Putting hot glue or epoxy on bare wires?

[Sulla]

I noticed recently when putting together my TOS communicator with electronics that the wires which were soldered to the speaker, the small electronics board, and just about everywhere were coated with some kind of clear *ish* hard plastic-like substance. It looked like 5 minute epoxy or hot glue.

I am going to be messing around with electronics for a Mark X tricorder in the near future, and I was wondering if I could use 5 minute epoxy on the solder points (like the wires soldered to the hinges, or even wires soldered together or to speakers/battery parts)? I had major difficulties with my soldering on my last tric electronics kit (I am a novice solderer it is true) and thought this might make things easier for me to not screw up when installing everything.

Whaddya' think?

 

[SKS_STUDIOS]

I would not use 5 min epoxy on solder points, especially on the Tricorder hinges.

If a solder point breaks under the material for whatever reason, you will have one hell of a time getting the epoxy off to do any repair work.



Cam

 

[tk8456]

No dude that stuff is an epoxy yes but it's a special kind.

It's there to hold pieces in place when the board is wave soldered. (automatic manufacturing process where spots of solder paste are heated up to melt on the board in one go) The epoxy glue stops them from floating about as they melt at different temperatures.

I'll try and dig the name out for you but it isn't 5 min epoxy.

Have a look at this thing
http://www.coldheat.com/pro.cfm

Hot glue would be better if you really need to hold something down

 

[Mechamaniac]

Hot glue works just as well.

 

[Sulla]

OK, thanks.

 

[hyperdyne]

Hot glue is used all the time as a stress reliever for wires and connections. It works very well, and if you need to take it off just swab it with rubbing alcohol. I use it all the time.

 

[Sulla]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(hyperdyne @ Mar 20 2007, 12:45 PM) [snapback]1444048[/snapback]</div>

Hot glue is used all the time as a stress reliever for wires and connections. It works very well, and if you need to take it off just swab it with rubbing alcohol. I use it all the time.
[/b]

So it is safe to use a little hot glue on the soldered wires to firm up the connection and to help keep breaks from happening? So long as I am not applying it to circuit boards or anything sensitive right?

I had a bear of a time soldering the wires onto the copper (plated?) hinges of the tricorder door last time. I'd think I had the little wires soldered on, then *snap*, off they'd come in a light breeze. Of course I had never soldered before and I probably could have spent some more money on a good solderer. I now have a cold touch solderer to work with.

 

[exoray]

It's there to hold pieces in place when the board is wave soldered. (automatic manufacturing process where spots of solder paste are heated up to melt on the board in one go)[/b]

Slight correction...

Wave soldering is used for through hole parts, and generally the parts are not secured at all just gravity or the legs bent... And as the name implies the board is held over a pool of solder and a wave is created that skims the bottom of the board and sticks to all the legs, leaving little peaks of solder... There is no solder paste used in this process, that is used for surface mount parts... And if there is a substance used to hold the parts (like in current screened/solder paste oven processes used for surface mounting, the paste holds most parts just fine but sometimes larger parts are stuck in place) it's generally a low grade adhesive foamy/rubber type of glue that is easy to clean if needed for repairs... In my experience most of the skewed parts are the larger ones that are glued so it would be counter productive to use a good glue that would cause repair issues...

The epoxy glue stops them from floating about as they melt at different temperatures.[/b]

Epoxy is generally used to keep prying eyes from taking a peak at the circuit or to weather proof the circuit...

So it is safe to use a little hot glue on the soldered wires to firm up the connection and to help keep breaks from happening? So long as I am not applying it to circuit boards or anything sensitive right?[/b]

You are pretty safe to put it anywhere on a board you want, probably best to stay away from high heat parts like voltage regulators but hot glue is not conductive so it shouldn't cause any issues...

As Jim said it's great for wire stress relief...

I now have a cold touch solderer to work with.[/b]

:unsure Mini Arc Welder, a novel concept but I suggest the old fashion pencil iron... But, that's my opinion...

Also I suggest staying away from epoxy for the reasons above, it WON'T come off (ok with very dangerous chemicals you can remove it in layers) short of chipping away at it... Also epoxy will leave and does create sharp edges that in many cases will cause failer by cutting through the wire...

 

[tk8456]

Thanks for correction Exoray. Soon as I get home I'm tearing up my degree paper. LOL It was 10+ yrs ago.... Quite right I'm getting 2 processes mixed up in my head

Anyway dude, in short there's nowt wrong with hot glue

 

[exoray]

Quite right I'm getting 2 processes mixed up in my head[/b]

No reason to feel bad I just remember how horrible the manual parts placement and wave soldering process was and I only did it for a few days, the process seemed so damn outdated (and it was) next to surface mount Fuji and Panasonic chip placers populating board faster then you can focus on the parts... Kind of sticks out in my mind like it was yesterday...

 

[WookieeGunner]

BTW, another thing to do is to tin the object you are soldering. For example, on the copper hinges, melt some solder onto the hinges and let it cool. Then solder the wire to the solder on the hinge, not the hinge. And as far as hot glue, I also use it all the time, as does where I work.