Just watch out with that solder - through enamel. There is a warning in the
Farnell catalogue about toxic fumes (Toluene di-isocyanate or something
like that). It certainly hurts the eyes and so I'd use some kind of fume
extraction or at least open the window.


Will wrote:

On Sat 14 May 2005 16:57:13, legg wrote:


The wires of one of these two 'conductors' looks like bare
copper and is unoxidised so I can probably solder to it. But
the OTHER CONDUCTOR is the PROBLEM because its fine wires are
enamelled.

How can I remove this enamel coating in order to be able to
solder to the fine copper wires of the 'conductor'?

Enamel is likely present on both conductors - the 'bare' group's
enamel is just not dyed with distinctive color pigments.

Tin the leads using a soldering iron tip loaded with fluxed
solder, starting from the cut end, where heat transfer to the
copper is facilitated by direct contact. If there are a lot of
wires, a solder pot speeds things up - dip in flux, then dip in
the solder pot.

Do not overheat. Better to repeat the process, with fresh solder
and a clean tip, than to persist with a hot tip that has burned
out of flux.

Yup this worked a treat for me! I never realised I could solder
straight onto this stuff by letting the heat of the iron remove
the enamel.


The enamel used in commercial equipment is designed for
solderability. Larger bundles of litz, or wires with heavy
enamel, may require that this operation be repeated to contact
all internal wires in the bundle. In this case, abrading the tip
to increase bare copper surface area reduces time in the
soldering operation.

Use of an open flame will contaminate, weaken and oxidize the
conductors, making them harder to eventually solder.