Does multicore solder deteriorate with age?

J

Jack Jones

Guest
In a burst of enthusiasm when I was much younger, I bought a large reel
of solder which I barely used.

It must have been at least 20 or more years ago. It looks similar to
this:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C557130-01.jpg

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40 multicore
of mine have deteriorated?

I'm thinking the rosin in the multicores may have gone off in some way
because when I tin the tip and then leave it unused for 10 minutes, it
turns brown and uneven on the tip. I'm using brand new tips.

Maybe this is normal and happens even with less old 60/40 solder?
 
Jack Jones wrote:
In a burst of enthusiasm when I was much younger, I bought a large reel
of solder which I barely used.

It must have been at least 20 or more years ago. It looks similar to this:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C557130-01.jpg

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40 multicore
of mine have deteriorated?

I'm thinking the rosin in the multicores may have gone off in some way
because when I tin the tip and then leave it unused for 10 minutes, it
turns brown and uneven on the tip. I'm using brand new tips.

Maybe this is normal and happens even with less old 60/40 solder?
Click to expand...
It's normal:

Wipe the unused solder's grey oxide layer off with a tissue taking care
not to stretch the solder and break up the flux inside it and then see
how it solders.

Rosin flux always goes brown as the volatiles come off as smoke and then
the remainder goes brown and then black. That's why you have a damp
sponge handy to wipe off the gunk with.
 
In message <mn.53347d941293c360.100014@news.motzarella.org>, Jack Jones
<jonesj@googlemail.com> writes
In a burst of enthusiasm when I was much younger, I bought a large reel
of solder which I barely used.

It must have been at least 20 or more years ago. It looks similar to
this:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C557130-01.jpg

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40 multicore
of mine have deteriorated?

I'm thinking the rosin in the multicores may have gone off in some way
because when I tin the tip and then leave it unused for 10 minutes, it
turns brown and uneven on the tip. I'm using brand new tips.

Maybe this is normal and happens even with less old 60/40 solder?

Unlikely. I've got solder from over 40 years ago, and I can't say I've
Click to expand...
noticed any oddities with it. Are your new tips hotter than they used to
be? Does your iron have a thermostat, and is it stuck? Have you tried a
different iron?
--
Ian
 
won't be any good...you need the new improved DIGITAL solder with things
removed so you don't hurt yourself .......
 
In message <mn.53347d941293c360.100014@news.motzarella.org>, Jack Jones
<jonesj@googlemail.com> writes
In a burst of enthusiasm when I was much younger, I bought a large reel
of solder which I barely used.

It must have been at least 20 or more years ago. It looks similar to
this:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C557130-01.jpg

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40 multicore
of mine have deteriorated?

I'm thinking the rosin in the multicores may have gone off in some way
because when I tin the tip and then leave it unused for 10 minutes, it
turns brown and uneven on the tip. I'm using brand new tips.

Maybe this is normal and happens even with less old 60/40 solder?
Click to expand...
Solder flux was definitely different - I was convinced it smelled
different in the 1960s

And I dug this up :-

"As I mentioned, pine rosin is often the main ingredient of the
flux. In a pinch, I have used raw rosin scraped from a pine tree,
but the smell is pretty bad. [Still, I prefer it to the perfume
several manufacturers added to solder in the 1960's that smelled
of cheap incense. But hey, it WAS the 1960's.]"

Http://yarchive.net/metal/soldering_flux.html

Brian
--
Brian Howie
 
Jack Jones wrote:

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40 multicore
of mine have deteriorated?
Click to expand...
Sad to say it has definitely gone off. Safe disposal will be costly so
please pack it carefully and send it to me QTHR where I will dispose of
it at no cost to you (probably on ebay).

I have solder well over 20 years old that is still fine to use...

--
Visit the Amazing Online Fleamarket at http://www.fleamarket.org.uk

Always lots of amateur radio gear!
 
In message <lIudneoXw42sCELUnZ2dnUVZ8tZi4p2d@bt.com>, Richard G3CWI
<g3cwi@tesco.net> writes
Jack Jones wrote:

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40
multicore of mine have deteriorated?

Sad to say it has definitely gone off. Safe disposal will be costly so
please pack it carefully and send it to me QTHR where I will dispose of
it at no cost to you (probably on ebay).

I have solder well over 20 years old that is still fine to use...

I was also going to suggest that, but I realised that it would be being
Click to expand...
a bit cheeky!
--
 
Theo wrote:
For rosin read resin.
Or as multicore called it - "Ersin"
Click to expand...
As a youth I used Bakers Soldering Flux and Aluminium foil to make
Hydrogen for our lighter than air balloons. Bakers Soldering Flux was
32% Hydrochloric Acid.
 
Jack Jones wrote:

In a burst of enthusiasm when I was much younger, I bought a large reel
of solder which I barely used.

It must have been at least 20 or more years ago. It looks similar to
this:
http://img-europe.electrocomponents.com/largeimages/C557130-01.jpg

Now I need to do some soldering again. Would that old 60/40 multicore
of mine have deteriorated?
Click to expand...
I have an ancient reel of solder. I can't say I've noticed it 'go off'. It
may vary with the flux formulation.

Graham
 
A few years back I bought a pound roll of fine Ersin multicore. I do so
little soldering nowadays that this roll is likely to outlast me, even if I
live another 20 years.

The flux isn't exposed to air, so the only way it can deteriorate is the
normal thermal degradation that any organic substance undergoes. I suspect
this occurs very slowly.

Again, we turn to the Lady from Philadelphia for advice: "Why don't you just
try soldering few test joints and seeing how well the solder works?" Duh.

PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels on
the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really /don't/
believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the water
supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the amount of
lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any hard science on
this?), while the reliability of electronic products is likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).
 
In article <grpvif$6te$1@news.motzarella.org>,
William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:
PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels
on the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really
/don't/ believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the
water supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the
amount of lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any
hard science on this?), while the reliability of electronic products is
likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).
Click to expand...
I believe - in Europe at least - it's more to do with H&S in the work
place rather than the environment.

--
*Money isn‘t everything, but it sure keeps the kids in touch

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.
 
"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message
news:504a4ce2e9dave@davenoise.co.uk...
In article <grpvif$6te$1@news.motzarella.org>,
William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:

PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels
on the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really
/don't/ believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the
water supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the
amount of lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any
hard science on this?), while the reliability of electronic products is
likely to decline.
I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance.
The hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).

I believe -- in Europe at least -- it's more to do with H&S in the work
place rather than the environment.
Click to expand...
I know of no cases of lead poisoning from the use of lead-based solder. I
touch solder directly when I work with it, and am not worried about lead
getting into my system.

I have no argument with people worrying about the huge amounts of electronic
equipment being dumped into landfills. The issue is whether potentially
hazardous substances in that equipment actually get into the air or water.
 
In message <504a4ce2e9dave@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)"
<dave@davenoise.co.uk> writes
In article <grpvif$6te$1@news.motzarella.org>,
William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:
PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels
on the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really
/don't/ believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the
water supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the
amount of lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any
hard science on this?), while the reliability of electronic products is
likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).

I believe - in Europe at least - it's more to do with H&S in the work
place rather than the environment.

More like job creation for the legislators in Brussels.
Click to expand...
--
Ian
 
"Davo" <Dave@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:49dfe231$1_7@news.peopletelecom.com.au...
Theo wrote:
For rosin read resin.
Or as multicore called it - "Ersin"



As a youth I used Bakers Soldering Flux and Aluminium foil to make
Hydrogen for our lighter than air balloons. Bakers Soldering Flux was 32%
Hydrochloric Acid.
Click to expand...
Caustic Soda and Aluminium works much better for producing hydrogen, but you
have to watch the temperature as the mixture gets mighty hot and tends to
produce steam too.

In the days of coal gas, I used to inflate balloons using our gas tap under
the sink. I once let one go with a card attached and I got a reply from over
100 miles away!

The gas we get now jest aint light enough!
 
William Sommerwerck wrote:

A few years back I bought a pound roll of fine Ersin multicore. I do so
little soldering nowadays that this roll is likely to outlast me, even if I
live another 20 years.

The flux isn't exposed to air, so the only way it can deteriorate is the
normal thermal degradation that any organic substance undergoes. I suspect
this occurs very slowly.

Again, we turn to the Lady from Philadelphia for advice: "Why don't you just
try soldering few test joints and seeing how well the solder works?" Duh.

PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels on
the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really /don't/
believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the water
supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the amount of
lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any hard science on
this?), while the reliability of electronic products is likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).
Click to expand...
You're quite right.

I discovered that the real reason for going lead-free ( at least in the EU ) was
to make recycling less hazardous, yet the associated WEEE ( recycling )
legislation is now about a decade behind. We have products here that have a
symbol that says they mustn't be disposed of with normal domestic waste, yet
nothing has been put in place to deal with it.

So what do people do ? They put it in with the normal domestic waste anyway.

In the meantime, commercial concerns have found that electronic waste has a
bitter taste and contains no profit to recycle, so THEY aren't going to do
anything about it.

And of course, the absence of lead leads to reduced product life and
unreliability, hence MORE total waste will result. Lead was added to tin in
solder precisely to make it more reliable in the first place.

This is what happens when 'politicians' run things. 'Off with their heads', I
say.

Graham
 
"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:

PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels
on the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really
/don't/ believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the
water supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the
amount of lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any
hard science on this?), while the reliability of electronic products is
likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).

I believe - in Europe at least - it's more to do with H&S in the work
place rather than the environment.
Click to expand...
Not even remotely. Aside from the non-existent electronics recycling plants.

Graham
 
William Sommerwerck wrote:

"Dave Plowman (News)" <dave@davenoise.co.uk> wrote in message
William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:

PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels
on the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really
/don't/ believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the
water supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the
amount of lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any
hard science on this?), while the reliability of electronic products is
likely to decline.
I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance.
The hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).

I believe -- in Europe at least -- it's more to do with H&S in the work
place rather than the environment.

I know of no cases of lead poisoning from the use of lead-based solder. I
touch solder directly when I work with it, and am not worried about lead
getting into my system.

I have no argument with people worrying about the huge amounts of electronic
equipment being dumped into landfills. The issue is whether potentially
hazardous substances in that equipment actually get into the air or water.
Click to expand...
Certainly in the UK, landfills should be surrounded by impermeable clay. The
likelihood of lead getting through that is miniscule ( as is the amount of lead
tipped ).

Graham
 
William Sommerwerck wrote:
A few years back I bought a pound roll of fine Ersin multicore. I do so
little soldering nowadays that this roll is likely to outlast me, even if I
live another 20 years.

The flux isn't exposed to air, so the only way it can deteriorate is the
normal thermal degradation that any organic substance undergoes. I suspect
this occurs very slowly.

Again, we turn to the Lady from Philadelphia for advice: "Why don't you just
try soldering few test joints and seeing how well the solder works?" Duh.

PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels on
the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really /don't/
believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the water
supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the amount of
lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any hard science on
this?), while the reliability of electronic products is likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).
Click to expand...
I'm not so sure, here in Western Australia we had hundreds, if not
thousands of birds literally falling out of the sky from lead poisoning.
The whole town of Esperance was polluted and had to be cleaned at great
expense. Lead is still being found in rainwater tanks.
Lead is a deadly poison that accumulates in the body, it's not excreted.
 
Ian Jackson wrote:

In message <504a4ce2e9dave@davenoise.co.uk>, "Dave Plowman (News)"
dave@davenoise.co.uk> writes
In article <grpvif$6te$1@news.motzarella.org>,
William Sommerwerck <grizzledgeezer@comcast.net> wrote:
PS: I'm bothered that electronic products increasingly have RoHS labels
on the box, and statements that they use non-lead solder. I really
/don't/ believe that a lot of lead is leaching from waste sites into the
water supply, so we aren't likely to see much, if any, reduction in the
amount of lead (and lead compounds) in our water supply (is there any
hard science on this?), while the reliability of electronic products is
likely to decline.

I like to say that there is no such thing as a hazardous substance. The
hazard occurs from how the substance is used (or misused).

I believe - in Europe at least - it's more to do with H&S in the work
place rather than the environment.

More like job creation for the legislators in Brussels.
Click to expand...
Oh those morons. They screwed this one up rotten. Heard of WEEE ? Implemented
nowhere as far as I can see. My local council didn't even reply to a request as
to where I should dispose of old computers or CFLs.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waste_Electrical_and_Electronic_Equipment_Directive

Graham
 
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