Topband: Soldering ground radials

[Nick Hall-Patch]

At 07:23 17/12/2006, you wrote:

>Years ago I had a radial system soldered together using regular lead/tin
>acid core solder.  I had to re-solder the radials about once a month.
>Otherwise, the solder turned to a white powder, and the soldered connections
>simply fell apart.

Does anyone know what this "white powder" is, and why soldered 
connections seem prone to it in moist atmospheres?   I've just opened 
up the transformer box for one of my Flag antennas, and although 
there's a bleed hole in the box, there's likely always a bit of 
moisture in there during our wet, cool Northwest winters.

All the soldered connections (rosin-core) in the box are covered in a 
white powder after about a year outside, and in fact, so are the 
tinned leads of capacitors.   Probably silver solder isn't an option 
with the thin enamel wire leads from the matching transformer, so is 
one stuck with resoldering connections every year?   With two 10 kw 
local AM BCB transmitters  (directional at my backyard), producing 
mixing products in bad solder joints is a concern.

best wishes,

Nick

VE7DXR


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Nick Hall-Patch
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

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