Why a soldering tip blackens and how to save it
A tip goes black and stops wetting with solder. Nine times out of ten the tip is not the problem — the habits are.
Three causes
- Overheating. An iron left on for an hour with no work oxidises its plating.
- Working dry. Soldering without flux is the fastest way to kill a tip.
- Sandpaper. Abrade the plating off and the tip is done — bare copper burns away within a week.
How to save it
Heat the tip to working temperature, dip it in rosin or add a drop of flux, then tin it immediately with fresh solder.
How to avoid it
- Switch the iron off if you step away for more than ten minutes.
- Tin the tip before switching off.
- Clean with metal wool rather than a wet sponge.
