LEXIE y TECH TIPS Cold Solder Connection Soldering parts is a skill and being able to solder well and identify cold solder connections (or cold joints) is vital to many repairs. Definition: cold joint In soldering, making a soldered connection without adequate heating, so that the solder does not flow to fill the spaces, but merely makes a mechanical bond. Dictionary of Materials and Testing — William H. Cubberly: SAE Press 1993. Typically, when using a soldering iron to join 2 parts together the mistake often made is that the parts are held together, the soldering iron is placed on them and the solder is applied on to the iron. While this may work sometime there is a really good chance that the parts have not heated up sufficiently for the solder to bond to them. Below are some pictures of what this typically looks like. Notice that the solder has not melted and flowed into the wire at all. ‘ | On the picture below notice that the solder did not bond to the wire as the wire was not heated enough. REV: 20100830 Courtesy of Dixie Technical Department TSB_032.doc Dixie Tech Tips are intended for use by professional technicians, and are not for the general public. They are written to inform technicians of conditions that may exist or as a guide to aid in diagnosing and servicing a vehicle. All references to original equipment manufactures, vehicle manufactures and any other Trade Mark names are for the sole purpose of identifying the vehicle and or part that the Tech Tip applies to. This document is property of Dixie Electric Ltd. and is not to be copied or distributed with out written permission.