soldering iron tip goes black

[99shassan]

I got a soldering iron (30w). I heated it up and it went black. I tried adding some solder onto the tip and it turns into beads and goes everywhere but the tip. I even tried dipping the solder into some flux with no luck.

[Virtualbody1234]

The tip has to be "tinned". http://www.platoproducts.com/howtotin.htm

[zaphodiv]

You should have got solder onto the tip as soon as it was hot enough to melt it.

Start by repeatly wiping the bit on a damp cellulose spone or damp kitchen towel and applying solder. You may have to scrape the tip but not too much, you don't want to damage the iron plating.

I keep a pot of TTC1 tip cleaner (http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=3929&C=Froogle&U=3929&T=17773) around which works well.

If you are using lead free solder you may have more success getting it to tin if you find some proper lead solder.

[99shassan]

Would this count:

Here (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MULTICORE-LEAD-FREE-TIP-TINNER-CLEANER-TTC-LF-15-grams_W0QQitemZ5855383837QQcategoryZ106001QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

What I would do is this, heat the soldering iron, wipe it onto the above, and then add solder to it? Would the solder stick then? The soldering iron is a 30 watt iron.

[1337shiznit]

I'm guessing you are trying to use lead-free solder? I've never had any luck with cheap soldering irons and lead-free solder.

[Appzalien]

Clean the tip, don't worry about flux on the solder it probably has a flux core, flux the tip as its heating up and wipe it across a damp sponge or cloth and apply the solder then keep fluxing, wiping and applying until you get it tinned.