ROHS and irons and desoldering tools

Tin copper solder does not seem to wet as fast as SnPb. I've found that using Hot air is the best for rework. Otherwise you'll be lifitng pads.

Cheers

RoHS joints just look different than PbSn solder joints. With PbSn, it's easy to see the quality of the joints. Good joints are shiny and the solder flows smoothly. RoHs solder doesn't flow as well and you can't see a big difference between good and bad. You *really* need the proper flux for RoHS. I tend to use a hotter than recommended iron so my dwell time is a lot less. I also replace parts with PbSn solder (I do work on customer hardware).

Short answer: No. ;-)

Then it has to be hot, hot air. The air from my Atmoscope isn't hot enough.

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I doubt it as its the extra heat and lack of lead that make it awkward, by definition almost.

I fully agree.

We do a lot of SMD prototyping and occasional repair work. You need the assistance of a few aids to make it workable. Google for "solder tinner cleaner" and look at the images. These tiny metal "cleaner" cans are essential. Poke an iron in it and the tip will shine as if there was lead in the solder. Before poking you will want to rub the tip off in a metal sponge. You need to get used to do this more often than with lead solder.

I confess we keep a spool of dark age solder. Patience has its limits.

Cheers!

Interesting. I've never used it. I do keep a damp sponge and a solder cleaning blob (plastic wool?) on my solder station. I wipe the tip on the sponge every time I pick up the iron. It's automatic.

I don't even have a roll of socialist solder near my solder station. ;-)

Kester 44. ;)

Cheers

Phil Hobbs

-- Dr Philip C D Hobbs Principal Consultant ElectroOptical Innovations LLC Optics, Electro-optics, Photonics, Analog Electronics

160 North State Road #203 Briarcliff Manor NY 10510

hobbs at electrooptical dot net

Agreed. Unleaded solder is difficult to work with. I have up long ago and use 63/37 Pb/Sn for rework. The only catch is that I have suck up the Unleaded solder before applying the Pb/Sn solder. It's an antique, but it does the job:

I think you mean "solder tip tinner cleaner".

Agreed. Even Radio Shack carries them.

I've been doing that for years and have noticed that my tip life is less. The higher temperature of the 850F Weller tips that I use for unleaded, which are hotter than the 750F tips I use for Pb/Sn, might explain the shorter life. Also, I formerly had two different soldering irons for each type of solder. However, cleaning the tip with the "cleaner" has let me use only one soldering iron.

When RoHS appeared, I expected to have Pb/Sn solder declared a controlled or hazardous substance, making availability difficult. So, I stocked up with four 1 lb rolls of various sizes of 63/37 activated rosin core solder, which would be about a 10 year supply at my minimal use level. The disappearance never happened, but at least I have good solder when I need it.

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com 
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

I have almost the same model, but it isn't hot enough for ROHS even at full power. I thought that was just because of the metal. The tip hasn't seen much use so maybe something else is going.

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You and a lot of others with a history of rework ....

Well, I must confess that for leaded components, I usually remove the bulk of the unleaded solder with a solder sucker: and then clean out the holes with the Pace desoldering station. I have to turn up the heat control to maximum, and use fairly low vacuum to prevent the air flow from cooling the tip. Maybe you're moving too much air?

For SMT, I can't easily use the Pace desoldering station, so I use a hot air SMT desoldering station (with an aluminum foil shield) to remove the parts and accumulated solder.

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Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com 
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

I use an old GE iron; transformer has 4 terminals in a square: 35W,

29W, 26W, 32W (reading from top clockwise); "sec 6V35VA max" p/n unreadable. Various screw-in bits "G.E. 6A215 V8 W25 L2" medium cone which i use most of the time; "G.E. 6A211 V6 W23 CC" (large, chisel; and "(G) 6A213 W25 V6 AL" small cone. [the (G) is a tiny version of the circled GE symbol; all letters, numbers,symbols stamped into shaft of iron]. I use the 32W terminals, and a light dimmer set to 75 percent of full for almost all work. No setting change needed between tin/lead and tin/silver solder. Tin/silver solder works easier and (obviously) shiner surface.

So you also hate suckie SAC.

Hmm..I have no flow problems with Sn96.3Ag3.7 solder.

They say SAC 350 is best for hand soldering, which appears to be true. Removing it, is a different story.

Cheers

1) There is absolutely NO reason to have copper in the alloy; the PCB solder pads ARE treated with immersion SILVER. 2) Since soldering is onto SILVER, then the ideal additive is SILVER. 3) Remember Savbit,where copper was added to prevent leaching of copper from the bits (copper tip solder iron)? 4) NO reason to ADD copper to the immersion silver; there is NO gain

- all loss: increased MP,increased brittleness, etc.