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Author Topic: SLA terminals and solder  (Read 13245 times)

Capt. Spaulding

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SLA terminals and solder
« on: November 24, 2008, 10:27:36 pm »

I have a 6 volt, 4.5 amp SLA battery that I intend to use to power (and ballast) a tugboat. It would make for a very convenient wiring plan if I could solder a lead to each terminal of the battery. My question: it is all right to do so? Would the heat from the soldering iron damage the battery, or cause some other problem? Many thanks for any help with this matter.

Capt. Spaulding
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OMK

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2008, 10:41:34 pm »

Soldering directly to the terminals could mean a bit of a hiccup if ever you need to replace the SLA.
Would it be too inconvenient to solder your leads to spade-type connectors first, then just push them on the battery terminals?
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amdaylight

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2008, 10:47:25 pm »

Greetings,

I would not solder the wires directly to the battery, I would go to an auto parts store and buy the spade sockets that slide on to the tabs. I don't know if the plastic where the tabs come out can handle the heat. If you use the spade sockets that fit the battery it will make changing the battery much easier if you don't have to unsolder it. I cover the whole spade socket with heat shrink tubing and then seal with a product made by Star Brite called "Liquid Electrical Tape". I found this product when I owned a full size boat. You brush it on to the connection and when it dry it is both waterproof and air tight so moisture can not get to the connection. It comes in several different colors so if you wanted to you could color code the connections, I don't worry about what color the liquid electrical tape is I color code by the wire.

Andre
over yonder in Portland Oregon
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #3 on: November 24, 2008, 10:56:12 pm »

Thanks for the reply, PMK. Spade connectors are, in fact, my "plan B."

What prompted my original question was this: when puzzling out the parts I would need for the circuit, it occurred to me that I might be able to skip the spade connectors entirely. When it comes time to replace the battery, I imagine that I'd the snip the wires, at the terminals, take the old battery to the recycling center, and pop in a new one.

Which brings me back to the original questions: will soldering a wire directly to the terminal of an SLA battery hurt the battery?
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OMK

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2008, 12:49:50 am »

Well, if your SLA is expendable, then sure, go right ahead and solder the wires direct. The trick is to use a fairly hefty iron but without lingering too long with the heat. Make sure each terminal is devoid of grease/dirt/gunk before you set about doing anything. Tin each one with a judicious blob of solder, and the same on each wire, then get in there and make the best connection you can, but don't hang around for any longer than necessary. I've been in the same situation as yourself and soon discovered that I accidentally killed a 12v, 7Amp'er because of overheating the terminals (which is what can happen with an undersized iron).

I'm probably making the job sound harder than it actually is.

Nearly forgot.......
Nice grammar!
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andygh

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #5 on: November 25, 2008, 01:32:24 am »

Why bother risking it? To save the cost of a couple of spade terminals? Seems pointless to me
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OMK

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #6 on: November 25, 2008, 02:26:36 am »

"Seems pointless to me"

It probably won't seem pointless once you take another butcher's at what Capt' S. is saying. It's nothing to do with risk, nor is it anything to do with saving a few groats.
Admitting that something seems pointless is perhaps akin to admitting that the power of insight is passing you by.  :-)
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Peter Fitness

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #7 on: November 25, 2008, 03:19:26 am »

Rightly or wrongly, I solder spade connectors to the wires on all my batteries, then solder the connector to the battery terminal. On the other end I use Deans connectors, so I can use any battery in any model. My chargers also have Deans connectors, as do my motors and ESCs, so everything is standardised throughout I arrange the male and female connectors so I can't accidentally connect anything up wrongly. I have had no problems with any battery by soldering to the terminal, but I do use a 60W iron. Soldering the spade connector directly to the battery terminal practically eliminates the risk of a poor connection, and the Deans connectors are a very positive type of connector

The photos below show one of my smaller SLA batteries, and the inside of my pusher tug showing the connections. The bare plug at top right connects to the battery.

The chart under the battery is my charging record, where I note when each battery was charged.

Peter.
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #8 on: November 25, 2008, 03:24:11 am »

Gentlemen:

Thank you for taking the time to respond. I posed the question not because I have my heart set on soldering directly to the terminal; I asked it because I was curious to see whether such a thing could be done without harming the battery. After reading your answers, I now understand that if it were done, t'were best done quickly (as someone once said). That's valuable information, and I appreciate it.

Any other advice on this subject, or experiences to share?

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding    
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #9 on: November 25, 2008, 03:29:51 am »

Many thanks, Peter Fitness. Just the kind of practical information that helps clarify one's thinking (and that makes Model Boat Mayhem such a valuable site). And thanks for sending the visual aids. Most helpful.

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
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andygh

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #10 on: November 25, 2008, 07:26:18 am »

Quote
Admitting that something seems pointless is perhaps akin to admitting that the power of insight is passing you by.

Touche M. Sartre  :kiss:

Looking at it practically rather than philosophically, good crimping is better than good soldering, fast-on spade connectors are meant to clip to their male counterparts not be soldered to them and battery terminals aren't designed to take the heat of a hot iron. Soldering the connector to the battery may not be pointless but it is certainly unnecessary, or maybe I'm being too nihilistic for the deep meanings hidden in model boat building %)
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Faraday's Cage

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #11 on: November 25, 2008, 08:45:18 am »

C.S. to put you out of your misery,

I have in the past soldered directly to the spade terminals of an SLA without any problems.  There is the possibility of a bad connection if you're using spade connectors especially if using 1/4 inch type as they are larger than the SLA terminals but as previously said, if you need to remove the SLA then you'll have to snip the wires. To charge the battery in the boat you would need some sort of change over switching arrangement to a charging socket.

PMK,
Nice to see you in the loop again, hope you're better now dude  :-))

FC
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FullLeatherJacket

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #12 on: November 25, 2008, 08:58:20 am »

I avoided the use of crimps in the past but I weakened a while ago and treated myself to a cheapo crimp tool and an assortment of crimps (Maplins - about six quid the lot). Frankly I wouldn't go back to soldering large connections now. I use the 3/16" crimp spade connectors for SLA batteries and those very handy "pin" crimps for terminating wires intended to fit into screw terminals. You can also obtain "piggy-back"spade connectors which would allow to attach both a power lead and a charging lead to the same battery terminal.

Beats standing up in a hammock................ %)

FLJ
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andygh

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #13 on: November 25, 2008, 09:12:14 am »

http://www.ezonemag.com/pages/faq/a108.shtml

There's some interesting stuff out there
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sheerline

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #14 on: November 25, 2008, 09:52:58 am »

If you really want to solder directly to your terminals you should have no problem if you follow the advice given.
 Get a good hot iron first and remember not to linger on the job as you will start conducting too much heat down the terminal posts. The secret of this job is hot and fast.    Use a cream flux with your multicore solder, tin the terminals first then tin your wires so everything is prepared. I usually dab a little extra solder to the terminals to build them up a little then add a little extra flux. Position your wires and apply the iron and as soon as the solder melts and the wire is soldered, remove the heat immediately... job done!
I've been doing this job on a daily basis for the past nine years and never damaged a battery yet, but it is all down to experience and skill at soldering . I usually find that inexperienced or first timers tend to overheat everything, burn off all the flux and wind up with melted insulation and a joint that represents something like cold porridge.
Remember, plenty of heat and flux, get in, melt and get out and you should be fine. 
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FullLeatherJacket

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #15 on: November 25, 2008, 11:10:55 am »

This be the little jobbie:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=44094
Works for me, but suit yourself.
FLJ
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Capt. Spaulding

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #16 on: November 25, 2008, 02:57:11 pm »

Thank you all for the excellent advice, and the brief excursions into philosophy. I find that the reminders about correct soldering techniques are particularly valuable. I have been trying to solder correctly for years (on and off), and I still think that it is one of the black arts, full of mystery, irreproducible results, and random outcomes. It may be something that is best left to those who have been initiated into the brotherhood (like dowsing, baking, and making dim sum).

But I digress....

Cheers,
Capt. Spaulding
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sheerline

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #17 on: November 25, 2008, 03:53:03 pm »

Hi Capt, its one of thse things you just need to get plenty of practice at, it also helps if someone can initially show you but a good description and plenty of hands on time goes a long way. Obviously, like most the only time you ever want to use a soldering iron is when you actually need to, so invariably one tends not to get any practice and it can have disasterous consequencies if the job in hand is delicate and/or pricey. Just have a go with some scrap wire or bits  from time to time and see if you can produce nice clean shiny joints and if you can, you are virtually there. My Motto: 'The man who never make a mistake... never made anything'!
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andygh

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #18 on: November 25, 2008, 05:35:46 pm »

In the mists of time I used to solder up 100 odd of these blighters a day in computer rooms all over the City of London  %%, excellent practice for accuracy + speed  :-))

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OMK

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #19 on: November 25, 2008, 05:58:29 pm »

One hundred?!!
Blimey!
I soldered up to forty-five-thousand-million in a single day, every day, in offices all across the rathole town of Bridgwater.
Then I found a proper job.
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sheerline

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #20 on: November 25, 2008, 06:09:25 pm »

To do this stuff now I need my ruddy glasses ... aint ageing orrible and they're the bane of my life, either the wrong ones or I've lost them.
Much muttering and cursing emanating from the workshop these days!
If a Genie appeared to grant me one wish... I'd ask him to find my bluddy glasses!
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OMK

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #21 on: November 25, 2008, 06:43:35 pm »

Did you read that thread: "Where have all the pencils gone?",?
Seems it's the same deal with spectacles, then.

Why not try keeping them around your neck on a length of cord? Or maybe rip apart one of those key-finding gizmos' and stick the gubbins to your specs?
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Shipmate60

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #22 on: November 25, 2008, 07:27:07 pm »

Or solder on a length of chain!!   :-))

Bob
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wombat

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #23 on: November 25, 2008, 08:06:04 pm »

This be the little jobbie:
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=44094
Works for me, but suit yourself.
FLJ

Arrgh arrgh barf barf puke!!! >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( >>:-( >>:-(

Never, never, never !!!!!!

I have one of those plier type crimpers - only thing they are fit for is trimming bolts with. That and wedging the door open.

IMHO you should only use proper ratchet type crimping tools for red, yellow and blue crimps. They give a better consistency of joint; plus better pull-out resistance.

I have these - http://www.screwfix.com/prods/70036/Hand-Tools/Forge-Steel/Pliers-Cutters/Crimpers/Forge-Steel-Ratchet-Crimping-Tool though Craplins do these

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=1066

Wom

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FullLeatherJacket

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Re: SLA terminals and solder
« Reply #24 on: November 25, 2008, 08:55:02 pm »

Wom

............sorry for being cheap............... :embarrassed:

FLJ
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