soldering iron question

[danwelsh]

Hi guys....my girl got me a variable wattage iron for Xmas. What wattage would I use for component soldering?

[pickdropper]

Does the adjustment show wattage or temperature?  Or does it just have a relative scale?

[muddyfox]

Do you have any way of determining the tip temperature? Maybe an IR thermometer?

[alanp]

I'm pretty certain it's too high for people who know what they're doing, but 40W works for me.

[danwelsh]

It just allows me to change the wattage

[jkokura]

25W is good for most soldering on a PCB. You should go up to 40 if you're doing any soldering to a pot, as in rewiring a guitar harness.

Jacob

[pickdropper]

Yep, Jacob hit the nail on the head.  25w for PCB work is more than enough.  Once in a while you might hit a nasty ground plane, but you can just increase it then.

[danwelsh]

Right on......thanks guys for the help

[Clayford]

So I'm gonna take it at 645° (per my iron) for 63/37 solder is "too hot" then? I've never had any problems, usually allows for quick in and out except for pots. Seems to work fine with PCB and Vero (not so quick out there, but that's ok)

Edit: Found the answer to my question:
http://www.madbeanpedals.com/forum/index.php?topic=5702.0

[pickdropper]

So I'm gonna take it at 645° (per my iron) for 63/37 solder is "too hot" then? I've never had any problems, usually allows for quick in and out except for pots. Seems to work fine with PCB and Vero (not so quick out there, but that's ok)

Not a problem at all.  I use 63/37 at 720 degrees F.  Just get in and out fast and you'll be fine.

[Clayford]

Thanks Pickdropper - Think you even said the same thing in other thread.

It's like deja-vu, all over again.

[Rockhorst]

So I'm gonna take it at 645° (per my iron) for 63/37 solder is "too hot" then?

Now, as a physics teacher I feel the urge to insist that you should mention the proper units (or any unit in this case) of your measurement. As a European, your post scared the hell out of me: I only solder at 320, about half the numerical value, degrees...Centigrade that is!

Thanks for adding in the Fahrenheit, Pickdropper

[pickdropper]

So I'm gonna take it at 645° (per my iron) for 63/37 solder is "too hot" then?

Now, as a physics teacher I feel the urge to insist that you should mention the proper units (or any unit in this case) of your measurement. As a European, your post scared the hell out of me: I only solder at 320, about half the numerical value, degrees...Centigrade that is!

Thanks for adding in the Fahrenheit, Pickdropper

Yeah, there is a rather pronounced difference between 720 F and  C.

Not sure why the US uses F either, but there we are.

[Clayford]

So I'm gonna take it at 645° (per my iron) for 63/37 solder is "too hot" then?

Now, as a physics teacher I feel the urge to insist that you should mention the proper units (or any unit in this case) of your measurement. As a European, your post scared the hell out of me: I only solder at 320, about half the numerical value, degrees...Centigrade that is!

Thanks for adding in the Fahrenheit, Pickdropper

645°C ~ 1200°F I bet that's hot, and yeah that'd scare me too. Sorry for the heart attack Rockhorst!

[playpunk]

The US uses Fahrenheit because it is superior. Otherwise all of the measurements sound too small.