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When wiring, remove only about 1/4 inch of insulation from the ends of hook-up wire. Ex
cessive removal of insulation may result in the exposed wire shorting to nearby terminals or
wiring.
If
the wire has a brown, baked enamel coating (transformer leads, for example) be sure
to scrape the enamel off with sandpaper or a knife to expose the copper wire before making a
terminal connection. Leads on parts (resistors, capacitors, etc.) should be trimmed to proper
length before mounting. Do not cut leads too short! All parts should fit between designated
points without strain.
SOLDERING
We wish to emphasize at this point the extreme importance of proper soldering technique.
Much engineering skill and effort has gone into making your PACO instrument capable of high
quality performance. To obtain this performance, good solder joints are essential. Solder, an
alloy of tin and lead, is applied to an electrical connection to provide a permanent electrical borfd
between the wires and terminals being joined.
It
also seals the connection from air and moisture
and prevents formation of corrosion, which produces undesirable resistance between the joined
conductors.
It
you have had little or no previous experience with soldering, we suggest you read
this section carefully and spend some time practicing with an old tube socket or terminal strip
and some scrap pieces of wire, before doing any soldering on your kit.
Soldering is not difficult. Just observe a few simple rules and precautions and spend a
reasonable amount of time practicing to attain a workable degree of soldering skill. Following
are some of the more important points to be remembered:
1. Only good quality solder with a non-corrosive (rosin) core should be used: THIS IS
IMPORTANT! ALL GUARANTEES ARE VOIDED AND WE WILL NOT REPAIR OR SERVICE
ANY PACO INSTRUMENT WIRED WITH ACID CORE SOLDER OR PASTE FLUX.
Acid core solder and paste fluxes are primarily used in sheet metal and plumbing work
where a strong "cutting" agent is needed to remove heavy deposits of dirt and corrosion while
soldering. The acid itself is very corrosive, however, and any remaining deposits must be
quickly removed after soldering. IT SHOULD BE OBVIOUS, THEREFORE, THAT ANY AT
TEMPT TO USE THIS TYPE OF SOLDER ON ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT WOULD ONLY
RESULT IN MUCH DAMAGE TO CIRCUIT COMPONENTS AND WIRING.
To remove any doubt about the solder you use, we suggest you make certain the roll you
buy has been clearly labeled for television and radio use.
2. Use a good soldering iron, one which has the correct wattage, for the work you are
doing. For soldering to printed circuit boards and certain miniaturized components such as
transistors, a pencil-type iron between 25 to 50 watts is recommended. Most other work may
be adequately performed with an iron in the 50-SO-watt range.
Heavier wattages (100-250
watts) may sometimes be useful for certain jobs, such as soldering to chassis, but such oc
casions will not arise too often. As for the type of iron, you may use either the standard diamond
or "chisel" tip, or one of the newer "solder guns". Whichever you choose, remember to keep
the tip properly tinned according to manufacturer's instructions.
It
should have a "bright" ap
pearance, and be free of excess solder. (See illustration.) An old rag or piece of steel wool
should be used to wipe the hot tip clean.
..
CLEAN, WELL-TINNED SOLDERING IRON.
Page 3
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