Silver bearing solder still has lead in it. It is usually only 2% silver. You probably won't benefit from it electrically. A good solder joint is the most important thing regardless of the solder used.
Silver solder is usually used in applications where a mechanical bond is necessary, rather than simply an electrical bond. It is used often in scale model building to connect metal parts, pipes, and fittings together. It is WAY strong compared to eutectic or 60/40 solder.
It still may have flux which can release fumes, and it still has lead.
plus it needs to get WAY hotter to melt, so you run a greater risk of damaging components due to overheating when using silver solder. Wire is particularly a pain because the insulation melts way before the solder!
Lead Free solder is usually tin and antimony. It is also often called "plumbers solder" and may also contain silver, but it is designed for applications where public safety is a concern (such as plumbing fixtures where water for human consumption may pass) as well as strength of mechanical bond. IT too has to get much hotter to melt, and is often used not with an iron but a butane torch. I have used it to make cables in a pinch, and it sucks trying to get the parts hot enouch to melt the solder before they are damaged.
63/37 is the best choice for electrical applications. It has a low melting temp, goes traight from a solid to a liquid and back again (no plastic phase), and allows you to apply as little heat to your work as possible. Electrically it is plenty conductive. (It probably makes your gear sound warm :grin: )
Look at some of the old "golden gear" and the blobs of solder you find inside. Now tell me how much difference you hink 2% silver will make to your signal integrity!
Shane
