solder aluminium tabs

came across a video showing simple method to do low temp solder of aluminium, using flux made for that purpose.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9iwawTk9gXI
Should be suitable for a123 20ah aluminium tabs

So does it really work?
I decided to try it out. At the same time a saw a lot of other flux for Aluminium at eBay.
I ordered two - one is Expensive "AlumSolder Alu Flux" for 23Bucks coming from UK and a Cheap Russian Liquid flux FTKA (rus.ФТКА) for 2bucks!
http://www.ebay.com/itm/AlumSolder-Alu-Flux-soldering-ALUMINIUM-COPPER-BRASS-SEE-TUTORIAL-VIDEO-/281680822338?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item41957c4042
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Highly-active-flux-for-soldering-aluminum-Liquid-flux-FTKA-rus-/281516988521?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item418bb85869
Upon receiving them it turns out that Expensive Alu FLux is really from Poland!

So lets start with cheap one


Take note that I did not clean the surface Tab Area, nor did I rub it before or during application of the both Fluxes. I simply applied it of the tab and and then applied the solder.
Russian one did the job but it was a bit hard to get it to flow even. Also I had a lot of hardened Flux afterwards and to get rid of it I had to scrape it off.
View attachment 2

The UK-Polish one, better flow and easy to remove the rest of the flux with just a wet cloth, no need to scrape it off, good!


The tip, when using such fluxes the tip gets easily "damaged" The russian one was very hard on it. Just after one application you need to clean it and re-tin the tip. It was much cleaner with the more expensive one.


Finally, the welds are not as strong with both of them, these make the tin more porous.
There is many different fluxes on ebay to buy and I am sure that one could find a good one for a small amount of money, But right now I am pleased with the more expensive one.

thanks so much for giving results, I will be trying it out soon, great to know it can be done relatively cheaply.i
Do you know what type of solder wire you used?

Just a regular cheap wire 60% tin, 40% lead.

excellent!

Report back.

Thanks for the info!

i've just gone to order some aluminium solder flux from the russian seller on ebay (second ebay link Allex posted earlier in thread), seems he has quite a few different ones now.