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Forum Index : Electronics : lead-containing solder wire
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| Dinges Senior Member  Joined: 04/01/2008 Location: AlbaniaPosts: 510 |
Tonight I was surprized to see I've started using my last roll of 0.8mm PbSn soldering wire. Fortunately a 0.5kg roll so should get me through for a while but still, time for action while lead-containing soldering wire is still available. Have got enough of the 1.0mm stuff to see me through the next decade (I hope that by then we have a suitable alternative to the current less-than-stellar lead-free alternatives), but my favourite wire of 0.8mm is rapidly running out. Anyway, will be stocking up on it later this week, apparently it's still available in the wire size 0.8mm, but I was shocked to see how little choice there was otherwise; most of it is now lead-free. Which brings me to my question: how's the situation in Australia? Lead-containing still easily available? If so, you may want to stock up while you still can, if you're not yet aware of the coming situation. Peter. (<-- doing his bit to keep the environment properly leaded) |
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| Barry T Coles Senior Member Joined: 30/07/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 109 |
Thanks for the heads up Peter. I havn't heard of the proposal here as yet but then again we are usually 10 years behind the rest of the world when it comes to this sort of thing. Cheers Barry I need to learn from the mistakes of others. I dont have the time to make them all myself. |
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Downwind Guru  Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi Dinges, I agree with the smaller size solder being far better to work with. i use a 0.7mm, had o.6mm but o.7-0.8 is the best. Whats the cost of solder there? I pay $12.00 for a 500g roll. Dirt cheap from SolderTec in Adelaide (for the other locals) Pete, Sometimes it just works |
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SparWeb Senior Member Joined: 17/04/2008 Location: CanadaPosts: 196 |
Hi Peter, I just found this thread - and I just returned a roll of ROHS solder to the store for some leaded stuff. At first I thought what's wrong with my solder iron? Then I wondered what's wrong with me? I have no idea what you have to do to make the ROHS stuff stick to anything. When I returned it to the store, the guy told me that there are a lot of people having trouble with it, and there are specialties, like aircraft control circuits, that must be repaired JUST SO. When the local technicians can't scrounge up leaded solder, a lot of avionics reliability problems will start cropping up because the joints just don't stick. Stock up on leaded solder while you still can. Maybe get some incandescent light bulbs, too, for the same reason. Steven T. Fahey |
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vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
It is possible to use just wires of Pb? Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| neil0mac Senior Member Joined: 26/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 210 |
Wires from lead? The highest lead concentration I know of is plumbers (wiping) solder with a 60% Pb, 40%Sn composition. But don't you mean wires made from tin (Sn). (I don't know what the composition of the new OH & S solder is. It is probably a eutectic of some sort, though. 'Eutectics have a lower melting point than any of their constituent metals). |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
No, just Pb from plumbers... Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
I just worked out what you were on about Vasi. I thought you were meaning using lead for wires and not just plain lead as solder. Thought why the hell would you use lead wires. 
I see no reason plain lead could not be used as solder but would need a good flux used as well. The melting point of lead and tin is almost the same with tin slightly lower. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Yes, but an alloy of lead & tin (solder) has a much lower melting point than either. Solder melts around 220deg C, important when keeping temperature sensitive electronic components cool. Conventional solder also has nice 'wetting' properties, something the new lead free solder apparently lacks - have not tried that stuff yet. Klaus |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi Klaus, Ahhh Pauline can you pleas explain....................I wonder why two metals of similar melting points can have a lower melting point when combined together, as in solder. Why is this so? Its the class of science i missed ( proberly wagged school and hitched it some where) Please keep the answer simple.( and speak slowly ) Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| vasi Guru Joined: 23/03/2007 Location: RomaniaPosts: 1697 |
Thanks for the answers guys, In Ceausescu era, when I was a child, I remember vaguely about some underground telephonic wires isolated with Pb pipes... When technicians did reparations they trow little pieces of Pb which we used in some sort of game having postal stamps as premium. I remember also being used in electronics with flux (solder cream?) but in my time I had only normal solder. Vasi Hobbit name: Togo Toadfoot of Frogmorton Elvish name: Mablung Miriel Beyound Arduino Lang |
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| Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Pete, what happened to your 'googling' skills 
check this out Klaus |
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| Tinker Guru Joined: 07/11/2007 Location: AustraliaPosts: 1904 |
Vasi, Plumbers did use pure lead to 'solder' their lead pipes in the past. No lead pipes these days. Underground electric cables still have a lead mantle, I assume its also soldered with lead but I have not worked in that field and may be corrected. Klaus |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Thanks Klaus, My google button was broken.
Ok i understand now. Just need to get the cookie trays out and make some melting sinkers now. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi All We used killed spirits for flux, Hydrochloric acid with zinc added until it won't dissolve any more zinc, and then to wipe with lead once the part is tinned with a fine coat of 60/40 solder we used clean fat, didn't smell to good but it worked. I believe they use it on cable wiping of the joints as it has no residual corrosive properties. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| Downwind Guru Joined: 09/09/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2333 |
Hi Bob, Killed spirits or Tinned spirits as it is also known, is a very good flux, but i would NEVER use it on wires or in electronics, as it will wick up under the insulation of wires and corrode the copper away and the wire will break/fall off. I used it years ago and found out the hard way when all my wires fell off with time. I think the bottom line with electronics is if the copper is that dirty and crappy you need a flux other than resin to solder with, then dont use it and get some clean stuff. Or clean it with some sandpaper or scraping, but not chemical cleaner as it will come back to bite you later. Pete. Sometimes it just works |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Pete 100 percent right on the spirits however we did use it for buss-bars and non insulated battery connectors that where corroded {flat bar not wires}and needed a good clean up before re-tinning, boiling water bath with some washing soda to kill residual acid, some of the big battery banks had over 100 connectors and cost a fortune to replace. For our size stuff resin core is the only way to go except if you want to tin a bit of steel for an earth point. Happy soldering Bob Foolin Around |
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