Soldering aluminum.

[Uranium]

I've tried everything including soldering under oil. What can I do?

 

[phoenix77]

I'm pretty sure that you can either BRAIZE ALUMINUM or if you're a qualified welder, it can be done by GAS WELDING, using an inert gas like ARGON, XENON, HELIUM, ETC.

 

[Uranium]

I'm pretty sure that you can either BRAIZE ALUMINUM or if you're a qualified welder, it can be done by GAS WELDING, using an inert gas like ARGON, XENON, HELIUM, ETC.

It's kind of hard to braze or weld 22AWG copper wire...

 

[Morgan]

You can't solder to aluminium under normal circumstances with standard soldering iron and solder.

If you can, you could drill a hole and fit a brass screw for connection? If it's an internal connection then you can solder to a brass ring and insert that? Depends what you're trying to solder really.

M

 

[Hemlock_Mike]

Gallium or indium MIGHT solder to Al but it will be difficult. I have no idea what flux.
If this is for a 445, I use that little ground stub for battery ground with the press fit diode. Seems bassakwards but it works.

HMike

 

[Uranium]

It was to put a clickyswitch in the tail cap of an RPL. I figured out an easier way though.

 

[lasersbee]

I had purchased some Solder that was made to Solder
aluminum to aluminum a few years ago..
It does exits... You just need to hunt it down...

Jerry

 

[Rafa]

Try JBC flux.

 

[laser_freak]

It sounds like you've already figured it out, but you could also try some conductive epoxy.

 

[Uranium]

A clicky pen spring just pushes on the aluminum now. It works.

 

[phoenix77]

Rafa beat me to the punch but I WAS gonna suggest using an electrically conductive 2-part epoxy mixture such as JB WELD. If you decide to GO this way, you'll need to look on the package to find out what kind of resistance the epoxy has & adjust things accordingly.

 

[Uranium]

Rafa beat me to the punch but I WAS gonna suggest using an electrically conductive 2-part epoxy mixture such as JB WELD. If you decide to GO this way, you'll need to look on the package to find out what kind of resistance the epoxy has & adjust things accordingly.

JB weld is not conductive once it sets. Why does everyone say this?

 

[phoenix77]

IIRC, JB WELD comes in several different formulations, one of which IS electrically conductive. I'm quite sure I remember reading that on the back side of one of their packages. (I could be wrong though & have it confused with another brand of 2-part epoxy)

 

[LSRFAQ]

You can get a flux cored brazing rod for AL at most Home Depots in the tools section. It needs a clean, ground, and fine sanded aluminum surface, and a propane torch. It works with most alloys, but the required work surface temperature is like the Goldlylocks story, there is too hot, too cold, and just right. Also you have to drag the rod across the work, as the physical scratching by dragging the rod helps the flux start to remove the oxide.
Its mostly for aluminum to aluminum work.

If I'm trying to ground or connect to a AL block, I usually tap a small hole and use a "star washer" under compression to penetrate the oxide on the aluminum. I then use a "ring terminal" held by the screw against the washer to connect the wire to the block.


Steve

 

[Uranium]

All I know of is JB Weld/IndustroWeld and JB-Quick. Neither of them was more conductive than a 500MegaOhm/mm from my measurements.

 

[Morgan]

What LSRFAQ is saying marries up with my post...

The simplest way to make a joint with solder to aluminium is use brass as your conductor and solder to it rather than the aluminium...

Drill a hole and screw in some soldered brass!

M