If you have to solder
good advice.
If you're the belt-and-suspenders type, and you just have to
solder the terminal, here's how. After the terminal has been
properly crimped, you should see the end of the wire exposed
at the ring end of the terminal, if that makes sense. If the end of
the wire is not even with, or slightly protruding (.020"), from the barrel,
you're not stripping quite enough insulation.
Then buy, beg, or steal from your electronics buddy some very
small diameter (no larger than 18 guage, and new!!) rosin-core solder.
Organic flux solder is better if you can find it.
Use a fine tip soldering iron (I use a 15W pencil iron) to heat the
junction of the wire and terminal, then touch the solder to the exposed
wire. The goal is to just "paint" the end of the wire. Resist the temptation
to make another "pass".
If properly done, a glass should reveal the indivdual strands, and
a very tiny fillet of solder between the wire and the terminal.
NASA has shown over and over this is sufficient to make a proper
solder connection, even if it doesn't look like it.
If the solder joint looks like a blob, and hides the wire strands, you've
used
too much solder. A bit of practice will be invaluable before doing
it for real on the boat.
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