Actually I doubt the plumbers flux I use is acid.
UK building regulations are also affected by the dreaded RoHS so things like corrosive fluxes aren't allowed any more. It was some years ago that building suppliers stopped stocking Fry Fluxite (zinc chloride) I still find uses for this flux in certain jobs and finally found a power tool supplier that could order it..
I think Tarn-X is a good idea. I've never thought to use it. I hate working on wire in this condition, but sometimes you have to. So next time I'll try the tarn-x and see if it works.
On 2/16/2009 8:55 AM ian field spake thus:
So you actually don't know what is or isn't in it. (I don't either.) Might be worthwhile rooting around to try to find its contents (either online, in a MSDS or from a supplier). My guess is that it is, in fact, an acid flux.
I think you misunderstand RoHS and other regs; they don't seek to ban anything corrosive, just regulate substances that are hazardous. I seriously doubt that acid fluxes have been banned outright, or that they ever will.
Fine-grade sandpaper, or scraping, are also good alternatives... mechanical removal of the oxidation/corrosion works well in many cases.
I've even learned to give the leads of resistors and capacitors a quick scrape with the blade of a pair of diagonal cutters, before soldering them to a PC board or to other component leads when doing "ugly" construction. Few things are easier to solder than just-scraped copper/tin/lead.
"Michael Kennedy" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com:
back when TEK tube scopes were common,I used to use Tarn-X in a spray bottle to clean the silver switch contacts,then wash the entire scope,then
3 days in the drying oven.It saved having to replace some complex switch assemblies.
Capillary action will pull acid up the insulation when heated and down the road the joint will fail.
46 years of soldering and still learning new "Tricks".
How so?
Next time you two clowns have a thought, just let it go, m'kay?
Next time you two clowns have a thought, just let it go, m'kay?
PHucker is a well known troll who bullshits in groups on topics he knows absolutely nothing about - he's already been laughed out of all the sci.electronics groups for spouting BS to guys who design chips and aerospace gear - his "home haunt" is alt.binaries.chatter .
He's busy making a fool of himself in a thread crossposted to the news:rec.crafts.metalworking newsgroup, too.
He and Krusty are well suited as a team, then.
-- BMW K1100LT Ducati 750SS Honda CB400F SH50 If you don't know what you're doing, don't do it. Workshop manual? Buy one instead of asking where the free PDFs are chateau dot murray at idnet dot com
Only on cold days...cold being UNDER 35F. Well that's my definition, what would I know I've installed AC compressor units when it was 25F. Getting the torch lit was the hardest part as the winds were a good bit over 25mph that day. 8^(
Electric soldering irons shouldn't be bothered on windy days unless it's damn cold.
-- Temperature controlled soldering irons should cope unless its *BLOODY* cold, the cheaper ones with no thermostat are regulated (of sorts) by a positive temperature coefficient in the resistance wire the element is wound with. As the element heats up it's resistance increases so the current draw levels off, conversely if its cooled the resistance reduces increasing the current draw.
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