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.

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

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
news
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

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

Ian Wade wrote:
What kind of solder should one use these days?

Find out whether the components are RoHS compliant.
If they aren't, your old solder will do.
If they are, you'll need lead-free solder.

73
Mike G4KFK


I don't think there is any practical reason why you cannot use traditional
lead based solder on RoHS components, is there? Its just another barmy EU
regulation to make our lives difficult. There may be aguements the other way
round - lead free solder requires a significantly higher temperature and
components which are not specified to work with it could be damaged during
assembly - I guess...

Martin (G8FXC)

"MAB" me@here wrote in message
...

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

Ian Wade wrote:
What kind of solder should one use these days?

Find out whether the components are RoHS compliant.
If they aren't, your old solder will do.
If they are, you'll need lead-free solder.

73
Mike G4KFK


I don't think there is any practical reason why you cannot use traditional
lead based solder on RoHS components, is there? Its just another barmy EU
regulation to make our lives difficult. There may be augments the other
way
round - lead free solder requires a significantly higher temperature and
components which are not specified to work with it could be damaged during
assembly - I guess...

Martin (G8FXC)

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. Therefore RoSH was
dreamt up by someone with far too much time on their hands to try to make
everyone's life safer.

Makes you wonder why they don't concern themselves with the biggest killer
of all time.. smoking.. well, the answer to that is simple... MONEY.

73'
Graham
(Living in a molly-coddled world. British Bulldog in the playground?...oooh
noo far too dangerous, the kids may bump into each other.. shock horror)
--
-.-. -... / .-. .- -.. .. ---

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

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

The Magnum wrote:

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.

I didn't know Beanie done a lot of construction? And, considering we
haven't heard from him in a while.... hmm?

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.

"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)

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

MAB wrote:
I don't think there is any practical reason why you cannot use traditional
lead based solder on RoHS components, is there?

Of course - from a practical viewpoint, it will work fine.

From a compliance viewpoint though, you end up with a product labelled
to the effect that it does not contain lead (or other harmful
substances), that does in fact contain lead.