General Solder Pot Guidelines

GENERAL SOLDER POT GUIDELINES

To achieve the highest finished quality and economical operation from solder pots, follow these basic guidelines: (In addition to considerations of temperature, detrimental energy and solder purity.) These should be observed by all end users, not merely those required to work to government specifications or ISO-9000.

1.	Operate the solder pot at the lowest possible temperature suitable to the work and within applicable specifications.

2.	Use the four leveling screws to level the solder pot. Keep crucible to full level to avoid dross buildup on inside of crucible.

3.	Skim the surface of the solder pot regularly to remove oxides which may contaminate soldered surfaces. Use Plato Products part number SP-1200 for skimming.

4.	Determine the proper immersion and withdrawal rate for soldered parts. Each combination of flux and base material has an ideal dipping rate; wetting quality and solder coating uniformity are greatly dependent upon these factors.

5.	Minimize the time parts are in contact with the solder, most government specifications have a five second maximum limit.

6.	Keep small pieces of wire or other contaminates out of solder.

7.	Replace contaminated solder as often as necessary.

8.	Maintain a quality control and maintenance procedure to monitor the solder pot operation. To maintain high quality and reliability when tinning leads and components, follow these solder specifications and recommendations and use properly designed equipment to avoid damage to assemblies and to ensure the highest quality results possible.

Safety: Always wear safety glasses when using or cleaning the solder pot. Never stand over pot when warming up as trapped air may cause solder to spray.

Do Not: Use abrasive materials to clean interior of crucible.

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