Anyone solder there own flexwatt?

Anyone done this? Can you offer any tips?

Melt the plastic off first

Is plumbing solder the same as electrical?

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Originally Posted by Tony25

Is plumbing solder the same as electrical?

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Don't think so. I suggest cutting the plastic off instead of melting it though. Take a razor blade and cut the sides of the metal strip and the plastic covering it should fold over.

I do too.. as was said, use the solder gun to melt the plastic off of the copper on the flexwatt first. I use electrical solder.. I don't know anything about plumbing solder.

Don't hold the soldering gun too long onto the flexwatt.. you don't want to melt straight through. Just long enough to solder a good connection.

If possible have someone help you.. it's much easier to have someone holding the wire you're soldering to the flexwatt, rather than having to sit something on it to hold it in place.

Plumbing solder and electrical solder is two different contents.......I dont solder mine I use spade terminals crimped on after I melt off the plastic.

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Originally Posted by Shelby

If possible have someone help you.. it's much easier to have someone holding the wire you're soldering to the flexwatt, rather than having to sit something on it to hold it in place.

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I just use masking tape and tape down the flex, and the wire that I'm attaching...makes it easy to solder it if you don't have to hold it.

I solder my own. It can be tricking using tape or something to hold in place while you do it is good advice.

I buy small tab terminals from radio shack that I crimp onto my cord, then I solder the tabs to the flexwatt. It makes it very easy with a nice solid connection.

I also tape down the chord I am soldering and the flexwatt. I cut the plastic off plus a little extra around the metal strip so the rest does not melt. Hold the soldering gun straight up and not on an angle. You do not want to bend it and take the chance of the hot gun touching anything else and melting it. If you are going to solder, make sure you do it on top of something that cannot get ruined by heat. Trust me on this one. I have enough marks on top my desk at work from this. I picked up a cheap putty scraper for like a dollar and haven't looked back.