Lead Free Solder
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Andrew McSpadden
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Lead Free Solder
Any recommendations on brand and size of lead free solder? Will lead and lead free mix IF I am doing repairs? Any problems with lead free solder? Horror stories, thing to do or avoid? THA
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Daryl Kosinski
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 11:14 am
- Location: Fultonville, NY
Re: Lead Free Solder
Lead free solder does not work as well as the electronic solder with lead.
In the small amounts used in repair work should not be a problem.
Lead free solder causes a lot more cold solder joints and doesn't "wet" as well.
I worked in a industrial electronics repair shop for 39 years. Management tried to get rid of lead containing solder at one point we had to convince them lead free was more trouble than it is worth. They went back to stocking the good stuff.
In the small amounts used in repair work should not be a problem.
Lead free solder causes a lot more cold solder joints and doesn't "wet" as well.
I worked in a industrial electronics repair shop for 39 years. Management tried to get rid of lead containing solder at one point we had to convince them lead free was more trouble than it is worth. They went back to stocking the good stuff.
Re: Lead Free Solder
^^^ I agree.
Lead-free can be a pain.
Lead-free can be a pain.
Ever-body was kung fu fight-in,
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
Them kids was fast as light-nin.
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David King
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Re: Lead Free Solder
Lead and lead free shouldn't be mixed if possible as the alloys, while compatible may cause problems over time i.e. tin whiskers which can cause shorts. I keep both types on my bench and attempt to use the appropriate one each time. Many US companies that ship overseas have switched to lead free throughout their production to keep things simple. The alternative is to remove the lead free from each joint you want to revise by repeatedly flushing it with fresh lead solder and sucking that out with a solder sucker. Any wires can be shortened and stripped. As far as I know the vintage and modern style "pretinned" wires are always lead tinned.
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Daryl Kosinski
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Oct 12, 2013 11:14 am
- Location: Fultonville, NY
Re: Lead Free Solder
For electronics I use only flux core 63/37 it has the lowest melting point and does not have a "paste" phase. It is either solid or liquid. Plain water removes the warm flux.
On a side note Windex was the cleaner of choice for circuit boards, (every bench had a bottle), followed by a trip to the sink for a plain water rinse, then dried out over night in a 150 deg F oven used just for that.
Back when large tube type equipment needed cleaning transformers were removed along with other things that couldn't get wet. then the whole thing went into a top loading dishwasher. Always baked out afterword.
Now for plumbing only lead free.
On a side note Windex was the cleaner of choice for circuit boards, (every bench had a bottle), followed by a trip to the sink for a plain water rinse, then dried out over night in a 150 deg F oven used just for that.
Back when large tube type equipment needed cleaning transformers were removed along with other things that couldn't get wet. then the whole thing went into a top loading dishwasher. Always baked out afterword.
Now for plumbing only lead free.