Hi All,
This isn't flashlights, exactly, but I'm confident that you guys know the answer here.
I'm trying to put a new jack on some headphones, and the wires aren't individually jacketed -- they're anodized. So my question is: do I need to do anything to the wire before soldering?
Thanks in advance...
Not sure what ur def of anodizing is, but if their is a non solderable coating on the wire u need to remove it by hear of mechanical means,
I guess I just assumed it was anodizing. I've got four twists of wires (I know I only need three... they doubled the ground with one) that are colored copper, red, blue and green. I only get connectivity with the multimeter if I touch the cut ends.
Does that sound like anodizing? Or maybe some other super-thin coating?
I'm thinking aloud here that maybe I should just try soldering one of the wires and see if it's solid. I'd hate to do it all up and then find that the connection is intermittent, though.
Pobably not anodizing. I usually remove the insulation found on copper wire (for winding coils etc.) by scraping it off with an "exacto" knife:
It is either enamel or most likely some type polyamide. You might try dipping the wire in a weak acid solution to remove the coating. Dipping in vinegar for a while or placing the wire on an asprin and heating it with a soldering iron (don't breathe the fumes) will work. Asprin is salacitic acid. For wires with a heavy coating you might need something like muriatic acid. The coating can also be removed mechanicaly with very fine sandpaper but is a bit tedious.
i have in the past when confronted with a wire coating put a larger tip in the iron cranked up the heat put a blob of solder on the tip and run the wire thru it til the coating melts and wire tins. caution, insulation melts easily this way. safest is sandpaper
Hey guys, thanks for the info... I just finished up and everything (so far!) works. I did the utility knife scratchy thing, which exposed the shiny wire and seems to have given a good connection.
(All this just shows me how much I have to learn. Sigh.)
that's explain why time ago my selfixed headphone didn't worked xD