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Re: [TowerTalk] Solder For Connectors

To: John Reilly <reillyjf@comcast.net>, "towertalk@contesting.com" <towertalk@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Solder For Connectors
From: Al Kozakiewicz <akozak@hourglass.com>
Date: Wed, 4 Nov 2015 01:26:48 +0000
List-post: <towertalk@contesting.com">mailto:towertalk@contesting.com>
For the ham, virtually no advantages and one major disadvantage.

RoHS is a regulatory environment specific to the EU that regulates the amount 
of lead that can be used in electronics that might end up in a landfill.  IMO, 
it has the same scientific basis as the anti-GMO movement (also peculiar to the 
EU) in that it consists more of worry than facts.

The main disadvantage to a ham is the higher melting point of the Sn/Ag and 
Sn/Ag/Cu solders, typically 40-80 degrees Fahrenheit higher than 63/37 or 60/40 
Sn/Pb solder. An inconvenience when soldering something with a large thermal 
mass (like the shell of a connector) or attempting a "toaster oven" assembly of 
SMD parts on a circuit board as the melting point is right at the temperature 
limit of your average Walmart toaster oven.

The big issue with RoHS when first introduced 12 years ago was the sudden 
increase in tin whiskers causing the failure of highly miniaturized systems.  
I, for one, would not want to have been one of the first patients to receive a 
RoHS compliant pacemaker. Which, by the way, wasn't going to end up in a 
landfill anyway unless you want to start calling cemeteries landfills! A lot of 
high-tech work has been done to mitigate this risk, but then it is not a 
problem that would affect anything a ham could solder without a microscope.

Al
AB2ZY

-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces@contesting.com] On Behalf Of John 
Reilly
Sent: Tuesday, November 03, 2015 7:53 PM
To: towertalk@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Solder For Connectors

What are the advantages/disadvantages of using silver solder? I never have 
gotten a clear understanding when silver solder is appropriate.
   - 73, John, N0TA
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