Category Archives: connector

To solder or not to solder…

… that is the question.

Should you solder connections between your Arduino and external boards?

Soldering is a method of making electrical and (usually) minor structural connections. It can be a permanent and reliable connection that lasts for decades. Sometimes, however, that can be a drawback since soldered connections make it harder to replace or upgrade external boards when they fail. It’s also not a panacea: while a properly constructed soldered joint can be very strong, the point where the solder ends tends to be brittle and can lead to failures if that section of the wire moves. The typical remedy for this is a strain relief — secure the wire so it can’t move or vibrated.

Pin and socket connections are a popular alternative to soldering, especially in the Arduino world where many newcomers don’t have soldering experience. They too can be very reliable: a snug fit between pin and socket can be gas-tight and resist corrosion for a very long time. It has a similar drawback to soldered connections when the item is in an area subject to vibration: the wires can come loose. Typical solutions for this are to use cable connectors with ramps, clips, or other locking mechanisms. For the popular Arduino wire jumpers, they can be bundled in groups and secured with wire ties.  By tying them together, they behave more like a single connector with a group of wires and it takes more force to dislodge them. Also, the wire bundle can be secured to a fixed point, so it won’t move.

Some single-wire terminations such as Faston terminals actually dislodge a small amount of metal when the connection is made. They fit so tightly that no additional wire restraint is needed.

So solder, or pins for wire to board connection? In the end they’re both quite useful and reliable, but my preference is generally for pin and socket. Their versatility far outstrips the few drawbacks.




If you'd like to subscribe to this blog, please click here.