What solder to use

I bought a copper end to put on a battery cable--the kind which slips over the end and is soldered in place. Does it matter what kind of solder to use? I have some solder and flux left over from a plumbing job. Since the cable and the end are both copper, is it OK to use this, or does it take something special?

what you have should be fine

(quoted from post at 17:09:40 05/12/18) I bought a copper end to put on a battery cable--the kind which slips over the end and is soldered in place. Does it matter what kind of solder to use? I have some solder and flux left over from a plumbing job. Since the cable and the end are both copper, is it OK to use this, or does it take something special?

Click to expand...

Just don't use acid flux. Only resin, elsewise the copper will corrode much too soon
Stan

Likely to work just fine. If it was me I would use rosin core solder but that is what is commonly used on electronics and that is what I did in the Navy

I would be inclined to use silver solder of the refrigeration variety. My reasoning is that this is normally a high current cable and terminal. As such, it can heat up - especially if there is not a good solid mechanical connection before soldering. Typical electrical solder has a relatively low melting point. Refrigeration grade silver solder has a much higher melting point in addition to being a better conductor (less heating). In any case, it would be a good idea to give it a crimp before soldering to make a good and solid mechanical joint. Just my opinion.

I am like Old , I keep them in stock and do a lot of them . My method is place the terminal in the vise with the clamp part down , heat the place where the cable is going and fill it with solder, at about that time flash the end of the wire and stick it in. Some solder will come out but have never had one fail yet. So far ahead of those clap on things folks try to use it is unbelievable.

Let me jump in a bit. Firstly you want everything surgically clean. If
there is tarnish or corrosion it must be removed. Take some Barkeepers
friend and clean it till shinny. I have done lots of soldering on
electronis with rosin core solder but this is what I prefer for heavy
duty stuff. The flux used in plumbing. One of the best that you can
get is the solder past at home depot. Little white and green
container. Oakley if I remember correctly. Put a smidge in the fitting
and dip you wire into some also. Crimp the fitting. Then what I use is
a bernsomatic tourch. You will also need a roll of plumbing solder.
Heat the fitting for a few seconds till the paste smokes a little and
stick the plumbing solder on the connection. If hot enough it will
suck up that solder like crazy. Kind of a art to do it right the first
try but is close to soldering copper pipe. This video is pretty good.
Just NEVER use acid. The second video is a commercial grade system.
That is sort of what I try to copy. Perfect connections take a little
practice. You can practice with little terminals and lite gauge wire
till you get a feeling how to do.
cable soldering.

Here is the commercial type stuff.
commercial grade.

Here is a third. I really do not like heating heatshrink with a torch. I use a heat gun. They are cheep enough from HF and work fantastic. Very easy to controll the heat and you don't burn the plastic.
another cable way.

Jeff, I'm not buying that method!

Sticking the cold end of the cable into the melted solder...

No way!

(quoted from post at 06:58:36 05/13/18) Jeff, I'm not buying that method!

Sticking the cold end of the cable into the melted solder...

No way!

Click to expand...

I done a blue million that way never had a problem... I have the correct crippling tools and never solder a crimp... If you have the proper crimp solder is a waist of time...

Well I follow most of your post and always pretty much agree with you. Seems you have a lot of experience but at 74 I have also BTDT. Had those big old yellow crimpers with the four sided deal where you can crimp all sizes. Years before I got in the KUBOTA business back when we were doing dozers and I had lost of problems with the crimp getting lose. For a time I soldered the crimp but finally just went to solder on all. Yes it take a little longer but sure solved a lot of problems. Again anything is better than those bolt on ends ever one tries to use.

I dont know Hobo, and I'm a poet and didnt know it I had one tractor that I switched the cable that went to the starter to a factory soldered Ford and didnt have anymore dragging starter. It made a world of difference. I now keep even the old ones that dont have any rubber left on them.

For those that do not want to solder and/or crimp, there are better terminals that need neither.
And are not like the cheapy clamped wire terminals found at walfart............
Look for "Quick Cable copper battery compression fittings"

Such as these:
www.quickcable.com/products.php?pageId=75

Hello Rich'sToys,

A good crimp is all you need. I used the old style to make cables.we used three 625
CCA batteries in parallel, 00 cable, hit it with a hammer crimper type, like hobo said as
well, zero problems!

Guido.

I have always done it that way when it cools a tractor won?t pull it apart

I tend to think like you do at first, and overdo it.
BUT...... on second thought, if you get a good (low resistance) solder connection
with 50/50 or sumsuch, you won't get any heat in the first place!
And the solder helps keep the charging gases out of the connections at the top of the batt.

Rosin core solder for electrical. Also best to crimp first then solder. The crimp holds the cable and the solder seals the deal and also the solder stops the corrosion from following the cable. Have seen connections completely gone up to the solder connection. Also have seen hard starting engines that will melt the solder out of the connection and leave you with a loose cable in the terminal if not crimped. I stopped using the plain copper ends and get the "tinned" ones, they don't corrode as fast as the plain copper. And I do dozens of connections during a years time.