Common Soldering Problems and Their Causes

The Solder Will Not Flow

The surface of the metal is not clean
The tip of your torch is too small
Not enough heat has been applied to the metal
The wrong spot on the metal was heated
Too much flux has been applied to the joint

The Solder "Balls Up"

There is not enough solder
The area arond the solder joint has not been heated enough
The solder has been heated too much

The Solder Runs Away From The Joint

The metal is not clean
There is not enough flux
The torch tip is too large
Uneven heat has been applied to the metal around the solder joint
The torch tip is producing too much heat

There Are Pits In The Solder Seam

The solder is not clean
The solder joint received too much heat
The metal is not clean
The alloy of the solder has broken down after being heated multiple times from different solderings

The Solder Joint Has Gaps

The metal is not clean
The solder is not clean
The to pieces being soldered do not fit together properly

The Solder Flows Unevenly

The metal is dirty