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Can one merely use Lead Solder with RoHS product? — Parallax Forums

Can one merely use Lead Solder with RoHS product?

LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
edited 2006-08-28 01:30 in General Discussion
I have soldered a lot of dis-similar metals over the years - copper, brass, iron, tin, nickel, silver, and so on.
One can even use aluminum if you can manage to break through the oxide coating long enough to get the solder to bond.

So it seems to me that I should be able to use lead solder on RoHS devices - like SMDs, sockets and components.
After all I am a hobbyist and not exporting to Europe.

Is there any reason to consider a special flux or special preparation?

As it is, I have quite a few older parts that I just want to mix as needed.

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"If you want more fiber, eat the package.· Not enough?· Eat the manual."········
···················· Tropical regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan

Comments

  • SuperwormsSuperworms Posts: 118
    edited 2006-08-27 15:09
    i think that you can since you are a hobbbies and not selling any prodects to eurpe

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    Equipped with his 5 senses, man explores the world around and calls his adventure science
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    -Edwin Hubble
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  • PJAllenPJAllen Banned Posts: 5,065
    edited 2006-08-27 16:24
    Most components had pre-tinned leads (sort of like pre-soldered), so flux was superfluous, IMHO, when placed on a tinned PC-Bd.· I'd wager that you could still solder them (RoHS) with Sn-Pb 60-40, but that you will need to get a flux pen or a flux bottle (flux in some form) for the solder to take.
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2006-08-27 18:27
    You shouldn't have any problem soldering most RoHS components which typically have tin plating, with leaded solder. The exception is BGA/PGA RoHS devices, which typically have SAC balls which require RoHS solder paste and correspondingly higher reflow soldering temperatures.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2006-08-27 18:29
    With everything going to surface mount, everyone is also say that lots of flux is necessary.
    AND that the water soluble flux is optimal [noparse][[/noparse]I guess the clean up is easy].

    I can live with that.

    I still wonder about the tiny,tiny components - like resistors and capacitors.
    I have been thinking that having all these 'tacked' in place with some kind of glue would make the soldering much easier.

    Epoxy and super glue seem a bit of over-kill. Maybe very unforgiving of rework.
    A wax of some kind might work and dissolve in solvent for clean up.

    Has anyone seen a commercial product?

    For now I am leaning toward tweezers, toothpicks as applicators, and super glue.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    "If you want more fiber, eat the package.· Not enough?· Eat the manual."········
    ···················· Tropical regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan
  • ForrestForrest Posts: 1,341
    edited 2006-08-28 00:31
    There are SMT adhesives on the market - typically used to hold large SMT components onto the bottom side of the board during reflow soldering. One example is Alpha Metals Epibond 7275 which is designed to be applied by an automated dot dispensing machine.

    You'll probably have better luck dispensing solder paste (90% solder balls and 10% aqueous or RMA/RA flux) and then reflow soldering in a converted toaster oven such as www.sparkfun.com/commerce/present.php?p=Reflow%20Toaster
  • mike_zmike_z Posts: 4
    edited 2006-08-28 01:30
    Years ago, I used to use bees wax to hold components and screws on to screwdrivers and CBs. Subsequently, it accrued to me that some flux are as sticky as bees wax. A “dot” of flux in the center of the IC pad might help hold the chip on the way to “Bake”.

    Ho ho ho , just a newbie
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