Lead-free soldering

[PaulJ]

I still use lead solder because I like the joints it creates. Every encounter with no lead solder has not been pleasant. Since they still sell leaded solder I can only assume its ok. I believe all commercial soldering is no lead (ROHS)

[exxos]

According to the EU Environmental Protection Directive ROHS, lead may not be used in the manufacture of electronics to be placed on the market. It may be used for repair of equipment put on the market before the directive came into force, and there is no prohibition for use for prototypes and experimental purposes.

Yeah the current legislation is that lead free should be used on new equipment produced after legislation came out.. Though China is still churning out leaded stuff like crazy as lead-free is more expensive. Advantage of China not being in the EU I guess though I don't know where the legislation lies with import and export of new goods. We are all retro people anyway, using leaded stuff. Mostly repair work and prototypes etc.. That's my story anyway and I'm sticking to it

[exxos]

I still use lead solder because I like the joints it creates. Every encounter with no lead solder has not been pleasant. Since they still sell leaded solder I can only assume its ok. I believe all commercial soldering is no lead (ROHS)

It's not illegal to sell it and use it, but the mass produced equipment on the general market is more of a problem. I would assume there is some EU directive banning the import and export of any equipment which isn't ROHS Compliant.

Give it a few years, they will be banning leadfree solder because they found it is more toxic than the leaded stuff

[troed]

I have some trust in Sparkfun btw, just saw that Electrokit is selling this:

We don’t want to hype this solder TOO much, but this could possibly be the best solder in the world. There, we’ve said it. This is a special blend made specifically for us and we love it. It all started as a quest to find the best solder to use in our production process and ended up being the best we’ve tried. The best part is that it’s lead free and has a water-soluble flux core.

This package contains 1/4lb (113g) of solder and has a diameter of 0.032″ (0.8mm).

Mix: 96.35% Sn (Tin), 3.0% Ag (Silver), 0.5% Cu (Copper), 0.15% Sb (Antimony).

(the quote is surely by Sparkfun, Electrokit is a Swedish company and doesn't do English product descriptions)

https://www.electrokit.com/produkt/lodt ... blandning/

[exxos]

cool,I guess if I match the same composition in Farnell the same stuff..

[troed]

cool,I guess if I match the same composition in Farnell the same stuff..

Well the composition of the flux core might not be.

[exxos]

Well the composition of the flux core might not be.

https://uk.farnell.com/w/c/tools-produc ... ree+solder

There is that many versions of this solder it is unbelievable

Looks like this is one of the reels I have... Might give it another try out with something..

https://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/595021 ... dp/5071306

[Smonson]

I still use classic 60/40. Over here in Australia the more we can do to damage the environment, the more we like it!

Take that, groundwater table!

[exxos]

[sandord]

Too much lead makes you go