Lead free solder
- Thread starter Sorr
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Help Support GroupDIY Audio Forum:
NewYorkDave
Well-known member
There's already a thread about this in the Brewery:
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=24307
http://www.groupdiy.com/index.php?topic=24307
Jim Zuehsow
Well-known member
Watch the Dr. Howard Johnson video with his expert. This RoHS thing is a total knee-jerk reaction to a problem that doesn't exist. You'll notice the military has set up new MIL standards which specify no non-lead solder is allowed it their electronics.
The part about the tin whiskers is interesting, and in the telco industry, the Bell System (AT&T) used to have a lot of problems with whiskers in crystal filters used to mux analog channels together. Bell Labs came up with a solution and there was a routine where you would charge a capacitor and go across the filter terminals to zap the whiskers.
Jim Zuehsow
The part about the tin whiskers is interesting, and in the telco industry, the Bell System (AT&T) used to have a lot of problems with whiskers in crystal filters used to mux analog channels together. Bell Labs came up with a solution and there was a routine where you would charge a capacitor and go across the filter terminals to zap the whiskers.
Jim Zuehsow
Mendelt
Well-known member
XBox 360's seem to be failing because they used the wrong lead-free solder. Solder joints get brittle when exposed to higher temperatures for longer periods and the insides of those machines can get pretty warm.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_technical_problems
failure rates seem to be somewhere around 33%.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360_technical_problems
failure rates seem to be somewhere around 33%.
mikep
Well-known member
[quote author="Jim Zuehsow"]You'll notice the military has set up new MIL standards which specify no non-lead solder is allowed it their electronics.[/quote]
yup. I dont have much expereince with lead-free for just this reason. I had a discussion about lead free solder just the other day with the head manufacturing engineer at the surface mount assembly house my company uses. they do both lead and row-house. I was hoping to get the inside scoop on which lead-free paste was the best but I was kindof shocked. he said in his opinion it is still not really ready for prime time. not just military, also hi-spec medical devices, and anything strictly for domestic USA are still using lead based.
IMO a good policy for audio equipment manufacturers would be to sell lead to the US market, lead-free to the EU. with no warranty for EU versions!!! maybe that will send a message.
mike p
yup. I dont have much expereince with lead-free for just this reason. I had a discussion about lead free solder just the other day with the head manufacturing engineer at the surface mount assembly house my company uses. they do both lead and row-house. I was hoping to get the inside scoop on which lead-free paste was the best but I was kindof shocked. he said in his opinion it is still not really ready for prime time. not just military, also hi-spec medical devices, and anything strictly for domestic USA are still using lead based.
IMO a good policy for audio equipment manufacturers would be to sell lead to the US market, lead-free to the EU. with no warranty for EU versions!!! maybe that will send a message.
mike p
clintrubber
Well-known member
How about gear that's not getting very hot but gets kicked around a bit ?
Can't image companies like say Boss would like to see their 5ppm stompbox-failure-rate go down the drain because they need to use silly solder... :?
Can't image companies like say Boss would like to see their 5ppm stompbox-failure-rate go down the drain because they need to use silly solder... :?
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