Solder

Motherboards of PCs have components, such as the NVIDIA graphics chip, that are surface-mounted. Surface mounting is done by covering the surface of the PCB with an even layer of solder, setting the…

Decorative soldered artwork offers a wide assortment of possible projects to try on flowerpots. Soldering is the process of heating a filler alloy to connect two objects. Soldering requires a…

Lead-based product -- such as lead-based paint and solder -- can cause a wide array of potentially dangerous side effects. Nausea, fatigue, seizures, hearing loss and peripheral neuropathy are only a…

Soldering a mini stereo plug requires basic soldering skills and a few modestly priced soldering tools. Commonly used for music player headphones and computer speakers, mini plugs are typically 1/8…

The Sitex CV106 is a portable fishfinder mounted inside boats to help locate fish underwater. The device uses echolocation -- a type of sonar technology that sends an electronic pulse from the…

Air conditioning systems produce cold air to cool your home or building by running a refrigerant liquid through an evaporator coil. The integrity of these copper lines is critical to the performance…

The d2pro is a modification chip for the Nintendo Wii video game console. It permits you to add and play third-party game modifications on Nintendo Wii games. The d2pro is a chip that installs onto…

Body soldering is another term for lead loading. The process is necessary when you want to fill a drilled dent removal hole or other perforation using lead, as opposed to a synthetic body filler.…

The tone potentiometers are controls used to alter the signal produced by an electric instrument, such as an electric guitar or bass guitar. The tone pot controls how much of a particular frequency…

Soldering stations are very important to hobbyists at every level. These stations incorporate the supplies and accessories needed to ensure that the soldering project is completed safely and…

Soldering screening creates a standardized mass-production process for laying solder down on printed wiring boards and circuit card assemblies. Components like resistors are mounted to the solder left…

Soldering a joint involves making permanent pipe connections by using heat from a propane torch and solder. Once the pipe joints are soldered and cooled down, there will be an airtight and waterproof…

Few people would turn down the chance to have unlimited ammo online, run homebrew and play emulators like the JTAG mod promises. Setting it up, however, intimidates most because of the amount of…

If you have a chrome faucet that has cracked or split, it can not only look distasteful but may also provide a pathway for leaking. Chrome faucets can not be soldered in the traditional way because…

Heating soldering paste is not a difficult process, but you must take care not to overheat the paste or it will not work properly. Soldering paste is used on materials that are delicate or require…

Surface mount devices (SMD) is a term used to describe electronic components, like diodes, capacitors and resistors, that are mounted to a printed circuit board. These components are mounted to…

Potentiometers, otherwise known as pots, are a common element in many electronic instruments. Everything from the most sophisticated measuring device to the everyday stereo system uses pots to control…

A motherboard, or circuit board, is the most essential piece of hardware inside computers, televisions and other electronic devices. This single piece of hardware connects all other active hardware,…

Gold-tin alloys are considered the prototypical 80/20 solders. The eutectic composition is made of 80 percent gold and 20 percent tin. The alloys are classified as hard solders, and are also used…

Surface mount chip packages that use a ball grid array, or BGA, are slightly more advanced in technology than the previous pin grid, or PGA, versions. Because BGA components use ball solder to attach…

Soldering large wires and connections is usually fairly easy if you have a little experience. When soldering smaller connections or those that are close together, it can be difficult to keep the balls…

Many metal craft projects, especially sculpture and jewelry designs, incorporate stones along with the sheet metal or wire workings. It's challenging to try to secure these stones in place via…

Polishing the Silvergleem soldered edges of your glasswork will make them stand out. Silvergleem is a lead-free solder, made by Canfield, that contains a small amount of silver. The solder is meant to…

As television sets become older, the parts within them run a higher risk of breaking and need to be replaced. The most common part within a television to fail is the circuit board. This small…

Audio headphones come in all shapes and sizes. For instance, many MP3 players have a 2.5-mm jack which supports headphones or earbuds with a 2.5-mm plug. 8-mm headphones are bigger and designed for…

Electroluminescent panels can be cut and shaped as necessary and then connected to a source of AC or DC electrical power so they produce light. These panels are often affixed to walls and even…

Naxa is a company that manufactures various types of headphones. One model of headphone they produce is designed specifically for smaller audio devices, such as MP3 players. This style of headphone is…

Solder mask, also known as "solder resist" is a strong, permanent layer of semi-transparent polymer that protects copper traces and the interfaces between them on printed circuit boards (PCBs). The…

Soldering electrical connections for audio equipment can be a cumbersome task. You have to heat a soldering iron and apply just the right amount of solder, all while keeping a steady hand. A new type…

Silicon is an element that is commonly found in sand, dust and planets, commonly in the form of silicates or silicon dioxide. The element is used for many industrial purposes, such as making of…

Earbuds are the small earphones that are primarily used with smaller electronic devices such as MP3 players. They are designed for portability and can be folded up and put in your pocket. However,…

If you have a broken marble pendant, or are trying to make one from scratch, these instructions are for you. Soldering silver or other light metals can be done by anyone with access to some common…

To a lay person, the difference between an 850 degree Fahrenheit and 840 degree Fahrenheit piece of metal is indistinguishable -- and probably something that will never be experienced -- but to a…

Earbuds are the wire headphones that attach to electronic devices such as MP3 players. They are designed to be small and portable so they can fit in your pocket. Should the earbuds' internal wiring…

While a soldering iron has several uses, it is perhaps most often utilized for joining electronic components. Similar in concept to welding, soldering provides a means of permanently attaching pieces…

Soldering doesn't have to be a daunting or intimidating task on your weekend to-do list. Though it does require concentration and care to create precision connections, solder is very forgiving. If you…

Flexwatt is a brand of electrical heat tape that can be placed under a reptile terrarium to warm the environment for the animal inside. This flat tape is versatile for pet owners because it can be cut…

Alligator clips are small metal clips that pinch open and shut. The non-clipped end usually has a small metal, looped lead that can be used for soldering pieces of wiring to it. The part of the…

Every television has a set of circuit boards that turn a video signal into a picture. Regardless if the TV is an older model or brand-new, all of its circuits must work perfectly to produce a clear…

High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) cables typically employ soldered connections inside the connector shell. These solder joints connect the 19 individual conductors to the corresponding pins…

Soldering is the process of combining metal alloys usually used in circuit boards. It is similar to pasting, but it requires heat to melt the soldering lead. Soldering circuits is an easy task but…

Monster Cable is a manufacturer of speaker wire, interconnects and other home and car audio accessories. One of their proucts is the Quick Lock series of speaker wire terminations. Designed to be…

Making stained glass pictures is both an art and a hobby enjoyed by many. As you learn the craft you are able to move from simple designs, like a diamond surrounded by four planes, to complex patterns…

Consumers do not consider the complexity of their basic remote controls. The internal circuit board, or PCB, of a remote control needs padding to protect the structure and wiring along its assembly…

Soldering is highly useful for connecting delicate components, such as wires, together. After you make a good mechanical connection between two or more wires, soldering will help you make a good…

When installing leads and copper traces to a PC circuit board, soldering gives you a delicate and relatively easy way of proceeding. However, when soldering such fine and easily damaged components,…

A printed circuit board (PCB) consists of an insulating substrate with a number of specially designed conductive tracks on top. PCBs are custom made for a particular device and allow the combination…

Printed circuit boards can be found in almost all electronic devices today, from portable radios to personal computers. These devices consist of an insulating board with metallic copper tracks and…

If you have made a connection in a home entertainment system to a tape or casette recorder, turntable, DVD player, CD player, cable box, TV screen or any other equipment that has a video or audio…

Solder is a spool of wire that is used to join two metals. It is melted and applied to a metal joint by using an electric soldering iron or a propane/butane torch. Solder is typically composed of tin,…

Earphones that are tangled are not only annoying, but the tangling can eventually have a negative effect on their sound quality. The wire filaments inside your cords can break after too many twists.…

Every electronic begins with small components on a printed circuit board (PCB) that eventually become a specific device, such as a cell phone or a computer. Those components have particular placement…

Soldering is the process of joining, or bonding, two metals together. The process is done by melting solder to join the two metals. Soldering is how electronic circuits are joined to circuit boards.…

As its name suggests, a soldering tool is used to join or unite parts with solder, which is usually made up of fusible alloys such as tin and lead. A soldering tool or soldering iron is often…

Printed circuit boards are used in most electronic mechanisms produced today. They range greatly in size and contain some of the most important wiring components necessary to run a mechanism. A loose…

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) form the basis of all electrical technology found today. They consist of an insulating substrate patterned with copper wires and other electrical components such as…

Coaxial cable is used for most home video and internet wiring. Once coaxial cable is cut, you can extend it with cable extenders; however, if you are running the cable through the wall or ground, you…

You may think that you need to purchase a wireless antenna for your home electronics, but it's possible to make a wireless antenna on your own that will reach 50 miles or more. This can be done with…

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are used to connect electronics using conductive pathways laminated onto non-conductive material. They are reliable and cheap when mass produced, as their production can…

P90s are electric guitar attachments that manipulate and amplify sound. These attachments are called "pickups" and act as transducers for electric stringed instruments. P90s were first produced in…

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are devices which combine a number of electrical components with tiny (micron sized) printed wires to form a self-contained structure that can carry out an electrical…

Ultimate Ears headphones are similar to most other types of earbuds in the sense they're not particularly durable and won't normally last more than a year or two. Most of the time headphones like…

An electronic instrument works on a steady clock in the background. The clock is a digital signal of ones and zeros at a uniform interval. A frequency counter is a small electronic instrument that…

An audio tone control is a filter in the audio-signal path that allows the end user to control which frequencies--usually bass, mid and treble--to enhance or decrease. Tone controls work by using…

Soldering electronics assemblies can generate many problems, including solder or flux residue buildup in unwanted locations on a printed circuit board. Solder mask is a thin protective layer applied…

Soldering electronic assemblies with a wave solder technique can pose many problems, including excess flux residue buildup. In the soldering process, flux acts an a de-oxidation agent between the base…

Printed circuit boards (PCB) are coated with solder resist or solder mask to prevent environmental disturbances and wear from deteriorating circuitry. If you need to alter the circuitry, you will have…

A jukebox, such as a Wurlitzer 2100 model, is a fun addition to a home or business. These jukeboxes are large units, but essentially they function like a turntable. There is a tone arm, just like on a…

The Wurlitzer 2000 is an older jukebox that plays vinyl records. Unlike digital jukeboxes, which can potentially hold thousands of tunes, it can only store a few hundred 45-RPM singles. Like any vinyl…

From an engineering standpoint, thermocouples are fascinating devices brimming with potential. A thermocouple relies on one of a number of thermoelectric effects (most notably the Seebeck effect) to…

The term "SOT soldering" refers to a rarely-used electronics acronym when discussing Surface Mount Technology (SMT), which is the process of soldering onto preprinted circuit boards. SOT is the…

When working with electronics, there are varying methods for joining metal components together. Through wave soldering, or reflow soldering methods, you can essentially meld two or more components…

Alligator clips are metal clips that are connected electrically to conductive wiring, named for the gripping teeth that give them resemblance to the jaws of an alligator. You can use them to connect…

Terminal strips, also known as barrier strips, are plastic pieces with screws, designed to connect multiple low-voltage devices to a single output. These terminals are relatively inexpensive, and are…

Speaker wire serves as the conduit between your receiver and your speakers, allowing the receiver's amplified music signal to pass from the receiver to the speakers. Without speaker wire there is no…

Arcade monitors work very much like television screens. Clear functioning screens are considered crucial for both. Monitor repair tools, repair kits and details on known trouble areas--such as…

Before repairing a circuit board one must diagnose the problem and identify the failing parts. In most cases a component-level repair is required, that is, one or more components must be replaced with…

Soldering is but one technique that is used to join two wires together to permit electricity to flow through them. Soldering is done by joining the wires together using a melted wire as the joining…

Mounting of Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs on a printed circuit board panel requires some special tools, such as a soldering iron and solder. These tools can be obtained from electronic component…

Cell phone subscribers who desire to hear their favorite songs on their mobile device need to wire their earphones accordingly. To complete this process, figure out what kind of headset jack your…

Soldering spade connectors is a way to ensure a proper wire connection that is durable and professional. Most spade connectors come ready to be soldered, and all you need is a soldering iron and…

D-sub connectors, commonly found in computer hardware, are used for the VGA port, serial port and game ports. Although D-Sub connectors are being phased out by hardware manufacturers in favor of…

The small size of the SMD (Surface Mount Device) component and the confined workspace of the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) are the challenging parts of SMD soldering. The best approach is to obtain the…

There are many USB car chargers because the general construction is quite simple. The standard USB plug has four wires, taking in 12 volts, then outputting a regulated 5 volts to the opposite cable…

Core area refers to the cross-sectional area of a iron core coil used in the fields of magnetism and electronics (also known as electromagnetism). You can calculate the reluctance of the iron core…

D cell battery holders are designed to hold D cell batteries while they are in use. This holder keeps the batteries connected together so that their combined voltage can be used to power an electronic…

Nickel sulfate is used to create a suitable, plated surface for fusing two metal components and works particularly well when that metal is aluminum. The process of layering the nickel onto the surface…

A cell phone's interior antenna cannot operate as efficiently as an external antenna. Add a wire antenna booster to allow your antenna to pick up a better signal. The booster is composed of electric…

Arcade games are prized for their retro appeal, and their ability to provide electronic enjoyment in a self-contained box to enthusiasts for years after their production dates. The cathode-ray tube…

Light emitting diodes (LEDs) are quickly becoming one of the most efficient sources of light. Their long-lasting life, coupled with their low power consumption, proves them to be a very effective…

Jack plugs are a standardized, cylindrical plug and socket system used in a wide range of electronics applications. These include low voltage power connections, remote accessories and telephone…

Designing a Printed Circuit Board or PCB requires special skills and a lot of patience. However, one does not necessarily need to get special training for that since most PCB layout software comes…

A Printed Circuit Board or PCB can consist of through hole as well as SMD circuit components. Assembling a circuit board means soldering all such components on the board according to the circuit…

Repairing a Printed Circuit Board or PCB requires board level diagnostics as well as component replacement skills. Without thorough knowledge of its components, diagnosing a problem with a circuit…

Replacing a component on a printed circuit board (PCB) may become challenging if proper set of tools are not available. Some components, such as SMD resistors and capacitors can be easily replaced…

The newer generation of iPods can play video as well as sound, and loading a few movies on your iPod is an ideal way to pass the time on long trips. Watching a lot of videos, though, taxes the iPod's…

Mechanical devices often contain a number of electrical components. These components must interface, or connect, in order to function. A terminal block can assist with these connections.

Earphone wires take a beating every time you fold and unfold them, jerk on them or pull them out of a earphone jack. You may have a favorite pair of earphones that have been damaged, yet you just…

Microphones send audio to other devices through microphone cables. Most high-end microphones connect using an XLR cable. These cables have a cylindrical plug at both ends and can fit into the base of…

Solder is a metal alloy, meaning that two or more metals have been combined to create a single metal. Solder has been in use for many years as a joining method, as its primary use is to join together…

Audio connectors carry digitized audio signals between electronic devices, allowing the sound in one device to be read by another. Should there ever by a physical break in the wire, or if you want to…

In electrical repairs, soldering wires is done to make two pieces of wiring into one. Solder wires with tips from a certified HVAC tech and plumber in this free video on electrical repairs.

Portable music players have become ubiquitous since the release of the iPod in 2001. MP3 players like the iPod allow you to be active while using them, and generally can stand up to the weathering…

Soldering refers to the process of melting metallic items together to join them. Typically, the only tools required for the job are the soldering iron and the solder itself. However, several soldering…

A banana plug is a male connector used to connect speakers and amplifiers. They are also used for connections of test equipment. The banana connector is distinguished by its slightly flanged shape…

The Weller Model EC2002M Electronic Soldering Station is a highly accurate electronic system designed for the soldering enthusiast who desires accurate control over soldering conditions at all times.…

Microphone cables, also known as XLR cables, are lines that hook up professional level microphones to amplifiers, and are comprised of three pronged plugs at male and female ends. Three wires spanning…

Zinc chloride (also called soldering flux) is a water-soluble chemical compound. Besides wood preservation, zinc chloride is used in various industrial applications, such as cement and paper-parchment…

A 0603 LED, the smallest surface-mount semiconductor, is used in numerous applications including back-light keypads, cellular phone displays, LED arrays in traffic displays and many small-scale,…

Building a high gain wireless antenna will provide a strong signal free of much of the interference and signal loss that normally occurs. You will need a few simple household tools, some hardware…

The most common problem with a well-used pair of headphones is a faulty connection somewhere along the cord. If you have to jiggle your wire to get your headphones to work, or if movement causes sound…

XLR cables are a mainstay for professional audio applications. Because the signal is balanced, long cable runs are possible without ground hum seeping into the signal. In addition, XLR cables have a…

Battery-operated devices are used in nearly every facet of everyday life. Over a long period of time, a single battery-operated device may require new batteries hundreds of times. If the…

Potentiometers perform many different tasks and can be found in different places on a radio. The most noticeable place is the volume control. Most volume control potentiometers use a graphite strip as…

An audio jack is what connects audio devices together, allowing you to hear the sound coming out of your device. There are a number of reasons an audio jack can break. Too much use over time can wear…

Attaching tabs to a solar cell is an essential step in the process of building a fully functional cell for daily use. Solar cells extract energy from the sun and use it in place of traditional…

The potentiometer (pot) is found in almost every radio as a volume control. In this application, the variable resistance of the pot is used to attenuate a signal, allowing for volume to be raised or…

Earbuds are small stereo headphones commonly used for MP3 players and other hand-held devices. They are more comfortable to wear than regular headphones and infinitely more portable. The small size…

Wurlitzer made a number of turntable devices, including older hand-cranked turntables and some home audio turntables. However, Wurlitzer was most known for its jukeboxes. Wurlitzer jukeboxes were very…

Soldering is one of the oldest ways of connecting wires to other wires and to terminals. There are basics to good soldering that run counter to logical thought; the main issue being that more is not…

From the MP3 player we listen to while at the gym, to the automobile we drive to work in, there are many devices, machines and equipment that require a battery to operate. A hobbyist who wishes to…

Scratching, audio peaks, buzz, and cutting in and out are all signs that your volume control may be damaged. Volume is controlled with an electromechanical potentiometer, and from time to time…

One of the most common ways to wire a potentiometer, or rheostat, is as a volume control. By wiring one of the terminals to ground, it allows this standard variable resistor to have a position that…

Here's a way to fix your headphones if they short out if you can't go to the store and get new ones.

The basics of automotive wiring are simple, because the concept is rather generic to all vehicles, with the exception of positive grounds. Automotive wiring is so simple that virtually anyone can do…

Connecting a 12-volt AA battery holder is sometimes a necessity when repairing portable electronic devices. The majority of AA battery holders are molded plastic with plastic dividers between each of…

Alligator clips have a variety of uses in the electronics field. This can range from science experiments and connecting batteries to connecting audio or video devices. To use an alligator clip…

Drum triggers are basically glorified contact microphones that are usually mountable in some fashion. In this article, we will discuss the basic components necessary for making your own drum trigger…

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are boards made of insulating material. These boards are designed with electrical conductors on their surface. The greater portion of the board, being insulation, is made…

Soldering is the process of joining two pieces of metal with a heated combination of alloy and tin called solder. Solder can be applied with a torch, or with a soldering iron. Soldering is a basic…

Use the Coldheat soldering gun to execute small soldering jobs in seconds. The cordless Coldheat tool transfers heat faster than a soldering iron or solder gun. The tip of a Coldheat gun is made of…

Soldering is the process of forming a strong conductive bond between two parts. To solder, you need a soldering iron and soft solder. This soldering wire is made of an alloy of tin and lead. The tip…

You may need to wire a rheostat for your audio electronics projects, like stereo volume control and amplifiers. It's a straight-forward process, just apply the proper soldering technique used to wire…

If you solder electronic components, you will find a need from time to time to replace items on a circuit board. A desoldering pump aids in the removal of the liquid solder. Typically a "one shot"…

In car audio, the connections you make to your speakers are critical. Not only do you need good solid connections to ensure good sound quality, but the connections must be secure enough to hold up to…

The RCA connector, or plug, is an ubiquitous feature of audio systems. The RCA plug was developed by the RCA company in the 1940s to connect turntables to RCA radio sets and has since become almost…

The RCA connector was developed by the RCA Company in the 1940s as a way to allow turntables to be plugged into RCA radios that featured an input. The simple design and robust construction of the RCA…

If you have headphones that are not working properly, you may be inclined to simply get rid of them and go purchase another set. However, before you completely abandon your old Sony headphones, there…

RCA connectors, also known as RCA plugs, are used for a variety of audio applications. You'll find RCA connectors on audio and video cables that are used with a wide range home audio products, from CD…

Because of the increasing demand for out-of-production guitar pedals, some classic pedals are selling for hundreds of dollars. Many guitarists have chosen to build their own pedals. Not only is it…

Everyone has experienced the moment when your headphones stop working. You jiggle the jack and they work fine until the day when jiggling the jack doesn't work anymore and you can no longer hear…

A guitar cable consists of a length of two-conductor wires, with each end terminating in a 1/4-inch male phono plug. The cable connects the output of your electric guitar to the input of your guitar…

Making a junk robot figure is a great way to recycle old odds and ends into a new, original creature. Discarded tin cans, odd buttons from forgotten appliances and miscellaneous unidentifiable pieces…

Old-fashioned aerial antennas still exist on many homes, and still serve as a backup when the "high-tech" cable or satellite dishes fail on us. No one wants to miss the Super Bowl because it's…

Solder provides a nice, neat and permanent bond to wires and other electronics you wish to splice together to create a connection that allows electricity to pass through. With the right soldering iron…

Believe it or not installing Fender pickups is not as daunting as it may seem. Fender has several kits available to allow you to simply remove the pick guard of your current ax and replace it with…

One of life's tiny pleasures is when you purchase a new set of headphones and they turn out to be absolutely fantastic. The bass is deep and rich and the tone is just perfect. Like Halley's Comet, it…

Robotics may be useful for research and automation, but there is still a long way to go when it comes to a good power source. Long life for a hard working robot just isn’t realistic, especially…

Toy robots were once little wind up clunkers manufactured by the USA and Germany. By the 1950s, however, Japan built toy robots that included a new strategy in their arsenal of toy robot design…

It's easy to make mistakes when soldering through-hole components. In order to correct them, it's best to completely remove all solder from the solder joint and start again. Desoldering can also be…

Soldering is a form of welding used to secure electronic components to printed circuit boards. The process of fusing unlike metals with a third liquid metal is difficult and requires practice. In…

Learning how to solder is a great skill to have and can be acquired after careful training and practice. One of the ways to put this soldering technique to use is by learning how to solder stereo…

Most cell phones come with a hands free device including headphones and a microphone. They don't use a standard audio jack, which might be problematic if you listen to music on your phone and want to…

XLR connectors are immediately recognizable in the world of audio. You find XLR connectors most often on microphones and microphone cables. XLR connectors are also used for sending a balanced signal…

A good set of headphones can last a lifetime, but it's unlikely that the plug at the end of the headphone cord will. If you can solder a wire, though, there's no reason you can't replace it. If you…