Header Pin Soldering Options

[garyttu]

What is the best method for soldering a header pin to the LPC points (x2.2 lite)? I have done a bunch of wire installs, but this is the first header pin one i've done.

Is the most efficient method to touch the iron to the pin, heat it....then touch the solder to the pin near the LPC point?

There used to be a video of a header pin installation out on the web, but the link works no more ;(

Anyone else want to chime in with the best method to attach it? The tutorials seem kinda weak when it comes to the header soldering technique....

[00XeRo]

all you need to do, is insert the headrpins in (short pins go in the lpc points), then flip over your motherboard, and while you're applying pressure on to the headerpins form the otherside (to make sure they stay in) just apply a little solder to each pin so it stays.

i doubt it matters how you get the solder on, as long as it gets on and doesnt touch any other pins

This post has been edited by 00XeRo: Aug 13 2003, 09:42 PM

[brainstane]

I've found the best way is to apply heat to the tip of the pin for a second or so (leaving it on, of course) and then feed the solder onto the pin just above where its coming out of the board. This seems to suck the solder down nicely and creates a nice little blob about the pin. I also securely tape the header pin down with some electrical tape before flipping the board over.

[GuySmily]

brainstane's method probably is the best method I have found for pinheader soldering. The main problem I saw when my friend was doing his was that he had blobs of solder on the pins but not on the lpc points themselves. Needless to say, the chip didn't work when we tested. Aim at getting the solder into the lpc point, and you should fail and just get it on the surface of the lpc point, which is definately good enough. Another way to get the solder to the lpc point itself is to just take the soldering iron and melt the a blob of solder onto the pins, then tap the lpc points a few times with the soldering iron (dragging the solder with it) and the solder should make contact then spread onto the lpc point.

[Terrorbyte]

Another suggestion is to apply a slight amount of pressure to the header pin with the tip of your soldering iron (from the bottom side of the motherboard) once you have some solder near the base of the header pin, so that the pin slides in (very slightly) and takes some solder in with it. This ensures that you'll have a solid connection between the header pin and the LPC hole.

[garyttu]

so just heat the pin and touch the solder to the base of the pin next to the lpc point....

should I use any flux?

[brainstane]

A small amount of flux in the LPC hole and on the pin cant hurt,

[IndieRockSteve]

flux shouldn't be needed if the solder has any flux in it.

but the rest is good advice, heat the pin, the solder will fall into place due to its viscosity at heat and then it will fill in the LPC hole. don't worry about applying "too much heat" the lpc points are far enough from anything important and the header pin metal is thick enough that the heat won't cause damage during the process.

my one friend didn't beleive me, botched it, and I had to open his xbox up and go through the process of heating his pins till the lbs of solder he put on melted down into the holes....