cheap solder smoke filter or overkill?

Thoughts?

Good idea given and if the goal is to capture the rosin fumes. Greater surf ace area will capture more fumes. My general approach is to run the ceiling fan in the room - it is a small room, so that is enough to move the fumes away from me. I do not solder enough to justify a dedicated system - perhap s when I retire not so long from now.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Thanks. I will be testing it out tomorrow for soldering. All I did yesterday was light a match. My nose is normally not the greatest at detecting odors, but I am sensitive to the burned off chemical from the matches (I think it's phosphorus). Anyway, although not all the smoke went in as I was standing about 4 feet away, within 5 minutes I could no longer smell the phosphorus in the room. Normally, the smell would persist for at least half an hour.

I don't understand the obsession with soldering fumes. I've been soldering for over 50 years now with no ill effects. I certainly don't find the fumes irritating or obnoxious.

You're NOT breathing in lead fumes. Lead vaporizes at 3100F.

There are plenty of things I do that I do with good ventilation. Just soldering isn't on my list.

#MeToo

Still using a leaded tin (Sn60 ?, sticker unreadable)

Wolfgang

Basically, the issue is paraffin waxes and tars precipitating in the lungs - from whence they are not ejected.

And, Jeff, where you solder, the rosin fumes would not stand a chance! Too much fresh air.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Well, to tell you the truth, I used to not worry about it either in the days when I could get true 60/40 solder from Radio Shack, but those days appear to be long gone. The last 8 oz one I ordered this past winter was from an Ebay vender who carried the "Chinese" 60/40. After some past experiences with Chinese electronics from there (Ebay) burning up, I am leery to trust the solder so decided to add a $13 filter to the box fan.

And it isn't just solder fumes either. I use a fair amount of heat shrink. Not sure what most use to heat it, but I like using a plain match from a match pack. Of course, the phosphorus then smells up the room for 30 min and sometimes I tend to overheat the heatshrink a bit with plastic odor, so the other reason for the fan filter.

I'll definitely find out how it does today as I have a fair amount of soldering in store as well as some heatshrinking.

Same here. If solder fumes are harmful I should have been dead 20 years ago. I solder six days a week.

I never had enough hands, so I would sometimes hold the solder in my teeth. I used to be smart....

What you want is true eutectic solder, 63/37. Accept no substitutes. Plenty of US sources as well.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

Just bought three pounds of vintage (BOW) 63/37 from ebay. $45 for all three including shipping, about as good as I can find.

Worked out well. Ran the box fan at both medium and high speeds with the filter across the front. I'm a little hesitant running the fan at max for extended periods because it seems like the filter constricts the input air flow. In any case, I did soldering, heat shrinking with matches since my lighter ran out of fuel, and even marked some wires with nail polish. No trouble at all. I expected the most lingering smell would be the nail polish, but even that I could barely detect. For $13 and the cheap box fan I already had, job well done!

The best easy way it to check the melting point. Heat someting up and measure the temperature then touch the solder to it. Raise the temperature 10 deg F at a time . There are charts to tell the melting temperature of the mixes. Most plumbing solder is the 50/50 mix and usually too thick to do much electronic work.

Why is 60/40 Sn/Pb bad? Have had Kester 60/40 as general purpose solder for years.

Why eutectic solder? AFAIK, the only difference is the single melt/freeze point at 183 degrees C vs a melt range of 183-192 C. J

or years.

point at 183 degrees C vs a melt range of 183-192 C.

It is the plastic state that leads to cold-solders. The smallest bit of mov ement during the cooling period (and for 9 degrees C, that can be several s econds) can and will lead to failures as soon as immediately, but more typi cally over time. Further, many will be invisible. prior to that failure. Fu rther, these sorts of problems tend to include a lot of heat at the bad joi nt, leading to the potential for cascade failures. Using a true eutectic s older eliminates the concern.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA

This is what I've been using for quite some time after getting tired of comparing and contrasting filter fan set ups made for the purpose.

With these filters, I just shell out about $12 every 3 months or so, place over the box fan opening, and forget it.

I can be 2-3 feet away from the set up and smoke still gets drawn in.

At first, I had concerns that the vacuumed air, which you can definitely

feel as it works, might interfere with the solder temp and make soldering more difficult, but I found that not to be the case.

As you found out, there is a certain amount of stress placed on the fan motor of course as the filter over the front restricts air flow slightly

due to the filtering action, but I run it many hours each day with no issues.

Had initial problems with where to place the rather large set up, but I designated a special spot out of the way just beyond the end of my workbench.

I couldn't be happier and sure beats the commercial solder fume fans on many levels!

Never had a problem with kester #44 60/40. Works great, every time. How life changing can this this 63/37 stuff be?

I do not trust in pure blind luck being 100% effective 100% of the time. 63/37 solder removes some of that need.

Peter Wieck Melrose Park, PA