What's the story on solder these days?
 

Wel,, it depends on which Pb-Free alloy is chosen. There is no
industry-agreed standard composition.

In general there are two competing systems:

Tin-Silver (Sn-Ag) and Tin-Bismith (Sn-Bi).

If Sn-Ag is used, then mixing standard Lead-Tin (Pb-Sn)with it is OK.
If Sn-Bi is used, however, there is a low-melting ternary Pb-Sn-Bi compound
that can cause you problems. Not all electronic component manufacturers
have decided against Sn-Bi (it costs less than Sn-Ag).

So the key is determining you have Sn-Ag solder on your Pb-Free component
(or in some cases, no solder on the component).

Roger


"Steve" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 30 Jul 2006 23:45:07 -0700, The Radio Amateur Formerly Known As
G4KFK wrote:


Steve wrote:
I thought it was the other way round - leaded solder is ok with all
component types but lead free solder shouldn't be used with components
where the leads have lead in the plating. All the manufacturers I've
checked with say leaded solder is ok with RoHS compliant parts.

From a compliance point of view, you can't mix either type, either way
around. If you use leaded solder to assemble (or repair) an RoHS
compliant device, it won't be RoHS compliant.

Yes - I meant my comment only about the metallurgy of the joint. As I
understand it, private individuals aren't expected to abide by RoHS and it
won't be applied to personal (as opposed to business) sales.

Steve

What's the story on solder these days?
 

"The Radio Amateur Formerly Known As G4KFK" wrote in
message ps.com...

The Magnum wrote:
It's all down to interfering busybodies who demand that anything
considered
harmless must be curtailed. Fumes from leaded solder especially in a
confined area can be considered highly toxic and if 'sniffed in' in
large
amounts can send you loopy at best and kill you at worst.

Shirley the fumes are from the flux, not the solder?

Yes there are fumes from the flux, obviously. The lead content in the fumes
from molten solder is still toxic. It is another of the reasons (apart from
cost) that you won't find lead pipe in new houses or lead based paint.

RoHS is to address heavy metals in post-consumer waste re-entering the
environment via landfill sites.

Yes it is. But I thought the waste side of the proposal was covered by the
WEEE regulations and the RoSH covered the fact it is a Hazardous material to
use .. period.(Please excuse the crass Americanism ;o)

73'
Graham
--
-.-. -... / .-. .- -.. .. ---

Radio is only a Hobby. Don't let it rule your life...

73/51 - Graham, 26-Golf Charlie-19 (www.open-channel.co.uk)

What's the story on solder these days?
 

On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 07:34:50 -0500, Roger wrote:

Wel,, it depends on which Pb-Free alloy is chosen. There is no
industry-agreed standard composition.

In general there are two competing systems:

Tin-Silver (Sn-Ag) and Tin-Bismith (Sn-Bi).

If Sn-Ag is used, then mixing standard Lead-Tin (Pb-Sn)with it is OK.
If Sn-Bi is used, however, there is a low-melting ternary Pb-Sn-Bi compound
that can cause you problems. Not all electronic component manufacturers
have decided against Sn-Bi (it costs less than Sn-Ag).

So the key is determining you have Sn-Ag solder on your Pb-Free component
(or in some cases, no solder on the component).
Thanks for that - I haven't encountered anything with Bismuth yet. Plain
tin plating seems most common amongst what I handle.

Steve

What's the story on solder these days?
 

On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 03:43:41 -0700, The Radio Amateur Formerly Known As
G4KFK wrote:


The Magnum wrote:
It's all down to interfering busybodies who demand that anything considered
harmless must be curtailed. Fumes from leaded solder especially in a
confined area can be considered highly toxic and if 'sniffed in' in large
amounts can send you loopy at best and kill you at worst.

Shirley the fumes are from the flux, not the solder?

RoHS is to address heavy metals in post-consumer waste re-entering the
environment via landfill sites.

Which makes it very frustrating that the net aimed at mobile phones
and MP3 players turned into a sieve to encompass low volume long life
items in fixed installations and even church organs....

Steve

What's the story on solder these days?
 

The Magnum wrote:
"The Radio Amateur Formerly Known As G4KFK" wrote in
message ps.com...
The Magnum wrote:
It's all down to interfering busybodies who demand that anything
considered
harmless must be curtailed. Fumes from leaded solder especially in a
confined area can be considered highly toxic and if 'sniffed in' in
large
amounts can send you loopy at best and kill you at worst.
Shirley the fumes are from the flux, not the solder?

Yes there are fumes from the flux, obviously. The lead content in the fumes
from molten solder is still toxic. It is another of the reasons (apart from
cost) that you won't find lead pipe in new houses or lead based paint.


except that there is NO LEAD CONTENT IN THE FLUX FUMES.
Lead does not vaporize until much higher temperature than soldering
temperatures...

RoHS is to address heavy metals in post-consumer waste re-entering the
environment via landfill sites.

Yes it is. But I thought the waste side of the proposal was covered by the
WEEE regulations and the RoSH covered the fact it is a Hazardous material to
use .. period.(Please excuse the crass Americanism ;o)

73'
Graham

What's the story on solder these days?
 

Now are you seriously trying to tell me there are NO traces of lead in the
flux fumes? Are you certain about that?


I think you should ask Nick about that

From what I hear he just looks at solder and it runs

No doubt because of the heat

DieSea

What's the story on solder these days?
 

"litle ole me" ""nobody \"@ nowhere.com" wrote in message
...

except that there is NO LEAD CONTENT IN THE FLUX FUMES.
Lead does not vaporize until much higher temperature than soldering
temperatures...

Now are you seriously trying to tell me there are NO traces of lead in the
flux fumes? Are you certain about that?

73'
Graham
--
-.-. -... / .-. .- -.. .. ---

Radio is only a Hobby. Don't let it rule your life...

73/51 - Graham, 26-Golf Charlie-19 (www.open-channel.co.uk)

What's the story on solder these days?
 

"DieSea" wrote in message
...



Now are you seriously trying to tell me there are NO traces of lead in
the
flux fumes? Are you certain about that?


I think you should ask Nick about that

From what I hear he just looks at solder and it runs

No doubt because of the heat

DieSea


LOL.

In all seriousness though there must be an element of lead in the fumes no
matter what the supposed vaporisation level of the solder is. As in much the
same way as harmful levels of lead were found in water running through lead
pipes. These pipes weren't at vaporisation temperature to pass small amounts
into the water running through it. Likewise the flux core in the lead solder
would 'surely' have a concentration of lead in it no matter how
insignificant an amount it might be.

73'
Graham
--
-.-. -... / .-. .- -.. .. ---

Radio is only a Hobby. Don't let it rule your life...

73/51 - Graham, 26-Golf Charlie-19 (www.open-channel.co.uk)

What's the story on solder these days?
 

The Magnum wrote:
"DieSea" wrote in message
...

Now are you seriously trying to tell me there are NO traces of lead in
the
flux fumes? Are you certain about that?

I think you should ask Nick about that

From what I hear he just looks at solder and it runs

No doubt because of the heat

DieSea


LOL.

In all seriousness though there must be an element of lead in the fumes no
matter what the supposed vaporisation level of the solder is. As in much the
same way as harmful levels of lead were found in water running through lead
pipes. These pipes weren't at vaporisation temperature to pass small amounts
into the water running through it. Likewise the flux core in the lead solder
would 'surely' have a concentration of lead in it no matter how
insignificant an amount it might be.

73'
Graham

yes, that would be called leaching, and lead does not leach into the
air. it would also be due to water 'erosion' of the solder. it IS
rather soft..

yes, I am serious. no lead in the solder fumes.

if there was lead in the solder fumes, then most every ham end
electronic tinkerer would have serious health problems. (hey, wait a
minute... ;- just kidding. no lead in solder fumes.)

What's the story on solder these days?
 

In all seriousness though there must be an element of lead in the fumes no
matter what the supposed vaporisation level of the solder is. As in much the
same way as harmful levels of lead were found in water running through lead
pipes. These pipes weren't at vaporisation temperature to pass small amounts
into the water running through it. Likewise the flux core in the lead solder
would 'surely' have a concentration of lead in it no matter how
insignificant an amount it might be.

73'
Graham

yes, that would be called leaching, and lead does not leach into the air. it
would also be due to water 'erosion' of the solder. it IS rather soft..

yes, I am serious. no lead in the solder fumes.

if there was lead in the solder fumes, then most every ham end electronic
tinkerer would have serious health problems.

Ahhhhhhh

That explains it

And

Confirms the ramblings of MattD

Where is he by the way

Someone hasn't filled is boots with lead and heaved him overboard I hope

Unlike Nick he will be missed

DieSea