Well it will, on your solder skills at least.
Yeah, compared to some other alloys, the Kester that @rhthatcher recommended, has a much lower melting point. Big help when soldering RCAs, other delicate parts (SMDs) jump to mind or desoldering!
there are so much more important things to learn about, before tackling Voodoo terrain
6L6 wrote few times about specific subject - if there is silver in soldering objects, it is beneficial to use silver solder
6L6 wrote few times about specific subject - if there is silver in soldering objects, it is beneficial to use silver solder
The most important thing for good soldering is keeping the iron tip clean. It is good to develop a habit of wiping the tip on a wet sponge whenever you pick up the iron.
With the HASL or ENIG finish that we are most likely to see in PCBs, the Kester Sn63/Pb37 rosin core is pretty much the best there is. It flows well and doesn't need as high a temperature as other alloys.
With the HASL or ENIG finish that we are most likely to see in PCBs, the Kester Sn63/Pb37 rosin core is pretty much the best there is. It flows well and doesn't need as high a temperature as other alloys.
I'm always watching for when this is in stock: https://diyaudiostore.com/collections/consumables/products/fire-metall-solder
The stock does not seem to last long. Snagged a roll back on 23 Feb. The store had some for maybe a day.
In one of Papa's articles, he states that he likes old fashioned 60/40 solder. Works for me. The Eutectic stuff is harder to rework.
Hello, Good soldering practices are far more important to good connections than adding a small amount of silver to the mix:
1. What you want soldered having a good electrical connection, no gaps between the wire and the connector. Solder is not gap filling glue.
2. Making sure both sides are clean.
3. Using the proper temperature iron, helps quite a bit to get good flow, without harming anything like PCB traces.
4. Checking after you solder to see if the flow was smooth and even.
And for good looks mostly, using some alcohol to clean off the resin residue when done.
Pretty basic stuff, but works to get good connections.
( I have had both Military and NASA specification soldering classes and been soldering for over 65 years now, so believe I am qualified to comment on this. )
Regards,
Greg
I have silver bearing solder for some RF stuff and it preserves the bond of the metal surfaces of the ceramic terminal strips in the old TEK scopes. Pretty much what MZM referenced above.
Cardas Quad Eutectic has the same four elements that the Fire-metall does. And Cardas are equally cagey about the percentages of silver and copper added.
I'm always wary when a manufacturer of solder does not tell you the precise composition - all regular solder manufacturers, whether lead-free or tin/lead formulations tell you precisely what is in there including any impurities.
Hello, For 60/40 solder ( most normal electronics solder ) 750 degrees works well. A little lower when soldering small parts. Should flow well and smoothly. Works well for me. Silver solder needs higher temps, and more potential for damaging things.
As sawyers indicated, the percentages matter; they can very wildly.
Here 'silver solder' has high percentage of silver, typically around/above 50% for instance. It is what I use (with special fluxes) to braze stainless steel components together (using high temperature blow torches etc).
The stuff used in electronics would usually have 'much' less silver, maybe just a few percent, and so melts with a small soldering iron. In my area of the world it would more correctly be called 'silver-bearing' solder since the silver is a relatively minor component. But the amount of silver it contains is open to huge variation, so if not specified (and by a manufacturer you trust) then treat with caution when pricing it.
FWIW I think the use-cases for silver-bearing solder are limited; some people assume it must be better because it costs more, but IMO it isn't needed or even particularly beneficial as a general electronic solder for PCBs etc.
Here 'silver solder' has high percentage of silver, typically around/above 50% for instance. It is what I use (with special fluxes) to braze stainless steel components together (using high temperature blow torches etc).
The stuff used in electronics would usually have 'much' less silver, maybe just a few percent, and so melts with a small soldering iron. In my area of the world it would more correctly be called 'silver-bearing' solder since the silver is a relatively minor component. But the amount of silver it contains is open to huge variation, so if not specified (and by a manufacturer you trust) then treat with caution when pricing it.
FWIW I think the use-cases for silver-bearing solder are limited; some people assume it must be better because it costs more, but IMO it isn't needed or even particularly beneficial as a general electronic solder for PCBs etc.
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I'm surprised one of if not the most important points has not been mentioned. Use flux. I've taken the Pace high reliability solder course as well as one of our local colleges excellent SMD solder course and both stressed the importance of fluxing the joint.In addition,clean the leads of components,pads of circuit boards with 99% isopropyl alcohol and lint free wipes. Do not use rubber erasers, non lint free wipes etc. as they leave residue.
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Well of course!
Forget snake oil and mojo, advantages are serious and real.
From chemical/metallurgical points:
Tin-silver-copper (Sn-Ag-Cu, also known as SAC), is a lead-free (Pb-free) alloy commonly used for electronic solder. It is the main choice for lead-free surface-mount technology (SMT) assembly in the industry,[1] as it is near eutectic, with adequate thermal fatigue properties, strength, and wettability
In my experience (for people with hobby-grade tools and hobby-grade soldering technic) silver-bearing solder creates more problems than it solves.
The biggest issue is that most of the time it comes in lead-free variants, which is significantly more difficult to work with and super easy to create dirty or cold joints.
The amount of ridiculously botched modifications I have seen in high-end audio equipment is ridiculous. Yet people keep asking for it and people keep obliging
The good old 60-40 is often guilty for the same reason. It stays liquid for longer and can be moved around probably more than it should
0.5mm 63/37 is probably the best choice for 99.99999% of hobbyists and cases