Tubes and RoHS compliance?

[tubetvr]

Hi,

RoHs maybe doesn't have that big impact on tube based electronics.

There is a list of exemptions under which you can still use hasardous materials under certain conditions.

"RoHS Directive (2002/95/EC)

These original exemptions were published within the annex to RoHS on 27 January 2003. These exemptions are currently in force."

One important part of the excemption list:

"5. Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent tubes."

Which means that it is OK to continue using tubes and tube sockets and other components that contain lead but you need to use lead free solder.

Ther are other exemptions in force for other substances but lead is probably what can cause most possible problems

Regards Hans

PS, check this web site which contain a lot of information about the RoHS directive http://www.pb-free.info/laymans_terms.htm
DS

 

[Eli Duttman]

Which means that it is OK to continue using tubes and tube sockets and other components that contain lead but you need to use lead free solder.

The exemption for the envelopes and sockets is good news. Pb free solder is BAD news. Master European organ builders knew about alloying Sn with Pb to avoid Blechkrankheit, AKA Tin Disease. Tin crumbles at low temperatures, like those of an unheated church. Making a eutectic alloy from Tin and something other than Lead with a reasonably low melting point is a PITA.

Effing bureaucrats, engage brain before opening mouth. The 2 major sources of environmental Lead are old paint and automotive storage batteries. Heck, old Lead cold water pipes from the 19th century don't poison people.

 

[00940]

Heck, old Lead cold water pipes from the 19th century don't poison people.

Wrong. Depending on the pH of the water, they can turn into a major source of saturnism. Programs to get rid of those pipes started decades ago in Belgium.

 

[00940]

Humm, sorry if post above sounds a bit harsh. Not the intention. But no way to edit

 

[alex278]

Well, I bet there will be plenty of firms dumping unused rolls of old-style Pb/Sn before 1 july 2006 🙂

 

[Geek]

Well, I bet there will be plenty of firms dumping unused rolls of old-style Pb/Sn before 1 july 2006 🙂

*jumps up and down waving arms, pointing to shop*

Dump it here! 😀

 

[poobah]

Black market solder... here we go kids!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[poobah]

You know,

I would have to think that the same guys who buy $1500 power cords and $10,000 speaker wires might pay $30,000 for a RoSH amp... think about it.

 

[anatech]

I have a 5 lb roll of NOS Kester "44". I might have some more.

People swear you have to use it to get that authentic sound. 😱

-Chris

 

[anatech]

poobah,
Did you know that NOS solder is almost as heavy as lead?

 

[poobah]

Dang you Chris,

You got me laughing so hard I'm almost having a heart attack or something...

Ya know some knuckle head said, "the world can do without lead based solder"... that same dude probably didn't own an iron, a shop, a start-up comany, a prototyping firm, and he probably wasn't a consultant makin' a decent buck working from home on a "net" assembled with lead.

You can't throw a plastic bottle in "the trash" anymore. Who thinks we'd get all sideways about recycling electronics... I don't get it. i am OK with recycling... I DO IT!

SCIENTIFIC BREAKTHROUGH: New research has shown that testicular cancer occurs mostly in men.

 

[SY]

Seriously, guys, NOS tin-lead and tin-lead-silver will be a very high price item in not so many years, prized by the audiophile seeking the authentic Golden Age of High End sound. I'm laying in a stock to pay my kid's way through Harvard; I figure 10 years ought to do it.

 

[davidsrsb]

"5. Lead in glass of cathode ray tubes, electronic components and fluorescent tubes."

Does this exclude valves? The "lead in glass" means CRTs which are made from a perfectly safe high lead content glass to absorb the Xrays.

 

[poobah]

SY,

I like it... $10 bucks - 10 ft of Kester 44. Unshaven guys, eating meat eat off bones, hand blowing envelopes for 300B's over a hot fire.

 

[alexistheo]

I'm laying in a stock to pay my kid's way through Harvard; I figure 10 years ought to do it. [/B]

i'm just going to leave enough lead solder lying around so my kid never gets smart enough to go to those expensive schools

 

[tubetvr]

Does this exclude valves?

As a tube is clearly an electronic component, tubes are covered by this exemption.

Regards Hans

 

[Robski666]

My favourite part is the RHoS compliance exemption for defence aviation and aerospace sighting for reliability reasons likely a good call but what does that mean for equipment manufactured using "lead free" technologies? more shoddy then currently available and more expensive to boot. This gives rise to the fact that the consumer shall pay and pay and pay.

 

[alex278]

I've googled some more, and it looks like you might build stuff with tubes in it, on the premisse that you have to take back the old tubes and assure a good way of handling the dumping of these. You also have to have the facilities to take back complete products which are at the end of their lifespan. In order that people don't have to travel all over the country back to the original shop (if it still exists), people may also return their old equipment at a shop in their neighbourhood.

For us, that's a nice scheme; the only difficulty is 'how do you dump an old, broken mercury-filled tube without getting broke'.

 

[Geek]

....and assure a good way of handling the dumping of these.

You could draw faces on them and sell them for $10 like AES does

On the serious side, isn't that the job of the local recycling depot?

 

[alex278]

IIRC, nope. This thing is more targetted to people buying washing machines etc ('yes, your shop might bring a new one, but take the old one with you'), but if I'm not mistaken, it also holds for other electronic equipment..