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Sn/Pb S-Sn/Cu ...

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#4
In my experience the lead free stuff is awful to use compared to the good old 60/40 Sn/Pb stuff - it just doesn't 'flow' the same way. And flux-free is practically unusable if you ask me. For a while I thought I would have to stock up on the old lead stuff, but it is still readily-available - which may tell us something.
 
#6
boywonder said:
Umm........Cardas Quad eutectic solder has lead in it. The Cardas lead-free stuff is tri eutectic.

I also use Cardas quad eutectic, solders like butter.
Click to expand...


Hi,

Yes it has lead in it. The OP was asking about Pb solders and availability.🙂

I use silver type solders, however the melting point is higher. The Cardas quad eutectic is the closest I can find to the same melt "wetting" as Audio note solder.
We are back to the discussion on metals and conduction / quality of joint ect. The tip of the soldering iron does not last long with Silver "no lead" solder.

Have you tried using other solders and had any sonic differences?

Just for interest,
If you look at how much solder you use in a project and the length of what you have used it is quite a lot in the conduction path!
It is in every connection.

Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#8
I included non-rohs leaded multicore solder in my last order from Farnell ( about 6months ago) and had no trouble getting it.

I believe the nuclear power industry has a special dispensation to continue to use leaded solder on circuit boards as it has a proven 50 year+ track record of reliability. Lead free solder has a few years to go to equal that.

While demand remains for leaded solder, manufacturers I'm sure will supply.
 
#9
Hello,
I believe there is a conspiracy to keep mother earth green!
The half life of consumer electronics is short so it does not take very long for the latest DVD player to end up as e-waste. That is the bulk of the thinking.
Vermont and California have outlawed anything more than 0.25% Pb in plumbing fixtures (pun intended); the US has outlawed lead in plumbing fixtures in 36 months. Just try to solder lead free valves (plumbing) with earth friendly lead free solder. The failure rate is high; the solder does not wet, capillary action is on vacation.
Buy up eutectic Pb/Sn solder for personal DIY use while you can.
DT
All just for fun!
 
#11
Soonerorlater said:
I included non-rohs leaded multicore solder in my last order from Farnell ( about 6months ago) and had no trouble getting it.

I believe the nuclear power industry has a special dispensation to continue to use leaded solder on circuit boards as it has a proven 50 year+ track record of reliability. Lead free solder has a few years to go to equal that.

While demand remains for leaded solder, manufacturers I'm sure will supply.
Click to expand...

Medical Industry too...

I have no problems with the silver stuff, but it must be said, tip life is compromised, possibly due to the higher temp.
 
#13
M Gregg said:
Just for interest,
If you look at how much solder you use in a project and the length of what you have used it is quite a lot in the conduction path!
It is in every connection.

Regards
M. Gregg
Click to expand...

What is the distance (gap) between the two conductors in one of your solder joints? What is the "conductor length" of lead in each joint, between say a wire and a terminal it is wrapped or crimped around? What is the alloy composition of the finished joint between the conductors?

What's bad about lead bearing solder and Hifi?

PS I would not use acid flux in electronics because any residue at all will cause corrosion around the edges of the solder joint and, this from personal experience, will eat through stranded wire right at the edge of the solderblob in short order.

PPS Cardas QE (what's the OEM brand of that stuff?) is easily my favorite solder of all time.
 
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#14
"Pb free" is the requirement of Recyclonomics era, when everything is manufactured to be recycled. In the gear that is made to work forever it is not necessary. I spoke with people on AES who build optical compressors (cadmium salt, prohibited by ROHS as well as Bb), and they said, they require from customers to send the gear back for recycling, if they decide so.
 
#15
Michael Koster said:
PS I would not use acid flux in electronics because any residue at all will cause corrosion around the edges of the solder joint and, this from personal experience, will eat through stranded wire right at the edge of the solderblob in short order.
Click to expand...

Also, if the gear will work in tropics, even a plain organic pine rosin have to be carefully washed out: some microorganisms may find a home in your nice microphone preamp eating nice smelling flux and leaving aggressive excrements. 😉
 
#17
Hearinspace said:
Well, then there's this issue. Nasa thinks enough of the subject to have a whole web-page on it.
Click to expand...

Thank you, good links. But for consumer market it is considered as a positive outcome: it keeps upgrades running. For example, in 2009 only in U.S.A. we had 2,000 Ton of e-waste, mostly cellphones and computer components. Such Pb-free production cleans market for new and new production. A hamster of Recyclonomics keeps running and spinning the wheel of progress! 🙄
 
#18
Michael Koster said:
What is the distance (gap) between the two conductors in one of your solder joints? What is the "conductor length" of lead in each joint, between say a wire and a terminal it is wrapped or crimped around? What is the alloy composition of the finished joint between the conductors?.
Click to expand...
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The joint should be metal to metal contact, the solder is just a glue.(Or should I say it should be)

Have you ever been sad enough to create a set of interconnects with "multicore" solder? Or created interconnects with nickle? Just for fun of course🙂
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What's bad about lead bearing solder and Hifi?
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I used to use "multicore" solder all the time. I am not a fan of it now.

I am not against "lead" period! I think if it helps in small quantities then fine. Cardas is very good even excellent solder "wetting" is excellent.

I think its the alloy that is important not so much the large amounts of lead.
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PS I would not use acid flux in electronics because any residue at all will cause corrosion around the edges of the solder joint and, this from personal experience, will eat through stranded wire right at the edge of the solderblob in short order.
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I have seen many PCB fail due to flux residue. It should be cleaned off. Interesting I have seen in industry the IC plated with tin as shown in the NASA post. It seems to be worse in some environments than others. It looks like someone has rubbed a pencil across the legs of the chip. Hard to get off as well! Also ultrasonic cleaning and coating did not stop it, only slowed it down about a week!
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PPS Cardas QE (what's the OEM brand of that stuff?) is easily my favorite solder of all time.
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One final comment: "I am not a tree hugger", yes I have a classic car. I asked some one once what they thought of unleaded conversions, I was not a fan at the time. He said," I think if we can do something to help the environment then we should. (He was not selling conversions").

Then again if you like the sound of electrons and lead solder its been standard for years.🙂

If it is so good then why are capacitors not made of lead foil and oil for high end ? Could it be that it dosen't sound very good?


Regards
M. Gregg
 
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#19
Small amount of led" sounds to me like "small amount of feedback". Actually, 60/40 is selected for 240 degrees C of melting point: lower than melting points of components.

Here is some useful information:

Electronics Tips: Soldering Techniques

Speaking of why capacitors are not made from lead, it is because it has higher resistance than aluminium. They are made from copper that has lower resistance. But lead acid capacitors, certainly, are made from lead. 😉
 
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#20
Hello,
Lead has something to do with plumbing so I will use a plumbing analogy.
The original water saver toilet was a 3.5 gallon flush, and then it was 1.6 gallon now the new California Green Code puts it at 1.28 gallons per flush. The first 3.5’s did not flush worth a crap. The 1.6’s are now working better. The point is that it takes the industry some time to get the lead out and for things to work.
Heat sensitive parts like the lower melting point of 60/40 or of a true eutectic solder (lowest Pb/Sn alloy melting point) 63/37. It is not that 63/37 has better electrical properties.
Plumbers liked 50/50 solder because it had a putty range, it starts to melt around 360 F and is not fully liquid until near 420 F. Get it sort of hot and push it around like hot glue. It fills up voids, does not run out and does not leak.
One more piece of trivia; before Bondo they used body lead, actually 90/10 solder that had a wide putty range. They could push it around with a trowel. Just like butter with a knife.
I know a guy that cast so many lead bullets that he is now shooting blanks (really).
DT
All just for fun!
 
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