Elenco Electronics SL-5K, SL-5K-SPL, SL-5K-40 Assembly And Instruction Manual
DELUXE ELECTRONIC SOLDERING STATION KIT
MODEL SL-5K
MODEL SL-5K-40
MODEL SL-5K-SPL
Assembly and Instruction Manual
Elenco Electronics, Inc.
Copyright © 2000 Elenco Electronics, Inc. Revised 2001 REV-B 753112
-1-
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Like all electrical devices, the solder station must be
handled with care. The soldering iron and tip can
reach high temperatures and these simple safety
rules should be followed.
1. If the problem indicator light is on, do not use
the soldering station at that outlet. A wiring
problem may exist at the outlet. Refer to Problem
Indicator Light Section on page 3 for details on
problems.
2. Keep children out of reach of the soldering station.
3. To protect your eyes, use safety goggles.
4. Keep flammable material away from the soldering
iron.
5. DO NO
T cool ironby dipping it into any liquid or
water.
6. Always assume that the tip is hot to avoid burns.
7. Work in an area that is well ventilated.
8. Be careful that the hot soldering iron tip or the
barrel of the iron does not come in contact with
any electrical cord.
SOLDERING STATION KIT MODELS
These instructions are for the following electronic soldering stations. The model number of the electronic
soldering station that you have received, is marked on the end of the car ton.
Model SL-5K is supplied without an iron.
Model SL-5K-40 is supplied with a 40 watt soldering iron, grounded plug, Model SR-6.
Model SL-5K-SPL is custom packaged with an iron of your choice of 25 to 60 watts, and other soldering
aids. A separate packing slip of the additional items will be enclosed.
The SL-5 series of soldering stations are quality
products designed to give the professional, student
and hobbyist greater control in quality soldering a
broad range of soldering situations. The stations are
available with variable wattage irons. The AC
receptacle on the back of the station allows soldering
irons of up to 300 watt. The AC receptacle also
allows irons to be easily changed or replaced.
A special safety feature (patent pending) of the SL-5
is its ground fault detection circuit, which warns you if
your station is not properly connected to earth
ground, if your hot and ground wires are reversed, or
if your hot and neutral wires are reversed. This is
important when working with today's static-sensitive
electronic components and is critical for safety when
working with high-voltage circuitry.
If you have received a solder practice kit SP-1A or
SP-3B with this kit, do the solder practice first before
assembling the solder station. Learning to solder
properly is essential to good working electronic
circuitry.
FEATURES
• Regulation of Temperature
• Ground Fault Safety Circuit
• Heavy Steel, Non-Slip Base
• Iron Holder Funnel - Reversible, left or right side
• Steel Tray for Sponge Pad
• Sponge Pad
• Power On/Off with Indicator Light
INTRODUCTION
If the soldering station contains a soldering iron,
remove only the soldering iron, the soldering station
plastic housing, the sponge tray, sponge and the
soldering iron holder (funnel) from the station box.
Assemble them as shown in Figure 1.
You will temporarily use the station parts as a
soldering iron stand until you have completed your
solder practice and some of the assembly of your
station. Proceed as follows:
1)
Assemble the metal base to the soldering station
body hold it in place temporarily by taping the base
to the body with Scotch
®
tape (see Figure 2).
2) Insert the soldering iron holder (funnel) on either
the right or the left side.
3) Insert the tray into the body of the soldering
station.
4) Wet the sponge with preferably distilled or tap
water and then place it into the tray.
5) Plug the soldering iron into an AC outlet and
place the soldering iron into the iron holder
(funnel).
6) You will now tin the tip by applying solder to the tip
as
it
heats up
. DOITbefore the tip becomes too
hot.
7)
You are now ready to do your solder practice
SP-1A or SP-3B or begin to assemble the
circuitry of your soldering station.
Notice: Read Introduction to Soldering on page 4
before proceeding with your project.
-2-
SOLDER PRACTICE KIT
Figure 1
Figure 2
Scotch®Tape
Base
Soldering Station
Plastic Housing
Sponge
Tray
Soldering Iron
Holder (funnel)
PROBLEM INDICATOR LIGHT
The SL-5 is equipped with a problem indicator light.
The indicator turns on when the following problems
are present at the outlet that it is plugged into:
1. Open Ground
2. Hot and Ground Reversed (bright when switch is
OFF, Dim with switch ON)
3. Hot and neutral reversed (dim when switch is
OFF, bright with switch ON)
If the On/Off switch does not light, when unit is
turned on this may indicate the following:
1. The Soldering Station is not plugged into a live
receptacle
2. An open Neutral
3. An open Hot Lead
The Problem indicator will not test for:
1. Ground and Neutral reversed
2. Ground and Neutral wired together
3. Ground Fault Interrupter (G.F.I) in circuit
The problem indicator light is NOT a comprehensive
diagnostic instrument. Incorrect wiring of the output
plug for soldering iron will NOT be detected by this
circuit. Refer all indicated problems to Instructor or
Qualified Electrician.
-3-
Iron wattage varies up to 300 watt. For working on
PC boards, irons ranging from 15 to 40 watt is
suitable. If a heavy-duty soldering iron is required, a
60 watt iron should be considered. If you use an iron
with a higher wattage rating than 40 watt, you may
damage the copper tracks on the PC board. The
higher wattage irons are best suited for heavy-duty
electrical connections.
Soldering Iron Tip
The tip is the very important part of the iron. The
material that the tip is made from is an essential
factor. The soldering iron tip contains four different
metals as shown in Figure 3. The core consists of
copper. Since the copper is a soft material, it is
plated with iron. Chrome plating is used on the area
where no soldering takes place to prevent oxidation.
Then the tip is plated with tin, because it can be
easily cleaned.
Tip Cleaning
A good clean solder tip makes soldering much
easier. The tip should be tinned by lightly coating it
with solder to prevent it from oxidizing. The tip can
become pitted (black spots) from normal use. It is
important to clean the tip by wiping it with a wet
sponge or rag. For tips that need a good cleaning,
the tip tinnier and cleaner (#TTC1) should be used.
Ne
ver use a file or abrasive material to clean the
tip. Using such methods will damage the plating and
ruin the tip. Do not remove the excess solder from
the tip before storing. The excess solder will prevent
oxidation.
SOLDERING IRONS
CopperChrome Plating Iron Plating
Tin Plating
Figure 3
Note: If you do not have much experience soldering, or no
experience at all, you should try building one of our solder practice
kits (Model SP-1A or SP-3B). Doing so will enhance your ability to
solder, give you a better understanding of the basics of soldering,
and reduce the risk of solder errors while building this kit.
-4-
Almost every electronic device today has a printed
circuit (PC) board. Whether you are assembling a
PC board or repairing it, you must understand the
basics of working with these boards.
A poorly soldered joint can greatly effect small
current flow in circuits and can cause equipment
failure. You can damage a PC board or a component
with too much heat or cause a cold solder joint with
insufficient heat. Sloppy soldering can cause bridges
between two adjacent foils pre v enting the circuit from
functioning.
Good soldering requires practice and an
understanding of soldering principles. Solder (a tinlead fusible alloy) is used to form a metallic union or
joint between two metals.
For best results, the soldering iron should be at least
100
O
F above the melting point of solder (361OF).
Generally, a minimum temperature of 650OF is
desirable for printed circuit boards, while higher
temperatures are needed for proper soldering to
heavier terminals.
Listed below are some basic steps that should be
followed to make good solder joints.
1. Make sure that the par t that is to be soldered is
clean.
2. Where possible, make good mechanical
connections.
3.
Use quality 63/37, 60/40, or 40/60 rosin core solder.
NEVER USE ACID CORE SOLDER OR FLUX.
4. Apply heat to the base material or wires so that
they become hot enough to melt the solder.
5. Slide the soldering iron away from the joint to
leave a neat joint.
6. After removing iron, do not move joint.
7. On temperature sensitive components such as
transistors, diodes, and IC’s, avoid too much heat.
Use a heat sink to dissipate heat away from the
component.
Safety Procedures
• Wear eye protection when soldering.
•
Locate soldering iron in an area where you do not
have to go around it or reach over it.
• Do not hold solder in your mouth. Solder contains
lead and is a toxic substance. Wash your hands
thoroughly after handling solder.
• Be sure that there is adequate ventilation present.
Solder
Solder is a fusible alloy composed of tin and lead.
Some solder may contain small amounts of other
material for use in special purposes to enhance its
characteristics. Solder has a melting temperature
around 361
O
F to 370OF, making it ideal for forming a
metallic joint between two metals.
Solder is identified by the ratio of tin-to-lead. The
most common ratios are 63/37, 60/40, and 40/60.
Solder with a greater tin content melts at a lower
temperature, takes less time to harden, and
generally makes it easier to do a good soldering job.
The ratio of tin is a main factor in the strength of the
solder joint. Solder with a greater tin content has a
greater holding ability under stress. Solder with a tin
ratio of 60% is the strongest, while solder with less
than 30% would be undesirable.
Surface Preparation
In order for the solder to adhere to the connection,
the metals must be clean and free of nonmetallic
materials. Flux in the solder can remove oxides from
metal but not other materials like dirt or grease. To
remove these, use a small steel brush or fine emery
cloth.
Mechanical Connection
When all the surfaces are clean, the metals should
have a solid mechanical connection. Wires should
be tightly wrapped around each other or to the
terminal. This will eliminate large gaps that create
weak solder joints. Solder should not be used as a
mechanical connection.
INTRODUCTION T O SOLDERING
Solder
Rosin Core
Solder
Wire
Terminal
Figure 4
Figure 5
What Good Soldering Looks Like
A good solder connection should be bright, shiny,
smooth, and uniformly flowed over all surfaces.
Soldering a PC board
1. Solder all components from the copper foil side
only . Push the soldering iron tip against both the
lead and the circuit board foil.
2. Apply a small amount of solder to the iron tip.
This allows the heat to leave the iron and onto
the foil. Immediately apply solder to the
opposite side of the connection, away from the
iron. Allow the heated component and the
circuit foil to melt the solder.
3. Allow the solder to flow around the connection.
Then, remove the solder and the iron and let the
connection cool. The solder should have flo wed
smoothly and not lump around the wire lead.
4.
Here is what a good solder connection looks like.
Types of Poor Soldering Connections
1. Insufficient heat - the solder will not flow onto
the lead as shown.
2. Insufficient solder - let the solder flow over the
connection until it is covered. Use just enough
solder to cover the connection.
3. Excessive solder - could make connections
that you did not intend to between adjacent foil
areas or terminals.
4. Solder bridges - occur when solder runs
between circuit paths and creates a short circuit.
This is usually caused by using too much solder.
To correct this, simply drag your soldering iron
across the solder bridge as shown.
-5-
SOLDERING
A poorly soldered joint can greatly affect small current flow in circuits and can cause equipment f ailure . You can
damage a PC board or a component with too much heat or cause a cold solder joint with insufficient heat.
Sloppy soldering can cause bridges between two adjacent foils preventing the circuit from functioning.
Solder
Soldering Iron
Foil
Solder
Soldering Iron
Foil
Component Lead
Soldering Iron
Circuit Board
Foil
Rosin
Soldering iron positioned
incorrectly.
Solder
Gap
Component Lead
Solder
Soldering Iron
Drag
Foil
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