when running?

[Acree]

Originally Posted by Xdragonxb0i

Just a basic soldering question, Can the heat of the solder travel up the wires and damage the electronics?

I asked this because i tried to solder up wires on my motorcycle ex-500 , and it like im not getting any current. it was my first time but i feel confident that i had sufficient solder hold on the wire to wire.

If your wire is longer than 4 or so inches, and you didn't melt the insulation, then no. You did not damage the components from heat.

-Acree

[Xdragonxb0i]

Originally Posted by Bigmaxy

Heat will definitely travel up the wire but you would have to be very heavy handed to cause damage in most instances. What is it you are soldering exactly and why. What are the electronics you are referring to and what is the problem now?
You say you aren't getting any current? Are you saying the bike isn't charging when running?

I was soldering wires. ignition to my electronic Speedo, right now my bike wont start at all and the speedo wont turn on. I found a burnt fuse. So ill fix that first.
so update, the fuse fixed the problem with the speedo

now it seem like the switch for ignition isnt working. that why i cant start the motor, but i didnt touch any wires connected to ignition switch

[wbradley]

If you don't have a DMM (digital multimeter) then get one or have someone check continuity. Sorry for the redundant answer.

Heat definitely will travel a few inches up a wire and sometimes it is necessary to clamp a heat sink to the device you are soldering to prevent heat bleed.

You could have a break inside a wire, lost continuity. Check the connection where the wire terminates at the other end and it the solders look good.

Sometimes from vibration and moving your hands while holding the item being soldered, you can get tiny cracks in the solder not visible. This is from the solder moving before it solidified and the result is a cold solder joint with little/no connectivity. This is unlikely since the wire is twisted together.

Its almost always a fuse BTW...even when it isn't. That's an inside joke for electronic techs.

[Bigmaxy]

Can I say something that might be so silly that it isn't worth saying?

Have you checked the stop/run switch, that the bike is in neutral and that the side stand switch is working? I don't know if your bike has those items but sometimes it's the simple stuff.

Please don't take this as an insult to your intelligence. ;-)

[developer]

^^I think everyone with a motorcycle does this at least once.

[scottmcphee]

Using resin core solder for electronics, not acid core solder for plumbing, I hope.

Also, disconnect battery before soldering anything, touching the iron to a connection can ground it, and blow a fuse.