Someone should snag this

[ilan]

you'll need a powerful soldering iron (40W and above) to get the old solder off and the new on. RIC uses solder that could glue a battleship together.

For occasions like this I pull out the clothes iron. Also good for defretting.

[ben_brown]

.....you'll need a powerful soldering iron (40W and above) to get the old solder off and the new on. RIC uses solder that could glue a battleship together.

Solder is solder. It's all the same on electronics equipment these days. -Rosen core solder- Acid core solder was used many years ago but it was done away with because it ate up the connections after a a few years. The only reason you might need a hotter soldering iron/gun is to heat up the ground connection on the body of the pots....and some basic soldering skills. I should know...I used to do it for a living. The only solder I've ever dealt with that's harder to work with is when sweating copper pipe together. You need a torch for that.

[johnallg]

Long copper pipes make great heat sinks and heat wicks. Thus the torch. And you need to use rosin paste with the solder used with torches. That solder does not have a rosin core, thus the more heat needed to melt it.

[ben_brown]

Nothin' gets past you ...huh John....

[johnallg]

Nope! Just bored tonight. Not much going on here at the big W after I got sound levels to a remote station set.

[windchimp]

Solder isn't what it used to be...

Nowadays most electronics is glued together with lead-free solder (junk) which melts at a much higher temperature. Good old tin-lead (63/37) melts around 185C, whereas the junk around today (lots of tin/silver/copper) melts at 220C and above. Reworking the newer alloys is a nightmare.

We can thank the EU for this - they began it all a few years back with something called "RoHS" which restricts various substances in electronics, lead in solder being one of them. The world quickly turned manufacturing processes over to the new materials so they could place their goods on the European market. Now other major markets like China have followed suit. Pick up anything that's soldered together nowadays and you'll likely see a "RoHS" label somewhere on it.

These newer lead-free solders are problematic - the connection is brittle (leading to cracks and fractured joints) and a phenomena known as "tin whiskers" - my PC needs a shave! Heard about those X-BOX problems...lead free solder at it's best! I work in the aerospace industry and trust me, this is a MAJOR nightmare for us!

Now this leads to the question - anyone know what RIC is using these days?

[johnallg]

John has stated on the RIC forums that he has worked hard to comply with RoHS, but nothing specific about solder type.

[jnbass]

Oh, and thanks for the heads up!

He scores!

[rickfan60]

Solder isn't what it used to be...

Nowadays most electronics is glued together with lead-free solder (junk) which melts at a much higher temperature. Good old tin-lead (63/37) melts around 185C, whereas the junk around today (lots of tin/silver/copper) melts at 220C and above. Reworking the newer alloys is a nightmare.

We can thank the EU for this - they began it all a few years back with something called "RoHS" which restricts various substances in electronics, lead in solder being one of them. The world quickly turned manufacturing processes over to the new materials so they could place their goods on the European market. Now other major markets like China have followed suit. Pick up anything that's soldered together nowadays and you'll likely see a "RoHS" label somewhere on it.

These newer lead-free solders are problematic - the connection is brittle (leading to cracks and fractured joints) and a phenomena known as "tin whiskers" - my PC needs a shave! Heard about those X-BOX problems...lead free solder at it's best! I work in the aerospace industry and trust me, this is a MAJOR nightmare for us!

Now this leads to the question - anyone know what RIC is using these days?

Yes, tin whiskers are an interesting and troubling phenomenon. Somewhat random (and nearly invisible) bridges of metal connecting critical components could have catastrophic results.

[windchimp]

Yes, tin whiskers are an interesting and troubling phenomenon. Somewhat random (and nearly invisible) bridges of metal connecting critical components could have catastrophic results.

Critical when the engines quit at 35,000 feet...ooooppps! I'm not as concerned with the whiskers on the Ricks as the brittle solder joints. Whiskers are actually more of a problem with fine-pitch electronics, like, oh say, amps?!!

I'll just sit back with my tinfoil hat and enjoy the show!