someone's avatar with the ROHS reminded me that I've been looking at updating my electronic tools now that I have a couple kids in the house. I'll probably need a new soldering iron as I understand it need to be hotter for the new stuff, any pointers or suggestions?
Any of you guys do lead free soldering
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James S
Flashlight Enthusiast
getting rid of lead in solder is much more of an issue for disposal of mass produced items and for people working in plants with paste solder than it is a potential problem for a home working person like most of us. I've had those blood test and in spite of soldering fairly frequently with the lead I do not have elevated lead levels in my body at all. The most important precaution you can take is to wash your hands after handling the solder. This is how it gets into your body when you get it into your mouth, or much more slowly absorbed through the skin if you leave it on your hands for a long time. Your kids will be safe as long as you keep it up on a shelf out of their reach.
It's the smoke and fumes from soldering that people tend to be afraid of, but there isn't actually any lead in the smoke. Even the highest temperatures reached by a regular soldering iron are so far below the vapor pressure of lead that it simply doesn't vaporize at those temperatures. You get a lot of nasty stuff from the flux and you should probably have a fan or a vent hood if you do a lot of it, but not to protect you from lead. That just rubs off on your hands.
If you do invest in the RoHS iron, make sure to keep it turned down or not use it with lead solders ever as they can reach temperatures where lead would start to enter the smoke.
I"ve done some work with the new stuff. It does take a little getting used to. I've ruined small components much quicker
For most of my just tacking things together I still use the old lead. But the new stuff seems to work OK. There are plenty of concerns out there from companies that dont really want to spend the money to upgrade their processes, but I think most of it is FUD. The Tin Whisker problem though, of tin forming whiskers that short stuff out is real and I've even seen that in some of the outdoor lights I put together as recent as a year ago! Be interesting to see what comes of that and if future formulations can get around it.
But depending on the amount of work you do, and your own ability to remember to wash your hands and keep your solder up on a shelf, it really doesn't make a dangerous atmosphere for the kids. You REALLY do need to wash your hands or you'll contaminate everything with lead!
It's the smoke and fumes from soldering that people tend to be afraid of, but there isn't actually any lead in the smoke. Even the highest temperatures reached by a regular soldering iron are so far below the vapor pressure of lead that it simply doesn't vaporize at those temperatures. You get a lot of nasty stuff from the flux and you should probably have a fan or a vent hood if you do a lot of it, but not to protect you from lead. That just rubs off on your hands.
If you do invest in the RoHS iron, make sure to keep it turned down or not use it with lead solders ever as they can reach temperatures where lead would start to enter the smoke.
I"ve done some work with the new stuff. It does take a little getting used to. I've ruined small components much quicker
For most of my just tacking things together I still use the old lead. But the new stuff seems to work OK. There are plenty of concerns out there from companies that dont really want to spend the money to upgrade their processes, but I think most of it is FUD. The Tin Whisker problem though, of tin forming whiskers that short stuff out is real and I've even seen that in some of the outdoor lights I put together as recent as a year ago! Be interesting to see what comes of that and if future formulations can get around it. But depending on the amount of work you do, and your own ability to remember to wash your hands and keep your solder up on a shelf, it really doesn't make a dangerous atmosphere for the kids. You REALLY do need to wash your hands or you'll contaminate everything with lead!
Mr Happy
Flashlight Enthusiast
No!!!! No!!!! Thrice no!!!!
Lead free soldering totally sucks. With industrial soldering machines in carefully controlled factory conditions it can be made to work. For home hobby soldering it is a horrible nightmare. You will be screaming and pulling your hair out.
My recommendation is to keep using the traditional tin/lead multicore solder with rosin flux and lower temperature irons, just the same as always. Even in Europe, the tin/lead solder should still be available to private individuals for hobby and repair purposes for years to come.
(The ROHS reasons for banning tin/lead solder are totally without foundation and are a ridiculous triumph of bureaucracy over common sense. For home use you need have no worries at all about safety or health concerns. Just make sure you don't breath the flux fumes -- far more hazardous)
Lead free soldering totally sucks. With industrial soldering machines in carefully controlled factory conditions it can be made to work. For home hobby soldering it is a horrible nightmare. You will be screaming and pulling your hair out.
My recommendation is to keep using the traditional tin/lead multicore solder with rosin flux and lower temperature irons, just the same as always. Even in Europe, the tin/lead solder should still be available to private individuals for hobby and repair purposes for years to come.
(The ROHS reasons for banning tin/lead solder are totally without foundation and are a ridiculous triumph of bureaucracy over common sense. For home use you need have no worries at all about safety or health concerns. Just make sure you don't breath the flux fumes -- far more hazardous
)
Ray_of_Light
Flashlight Enthusiast
No way. For the quantity of soldering we do at home, it makes no sense at all. Plus, when done by hand, it kills many of the most delicate components, to include LEDs.
Anthony
Anthony
Darkpower
Newly Enlightened
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No!!!! No!!!! Thrice no!!!!...(The ROHS reasons for banning tin/lead solder are totally without foundation and are a ridiculous triumph of bureaucracy over common sense. For home use you need have no worries at all about safety or health concerns. Just make sure you don't breath the flux fumes -- far more hazardous
On that note, I sure miss the old fashion mercury based level switches.
mdocod
Flashaholic
I've tried a few times.... it's like trying to get oil to dissolve in water, like square pegs and round holes, like trying to use watered down elmers glue as a construction adhesive.
Like holding down the trigger on the soldering gun way past the recommended cycle length attempting to get to a temperature to actually get the stuff to flow and melting the soldering gun.
total waste of time, lol.
Like holding down the trigger on the soldering gun way past the recommended cycle length attempting to get to a temperature to actually get the stuff to flow and melting the soldering gun.
total waste of time, lol.
NextLight
Enlightened
As far as home health risks with leaded solder: The greatest hazard for metallic lead is accidental ingestion. Just wash your hands after handling products containing lead. And, keep lead away from children & pets. (Lead "fumes" are not an issue until well above 1000F. Don't use a flame torch with leaded solder indoors. Even outdoors, I stay upwind when using a blowtorch on lead.)
As far as plans to "upgrade" my electronics soldering station: No! SN63 will remain my preferred solder. I do keep a roll of "new" lead free solder, 800 F tips for my Metcal station(s), and some more durable (for the higher temps) RMA flux. But lead free is a PITA, at home and at work. I avoid it everywhere I can.
Do keep in mind, new components are now (often) available in lead-free only, and one will not get good intermetallic (mixed) joints on components tinned in lead free, with 600F tips, even if you use leaded solder. Think 675F MINIMUM tip temp.
As far as plans to "upgrade" my electronics soldering station: No! SN63 will remain my preferred solder. I do keep a roll of "new" lead free solder, 800 F tips for my Metcal station(s), and some more durable (for the higher temps) RMA flux. But lead free is a PITA, at home and at work. I avoid it everywhere I can.
Do keep in mind, new components are now (often) available in lead-free only, and one will not get good intermetallic (mixed) joints on components tinned in lead free, with 600F tips, even if you use leaded solder. Think 675F MINIMUM tip temp.
gravityz
Enlightened
i bought some leadfree soldertin(i think they added cupper insteas of lead)
the problem with this tin is you have to solder really fast and not solder twice on the same spot.
with the old tin you could heat up the spot again to add some more tin to get it to flow nicely. with the leadfree stuff you can not do that. adding more tin will only make the spot look bad.
so the best way is to heat up the spot add the solder and let is flow
the problem with this tin is you have to solder really fast and not solder twice on the same spot.
with the old tin you could heat up the spot again to add some more tin to get it to flow nicely. with the leadfree stuff you can not do that. adding more tin will only make the spot look bad.
so the best way is to heat up the spot add the solder and let is flow
VidPro
Flashlight Enthusiast
man i get so much lead on me from soldering , i can write a paper about it with my finger afterwards
and having a snack afterwards well. but heck my food plates still have some lead paint in them.
i have some lead free solder stuff, i didnt notice a difference, but:
1) i always use WAY to much heat, i rarely have the gun below 40W setting, and get out the 200W one for the big jobs, everything else is to dang slow.
2) i dont do that teeny tiney stuff, like microchips, there is some machine somewhere that (as far as i am concerned) can do that better, and they should socket that stuff anyways, sockets are much easier.
3) i often pre-tin everything.
and having a snack afterwards
well. but heck my food plates still have some lead paint in them.i have some lead free solder stuff, i didnt notice a difference, but:
1) i always use WAY to much heat, i rarely have the gun below 40W setting, and get out the 200W one for the big jobs, everything else is to dang slow.
2) i dont do that teeny tiney stuff, like microchips, there is some machine somewhere that (as far as i am concerned) can do that better, and they should socket that stuff anyways, sockets are much easier.
3) i often pre-tin everything.
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Everyone else has already answered. I'll just add my voice as someone who tried two types of lead free solder just out of curiosity. I threw them both away.
StefanFS
Flashlight Enthusiast
I don't get this negative feeling about leadfree solder! I use both types. Leadfree with rosin core and liquid flux with a standard 50 Watt soldering station for electronics and more precise work. I think the leadfree is more consistent and it gives me better control over the process in delicate soldering work, I use a tin/silver/copper (96.5%/3%/0.5%) mix. It's a wonderful product that with the right temperature produces strong and secure solder joints. It's possible to reheat joints and correct them. I don't have to use excessively more heat than 60/40 tin/lead solder. And it's not from a environment/health influenced perspective either, I just think it works better. Regular solder I mainly use for bigger general repair work.
Tin/silver/copper (96.5%/3%/0.5%) has a melting point of 217 to 220 °C. 60/40 tin/lead solder has a melting point of 183 degrees C.
Stefan
Tin/silver/copper (96.5%/3%/0.5%) has a melting point of 217 to 220 °C. 60/40 tin/lead solder has a melting point of 183 degrees C.
Stefan
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uk_caver
Flashlight Enthusiast
Using a temperature-controlled 50W iron, I find lead free solder with 3-4% silver seems to work fine for me - mainly circuit construction and LED work.
The solder seems to flow nicely, as long as the surfaces are clean
The bits do seem to oxidise/dirty a little more readily than before (higher temperature?), but use of a tip refresher from Kaidomain seems to fix that.
I do have some lead-based around, but I'm not sure how long it is since I last used it.
The solder seems to flow nicely, as long as the surfaces are clean
The bits do seem to oxidise/dirty a little more readily than before (higher temperature?), but use of a tip refresher from Kaidomain seems to fix that.
I do have some lead-based around, but I'm not sure how long it is since I last used it.
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Ray_of_Light
Flashlight Enthusiast
The melting point is 227°C in the alloy Sn99.3/Cu0.7, and 221°C in the alloy Sn96.5/Ag3.5.
The eutectic transition is also much faster.
There are unresolved issues regarding excessive Z displacement with the cooling profile required from the lead-free process. In my book, it reads as a more unreliable electronic equipment. Soldering pads came off too often after soldering, especially in densely populated area of a PCB.
Anthony
The eutectic transition is also much faster.
There are unresolved issues regarding excessive Z displacement with the cooling profile required from the lead-free process. In my book, it reads as a more unreliable electronic equipment. Soldering pads came off too often after soldering, especially in densely populated area of a PCB.
Anthony
thekobk
Newly Enlightened
I work for a company that repairs laser printer parts and I have to tell you the old stuff is allot easer to use and if you fix something with the new stuff on it you need to use lots of flux or it will not mix with the old stuff.:thumbsdow
KenAnderson
Enlightened
I used to solder food equipment and always had to use 95/5 Tin/Antimony solder. It was a pain to use compared to the lead/tin solder but a person can learn if necessary. To solder a few 10s of LEDs over a year, it's not worth the hassle working with 95/5.
Ken
Ken
dulridge
Enlightened
I cannot buy leaded solder here, I could easily enough (probably illegally) import Chinese stuff if I wanted to but fortunately have a large stash of leaded stuff that I bought many years ago.
Like you, I detest the lead-free stuff and seem incapable of getting a decent joint with this stuff though I imagine practice will fix that. Don't want to get the practice though.
Mr Happy
Flashlight Enthusiast
I'd better hang on to my small dispenser of Ersin Multicore solder then. I forgot to look when I was in England recently whether I could still find it anywhere.
At least you can still get tin/lead here in the USA, but nothing beats the quality of the Ersin Multicore brand.
Edit: It looks like it's available. Here, for instance: http://www.toolmix.com/browse/product.asp?pid=55681
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Mr Happy
Flashlight Enthusiast
Probably just a bit of old fashioned tradition I guess. The Ersin Multicore Savbit alloy is very nice solder to work with though. In all the time I've used it, I have never needed additional flux on surfaces and it's never made a bad joint. It just flows and wets well and gives good results.
