Soldering

Soldering

Soldering is an assembly process that is use to join two electrical components with a solid conductive connection.  This is especially important when making connection in electronic circuits where the conductors are carrying electronic signals.  Without a solid conductive connections, bumping the component might cause a temporary break or fluctuation in the conductivity of the circuit which could interrupt or change the signal being sent through it.  Soldered joints are not structurally strong so they need to be handled gently and supported by structural supports when ever possible.  For example wires can  be twisted together  or the wire leads can be bent after being inserted through a circuit board before soldering.  Components should be pulled tight against the circuit board so that they can't  be wiggled or pushed (breaking the solder).

Solder is an alloy of metals and chemicals design to allow it to metal at a relatively low temperature and flow into small gaps between the items being joined.  The metal of the components have a higher melting temperature. When the solder cools (within seconds) it hardens and becomes one solid piece with the two components. 

Electricity Safety Rules

• 1. Treat electricity with respect.

  2. Never intentionally shock yourself.

  3. Check power cords for damage before plugging them in.

  4. Disconnect batteries/power cords before working on a circuit.

  5. Use a volt meter to test batteries.

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Soldering Safety Rules

1. Treat the solder as if it is poisonous:

     Do not ingest it.  Wash hands before eating or touching face.

     Do not inhale the smoke. Exhale and blow the smoke away.

2. Avoid burns from hot metal:    

     Do not touch the metal parts of the soldering iron.

     Do not touch components that you just soldered

     Do not touch the stand that hold soldering iron.

3.  Avoid Electrical Shocks:

     Disconnect power to the components you are soldering.

     Do not let the hot parts of the soldering iron touch the power wire (it will melt the insulation causing a short circuit)

4.  Avoid cuts and protect your eyes:

     Always wear safety glasses when soldering.

     Be careful with sharp tools.

     Be careful of sharp edges of components.

     Be careful when cutting small pieces, they might go fly.

Electrical Shocks

Electricity is interesting and amazing to people, but it also can be dangerous and deadly.  We can not see electrons with our eyes.  No one says, "Can you smell that electricity?" or "I heard the electricity flowing through the wires".   We can see, hear, and smell the effects of electricity, but for some people they have the urge to feel electricity.  You have felt electricity in the form of static electricity discharges.  If you rub your feet against a carpet and then touch something metal, you might get a small shock.  If you do that in a dark room you might also see a small spark as the electricity arcs through the air.  This can be surprising or even exciting to experience, but it is not safe to ever intentionally send electricity through your body, excepted in the most controlled (medical) situations.  Electrical burns can occur when too much electricity enters and exits the body and it can cause damage to internal organs as well.  Our brains and entire nervous system communicate using small electrical signals that run through our body.  Introducing even small amounts of electricity into this system can cause a malfunction. While the human body can conduct large amounts of electricity and survive in some situations, a very small current can cause the heart to stop.  Some individuals have heart conditions that make them very susceptible to this and most of them will not know it until it is too late.