RoHS Lead free solder is a nightmare for electronics.

A couple of things I wish to discuss. If you buy an expensive piece of electronics and it is marked RoHS (Lead Free Solder), I would make sure to invest in a warranty. The solder does not flow good on the components when boards are being manufactured using lead free solder. Another problem with fine pitch electronics is whiskers growing from the solder and shorting IC's. Strange phenomena indeed.... The big issue however is if you drop an item or it receives a shock. That seems to spell disaster for the leads on the IC's that aren't really soldered down, which causes failure.

Taking lead out of solder was the biggest mistake ever.

Hungarian Wrote:
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> A couple of things I wish to discuss. If you buy
> an expensive piece of electronics and it is marked
> RoHS (Lead Free Solder), I would make sure to
> invest in a warranty. The solder does not flow
> good on the components when boards are being
> manufactured using lead free solder. Another
> problem with fine pitch electronics is whiskers
> growing from the solder and shorting IC's. Strange
> phenomena indeed.... The big issue however is if
> you drop an item or it receives a shock. That
> seems to spell disaster for the leads on the IC's
> that aren't really soldered down, which causes
> failure.
>
> Taking lead out of solder was the biggest mistake
> ever.
I hear you. I'm a plumber and when the 50/50 solder went bye bye we were left with this no lead solder that took more heat and had a small window of flow without burning the flux out. It took forever to get used to that stuff! About 10 years ago I started using the silver bearing solder and it's much better to work with. Now most everything is PEX tubing.

I've been away from electronics repair for 12 years. Didn't realize the lead was taken out. Some good info here. Thanks

At the Nuclear Plant they were called "tin whiskers" we had an advisory note from Westinghouse and IF I remember correctly an NRC directive to inspect all electronic control boards for those pesky tin whiskers at the next shutdown. Apparently were the cause of a plant trip or two. It is a strange phenomenon that such a small almost microscopic "whisker" will grow and short out IC's. Lots of info on them from NASA on the web.....

Cliff

Some more Politically Correct EPA BS--the Columbia shuttle was a victim of changing to a more"green" adhesive that was used to hold the insulation in place and people paid with their lives,BUT we did it"fo de chilluns".