Soldering help needed., It don't flow right

[nuttaphong191]

Ok, I’ve made my first DIY PCB, I’m trying to solder Leds into the holes and I’m a complete newbe, I got a Weller WES51, and I’m using a 1/32 0.8 mm tip. I set it to 65 watts it goes from 35-85.

Now I put the tip on the pad next to the led and then tough the solder to the led pin.
When I do manage to get the solder to melt it does not flow right.

It just globs around the led pin, I thought the pad & pin were susposed to suck the solder into the pad area kinda tight so I would have a clean joint, but that don’t work.

QUESTION:
What do I need to do? What am I doing wrong ? I tried putting some solder on the
Iron tip to “Tin” it, but there is no difference.

 

[House_Cat]

What kind of solder are you using, and what kind of flux are you using? Does the solder have flux built-in?

When solder fails to flow properly, it is almost always because the joint isn't completely clean. The job of the flux is to clean the material as the solder begins to flow.

 

[johnyaya]

You mention that you are using a "DIY" board. Is this a board that you etched yourself? Assuming that you are using a flux-core solder, one reason for the copper pad not soldering could be oxidation, or resist that wasn't cleaned off if it is a board you etched yourself. A nother reason for the copper not soldering is if the temperature isn't getting hot enough, but that doesn't sound probable with the equipment you have. Try cleaning the copper good with acetone.

 

[M!k]

Try cleaning the copper good with acetone.

Polish remover from your wife is also appropriate to that purpose as it usually contains acetone ;-)

 

[josemaria]

Two years back, when I did my first soldering, I ran across this set of video tutorials:

**broken link removed**

I found them helpful. They might help you, too.


Regards.