[N7UJJ]

Nathen,

You are right, the soldering iron should heat the metal hot enough to melt the solder. Putting meleted solder on cooler wire can produce a weak :cold solder joint"

Soldering irons and soldering funs have a wattage rating. The small the wire (or metal) a lower wattage iron is appropriate. Thicker wire may need a larger iron. Really big stuff may even need a tourch.

So your Radio Shak iron is probably not able to heat the wire enough. You will have to use a higher wattage iron or solderng gun.

Just like hammers: there are small ones and big ones; it just depends on how big the nail is.

BTW: if you can solder, you can fix half the electronics repairs you will ever have in your lifetime!

Good luck,

Allan