Howto: Solder banana jacks

[jinjuku]

I shot two videos and put them on Youtube:

Video 1 (a general overview)

Video 2 (a close up of the actual solder)

 

[Haoleb]

When i saw you were going to try that with one of those butane soldering irons my first thought was.. Yeah right.

Looks like that one actually gets hot though. All the ones ive had were pretty poor excuses for a soldering iron. It would have been alot easier with something like the weller 100/140 watt gun but still looks good. Thanks for making this.

 

[tomo22]

Very good

I would suggest that you should think about tinning the cable.

Also that looks like a new soldering iron tip.

If you have an old soldering tip get it clean. Get tip up to temp. Then with a sponge or something like a sponge, dampened with water brush the tip over this when clean you will see. Keep doing until it looks bright re-heat as needed.
After you clean the tip you will be surprised that even low powered soldering irons can carry out this Job.

If you have a very old tip clean first using emery cloth. Then clean as above.

Lots of people when they try to solder use far too much heat.

So the vice tip is a good one. Or you can use mole grips etc.

 

[jinjuku]

I would suggest that you should think about tinning the cable.

Also that looks like a new soldering iron tip.

If you have an old soldering tip get it clean. Get tip up to temp. Then with a sponge or something like a sponge, dampened with water brush the tip over this when clean you will see. Keep doing until it looks bright re-heat as needed.
After you clean the tip you will be surprised that even low powered soldering irons can carry out this Job.

If you have a very old tip clean first using emery cloth. Then clean as above.

Lots of people when they try to solder use far too much heat.

So the vice tip is a good one. Or you can use mole grips etc.

If you don't have $20 bench vice a pair of vise grips work just as well. I just use a damp rag instead of a sponge and some emery cloth.

I normally tin the cable on low current XLR, 1/4 inch, and RCA. Tinning the cable on something like this really isn't needed. I save a step and just put a solder bead on the tip of the iron. When the copper strand wicks it, your good to push solder.

Regarding heat: Just like with amps it is better have a little too much than not enough. I wouldn't recommend a low wattage pencil tip iron for 12/14 gauge wire and associated connectors. You want something with some grunt.

 

[gus6464]

Where did you buy those banana's from?

 

[j_garcia]

My only question is WHY? I used to solder all my own cables and I have come to the conclusion since then that there is no benefit to it at all.

 

[jinjuku]

My only question is WHY? I used to solder all my own cables and I have come to the conclusion since then that there is no benefit to it at all.

Personally I have had the screw type banana jacks have the screws back off a bit as time goes by.

I thought I had an amp problem driving my center channel some years ago. After some digging it was the screw terminal backing out a bit. I had to re-tighten all the terminals.

After that I figure a minute to solder and be done with it.

 

[j_garcia]

I've had that happen too with certain brands of connectors also, which is why I switched to the locking ones. Their sleeve prevents the screws from backing out pretty well while also performing the locking function on the plug. I am not a fan of the screw type, but these were a good compromise.