60/38/2 solder?

[zachary vex]

bad news.  hmm.  none of these new alloys are as good as lead-based solder in typical construction... what about import goods?

[smoguzbenjamin]

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: WHAT!!! I gotta stock up a few kilos of solder!

[Peter Snowberg]

I've used 1/4 pound of something called 95/5 from Kester, but looking at their site I can't figure out what the alloy is. It just says "lead free electrical rosin core solder" on the spool.

I don't like it at all.

It's probably because I'm spoiled by 63/37.

Yes Ben, be sure to pick up a couple of kilos before it goes the way of the dodo bird.

I go for .025" which I believe is 0.62mm.

Erik Miller found a 63/37 that had a much nicer "fume profile" but I don't recall the Kester model number. I've still got most of a pound before I reorder.

Take care,
-Peter

[smoguzbenjamin]

I wonder... what are we going to solder with after lead is banned? It would really suck if the melting point of future solder would be so high that you fry components by soldering them on :evil:

[spongebob]

A list with some lead-free solder alloys:
http://www.kester.com/en-us/leadfree/lfsfaq_alloyselection.aspx

The melting point of silver solder (SnAg) is in the range of 220°C, a little higher than lead solder (around 180°C). I'm more worried about the price, here are some prices (250g, 0.5mm diameter):

Sn60PbCu (lead solder) 3 EUR

Now some lead free stuff:

Sn99Cu 11.30 EUR
Sn96Ag 17.40 EUR
Sn95AgCu 18.95 EUR  :shock:

But I'm quite sure you will get quality SnPb solder on ebay for very little money in 2006! :wink:

[smoguzbenjamin]

There'll probably be people selling stuff under the counter as it were.. the kind of stuff they're not supposed to be selling but they do anyway. Stupid EU. They don't know what they're doing :evil:

[ExpAnonColin]

You know, in terms of saving the bit... I've been using radioshack "high tech solder" for ever, it was my first roll.  I've been through 2 rolls of it on my soldering iron, and the tip was already used before I got it, and the tip is still perfect, in just fine condition, all tinned and everything.  Sometimes I have to get higher temperatures for soldering larger things (700 F) but the tip still remains in tact.  I just always put it in the sponge after I do any sort of joint, and it always remains shiny.

-Colin

[Ansil]

well once you've calculated the cost of replacing all of your fried irons, as well as driving time/money to get new tips, and if you ever end up repairing or building something for someone, i don't think spending $149 for a controlled iron as opposed to $39 for something that makes you struggle every time you need it is really that much of a difference.

you get what you pay for, but the real key is, know what you need.  8^)

i have to agree with you here, i dont use a controled temp like all of you  but i kind of built my own but also i findit depends on the dealer with soldering irons  i have got my last three as replacements... believe it or not from ratshack..  but i still have to get tipss though..

[brett]

There'll probably be people selling stuff under the counter as it were.. the kind of stuff they're not supposed to be selling but they do anyway. Stupid EU. They don't know what they're doing

Hi.  I'm a bit of an environmentalist, and I think that a low-lead environment is quite a good thing.  Unfortunately, through the use of leaded petrol, lead batteries, lead pellets in shotguns and other sources, some areas in north america and europe are heavily contaminated with lead.  One of the worst consequences of lead contanination is that it affects the mental development of young children.

OK, banning lead is going to be a nuisance, and expensive for us electronics hobbyists, but can you put a price on having kids grow up happy and healthy?

[Peter Snowberg]

Thank you Brett. Very well said.

Lead poisoning is epidemic in the U.S. (it explains a lot).

Take care,
-Peter

[ErikMiller]

The Kester flux with the less irritating fumes is 405.

It works great, however, it is still less active than 44. With 44 and similar rosins, I could use steel florists' wire as bus wire. 405 can't wet the same material.

No biggie, I went to Radio Shack and bought a spool of real bus wire. The 405 is still my favorite flux.

As far as sacrificing a superior technology "for the sake of the chiiiillllll-drun," I'd be all for it if someone could demonstrate exactly how preventing people from soldering with lead is going to help. Gasoline fumes and paint chips I get; kids can easily come into contact with that, but any kid that decides to eat a piece of electronics equipment* is going to encounter other trouble before the lead can have an effect.

*(especially if it's plugged in).

[Jered]

I was under the impression that most of the lead poisoning effecting humans these days was from old lead based paints and any crystal used for food or drinks, ie. crystal decanter, drinking glasses, etc. that lead etches into. Maybe I'm misinformed?
 Jered

[Peter Snowberg]

I think paint chips and tetraethyl lead in gasoline (where still used) are by far the worst, but in places where trash is incinerated it's a slightly different problem.

I don't know about mobility in groundwater from landfills but I would want to be upstream from any landfill anyway. :?

Take care,
-Peter

[niftydog]

also, the savbit solder is supposed to prevent errosion of the copper pads... although I've never experienced such problems.


As for keeping your iorn happy;  make sure that you keep the tip tinned at all times.  ie; leave solder on it when it's in the stand.

Most often, people chew through tips because they clean it before they turn it off.  This allows corosion of the tip itself.  If you leave a coating of solder on the tip when you turn it off, it will protect it.

[smoguzbenjamin]

I leave it covered in a thin layer of solder all the time, so no real problem there.

Brett, I must admit that your point of view was quite refreshing... I hadn't even stopped to think about that. I'll keep that in mind, but I am by far not the richest guy on earth so I'll still be stocking a kilo or two of lead solder while it's cheap. :lol: Still, you're quite right. Over here I never hear of lead poisoning killing people. It's more drug and alcohol ODs that kill people. Compared to that I have a safe hobby