Basic Q - Soldering Marine grade Wire?

[garyk]

Last night I tried to solder some 12/2 marine grade (tinned?) wire.

Using a torch, I got the work plenty hot, but the two different sizes of silver solder I had on hand didn't stick at all.

What type of solder/flux do you need for tinned wire?

Thanks!

[LipRipr]

Torch may be to hot...
Try soldering Iron,Torches are great on brass pipes but not so great on wire?????
LipRipr :cool:

[hot wire]

After years in the US Coast Guard as an ET, I can also reccommend that you use a sticky paste style flux. Sometimes solder won't walk up the wire without some of that on it. (By the way, the excessive heat problem is very possible too) Just don't expect the solder to flow enough flux just being inside the solder wire. :flowered:

Tom

[DonOR]

Use rosin fluxed radio grade solder. Melts easy and made for wiring connections. I use silver solder for repairing objects but never heard of it being used for electrical wire.

Don

[NorthRiverRick]

Use a rosin core tin-lead solder made for electrical connections and a soldering iron. Leave the torch and your silver solder in the plumbing kit.

[Wright Angle]

Gary, I use a flux made by Harris (Stay-Silv white brazing flux) It’s my flux of choice when ever I solder with a propane torch. It’s for brazing, soldering stainless steel, monel, nickel, copper, brass, bronze, and other ferrous and non-ferrous metals and alloys. I Silver solder 316 stainless steel with it all the time..Try silver soldering stainless with regular flux..it dosen’t work, the solder puddles and runs off like the part has been waxed..So far I have not found anything I can’t silver solder with Stay-Silv.. It’s great stuff. I buy it at By State welding supply in Longview…Barry

[garyk]

Thanks for the tip Barry....sounds like with that magic flux my torch remains an all-purpose soldering tool, cooking, heat and light source! :wave:

[Sensei-san]

What ever you do, never use tin/lead based solder on a boat. The lead will quickly go bad and leave a mess. The only solder to use is a leadfree solder. Most modern solder is lead free due to EPA rules.

NOCORRODE flux is another good flux to use. It is availible as a rosin core paste. It works great on wire that has been exposed to salt. I would use a fairly high heat pencil iron or a traditional Weller gun. If you use a Weller gun get the higher power one. Always heat the work not the solder and use lots of flux to clean the work.

Usually if you are using real tinned marine grade wire, simple bullet connectors are good enough for connections. At any rate use lots of liquid electrical tape, heat shrink tubing and Scotch 33 tape to seal your work.

[garyk]

Thanks Sensei, I'll see if Quimby Welding carries either flux mentioned by you and Barry.

Actually, all I was trying to do was tin the ends of the 12/2 wires into J-hooks to fit around the contact screws of a Scotty downrigger female receptacle socket. Scotty uses a Hella brand plug-in, and its contact screws are REALLY close to each other - no room to use spade connecters or anything like that. So I was just trying to make clean "J"s that wouldn't have stray strands that could cause a short or arc.

For longer runs, Scotty recomends using 10 gauge wire - I don't see how that size would ever fit in the receptacle?