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22
Mastering the Art of Soldering
4.5 How to Solder THT components
Before we begin, always keep in mind that safety is of utmost priority and remember all the
necessary precautions mentioned from previous section.
The following are the basic steps in basic soldering or to make a very good solder
connection:
1. Insert the leads of the components or the parts that you will need to solder through the
holes of the PCB; you can use a pair of tweezers in this step to secure the components
in place.
2. Heat the solder joint evenly by touching the tip (use the side of the tip) of the soldering
iron to the copper pad and the component lead or the part you want to solder. Do this for
a few seconds. Then apply enough solder to joint by touching the solder in between the
lead and the soldering iron. It is important to note that you need to apply the solder to
joint, not to the tip of the soldering iron
In this step, the solder will melt and flow. If the solder does not flow, just heat again the
joint and try again. Since both the lead and the pad are hot, the solder will flow smoothly
in place. Let the solder flow into the joint, fill the hole and form a volcano-shaped joint.
Note
: Avoid applying too much solder as it might spill to nearby joint or can cause
bridging. Whereas, applying little solder can cause weak solder joints.
