Soldering

[Ironduke]

You should clean the tip if it isn't holding the solder properly. Most new soldering stations come with a sponge for wiping the tip. Wet the sponge and wipe the tip each time you apply solder.
If the tip is very dirty you can clean it with steel wool. Re-tin it with liquid flux and solder afterwards. If it's too far gone replace it.

[Admin4]

If anyone's interested i ended up ordering some liquid flux This stuff from ebay

Compared to the normal stuff i have been using it works well, I have been dipping in the wires before tinning them and again before soldering them into the track. Overall i am getting a much cleaner finish - i think its down to less flux as dipping it in means your coating the wire and thats it. The bottle comes with a small brush built into the lid which has also been really useful.

the only downside is the bottle - its plastic so light, that with its small footprint means its liable to toppling over so you need to be more careful.

[Flashbang]

Perfect flux for use on any electrical joint if additional flux is needed. Reflow flux tends to be alcohol based so ensure the top is securely replaced quickly after use or it will disappear quickly.
To stop it falling over place the bottle inside an old coffee mug, which makes the whole lot much more stable. But don't pick it up and drink the contents in error!!

[Rick7]

I may be wrong, but there is a risk that there are some misunderstandings here. In itself, the power of a soldering iron has no direct bearing on its temperature. The power relates only to the thermal energy the iron is able to produce. The larger the volume of the material the iron is required to heat the greater the rate at which the heat sinks. The type of material also affects that rate - for instance brass and copper are effective heat sinks. Naturally, where your iron is not thermally controlled, you can, with skill, limit the effect of a very hot iron by only allowing a little thermal energy into the material by shortening the time of contact, or by having a low powered iron which is not capable of replenishing the heat that has passed into the material fast enough. Usually, however, the best solution is to have a relatively high powered iron which is accurately controlled to a little above the melting/flowing temperature of the solder in use. This will allow you to solder a wide range of types and bulk of materials. Of course, most soldering temperatures are above the melting or distorting point of many plastics, so care is always needed not to supply too much heat for too long, and in some instances therefore the requirement may indeed be for a low powered iron.