Old Solder

[Joe]

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe

 

[John Fields]

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:19:10 -0700, none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

---
Dunno.

I've got rolls of Kester and Ersin that I bought years and years ago
where I can still smell the fresh Frankincense and Myrrh and are hard
to make a cold joint with, and I've got some Alpha and some other
brand that I wouldn't use on plumbing without external flux.

Do you know whose solder you're using?

 

[Grant]

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:19:10 -0700, none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

Got to try it, I think. I don't like using solder so old it's turned
black.

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

I've seen really old solder where the rosin leaked out the end or oozed
out along the solder wire.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

Not that I know of, but oldest solder I have here is only ten or twelve
years, it used to be in the boot of a previous car, it's really dirty
so I left it in a box somewhere.

Grant.

 

[Michael Robinson]

"Joe" <none@given.now> wrote in message
news:none-0307101819110001@dialup-4.231.175.251.dial1.losangeles1.level3.net...

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe

Maybe the rosin dried out.
Also you need a clean surface for the solder to flow onto. Even with good
solder, you can have problems if the copper is oxidized and dirty. It's
very hard to solder to tarnished copper parts.
If cleaning is impractical, it helps to dab some flux on it before
attempting to solder.
How heavy was the part or wire you were soldering? The soldering tip must
have more thermal mass than the part you're soldering.

 

[Joe]

In article <lppv261quq572fj413r2uaupde4a5pvtua@4ax.com>, John Fields
<jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:19:10 -0700, none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

---
Dunno.

I've got rolls of Kester and Ersin that I bought years and years ago
where I can still smell the fresh Frankincense and Myrrh and are hard
to make a cold joint with, and I've got some Alpha and some other
brand that I wouldn't use on plumbing without external flux.

Do you know whose solder you're using?

John,

I have two spools of Radio Shack 63/37 rosin-core solder. One of the
spools is almost empty (the one that I had the problem trying to solder
with), the other looks at least half full.

Both spools have the Radio Shack stock number 64-015, but they have
different artwork on their labels, and the old plastic spool is black, the
newer plastic spool is white.

The older spool quite possibly dates back to around 1980.

--- Joe

 

On Jul 3, 6:19 pm, n...@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer.  It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder?  It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

---  Joe

I have some Ersin I bought around 1990 - about 6 oz. left. Had no
problem with it last week.

G˛

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I've never heard of rosin-core solder drying out. It would probably take a
lot longer than just a few years to deteriorate to the point where the flux
no longer "fluxed". Perfumes that still smelled have been found in pyramids.

 

[Michael A. Terrell]

Joe wrote:

In article <lppv261quq572fj413r2uaupde4a5pvtua@4ax.com>, John Fields
jfields@austininstruments.com> wrote:

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:19:10 -0700, none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

---
Dunno.

I've got rolls of Kester and Ersin that I bought years and years ago
where I can still smell the fresh Frankincense and Myrrh and are hard
to make a cold joint with, and I've got some Alpha and some other
brand that I wouldn't use on plumbing without external flux.

Do you know whose solder you're using?

John,

I have two spools of Radio Shack 63/37 rosin-core solder. One of the
spools is almost empty (the one that I had the problem trying to solder
with), the other looks at least half full.

Both spools have the Radio Shack stock number 64-015, but they have
different artwork on their labels, and the old plastic spool is black, the
newer plastic spool is white.

The older spool quite possibly dates back to around 1980.

Radio Shack solder was low quailty, years ago. I won't buy it. It
used a low grade flux, and the core was inconsistant. if you didn't see
smoke when you touched it to the work, then it had no flux. The rosin
is dry, anyway. It was the old acid core solder that was liquid.

Do yourself a HUGE favor and buy some Ersin/Multicore solder, and
some Kester RMA liquid flux. Between the two, there is little you can't
solder properly.


--
Anyone wanting to run for any political office in the US should have to
have a DD214, and a honorable discharge.

 

[Baron]

Joe Inscribed thus:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It
just need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was
that I had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on
probably a 5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering
attempt, there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux,
other than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like
the end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe

Not all solder wire has flux built in !
Also you might find that "Lead Free" solder is much harder to melt,
requiring a higher soldering iron temperature.

--
Best Regards:
Baron.

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I have a roll of solder that's maybe 25 years old.
The rosin doesn't evaporate.

I bought a big roll of Ersin 63/37 solder circa 1980, and it's still fine. I
assume the flux /will/ eventually "go bad", but that's likely to be long
after I'm dead.

PS: The spell checkers wants to change "Ersin" to "Resin". Fascinating.

 

[Geoffrey S. Mendelson]

William Sommerwerck wrote:

I've never heard of rosin-core solder drying out. It would probably take a
lot longer than just a few years to deteriorate to the point where the flux
no longer "fluxed". Perfumes that still smelled have been found in pyramids.

It's probably plumbing or stained glass window solder which did not have
flux in it. Remember "Old solders never die".

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson, Jerusalem, Israel gsm@mendelson.com N3OWJ/4X1GM
I do multitasking. If that bothers you, file a complaint and I will start
ignoring it immediately.

 

[Smitty Two]

In article
<none-0307101819110001@dialup-4.231.175.251.dial1.losangeles1.level3.net

,
none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe

I'm the militant s.e.r. liquid flux advocate. If you're going to solder
at all, especially to make repairs, you *need* liquid flux, period. One
of these days I'll make a video for youtube demonstrating how flux
facilitates soldering. I don't care if you think you've been soldering
fine without it for 50 years, if you don't use it, you have no idea what
you're missing.

 

[Meat Plow]

On Sat, 03 Jul 2010 18:19:10 -0700, Joe ǝʇoɹʍ:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It
just need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that
I had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on
probably a 5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering
attempt, there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux,
other than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like
the end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

I have a roll of solder that's maybe 25 years old. The rosin doesn't
evaporate.

 

[Tom Biasi]

"Smitty Two" <prestwhich@earthlink.net> wrote in message
newsrestwhich-137180.07284004072010@mx01.eternal-september.org...

In article
none-0307101819110001@dialup-4.231.175.251.dial1.losangeles1.level3.net
,
none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It
just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe

I'm the militant s.e.r. liquid flux advocate. If you're going to solder
at all, especially to make repairs, you *need* liquid flux, period. One
of these days I'll make a video for youtube demonstrating how flux
facilitates soldering. I don't care if you think you've been soldering
fine without it for 50 years, if you don't use it, you have no idea what
you're missing.
I don't agree. The flux contained in the solder is adequate for fairly clean

joints. If the joints are not clean and a little brush cleaning is not
possible then the liquid will be a help.
I use the liquid on old radio (1920- ) equipment because the copper is
usually in bad shape. On most modern jobs it will not be necessary to use
liquid in hand soldering.

Tom

 

[IanM]

Tom Biasi wrote:

"Smitty Two" <prestwhich@earthlink.net> wrote in message
newsrestwhich-137180.07284004072010@mx01.eternal-september.org...
In article
none-0307101819110001@dialup-4.231.175.251.dial1.losangeles1.level3.net
,
none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It
just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe
I'm the militant s.e.r. liquid flux advocate. If you're going to solder
at all, especially to make repairs, you *need* liquid flux, period. One
of these days I'll make a video for youtube demonstrating how flux
facilitates soldering. I don't care if you think you've been soldering
fine without it for 50 years, if you don't use it, you have no idea what
you're missing.
I don't agree. The flux contained in the solder is adequate for fairly clean
joints. If the joints are not clean and a little brush cleaning is not
possible then the liquid will be a help.
I use the liquid on old radio (1920- ) equipment because the copper is
usually in bad shape. On most modern jobs it will not be necessary to use
liquid in hand soldering.

Tom


Agreed. If the copper (or plating) is in bad shape, you need extra

flux, otherwise it's just extra mess. I use powdered rosin dissolved in
methylated spirits (or 95% alcahol or isopropanol) to make a
saturated solution and a toothpick or small brush to apply it. Although
there is no extra 'active' chemicals in it, just rosin does a good job
on joints that aren't badly contaminated.

It also is good for 'holding' a freshly cleaned copper board for a few
weeks while you are soldering up a project. If used sparingly on
individual joints then cleanup is little worse than with fluxcore
solder, though if you paint it on liberally, you will need to wash the
board THOROUGHLY, ideally IPA then hot water then mist with IPA, drain
and dry thoroughly.

I suspect the flux ran out while the solder was being extruded as Mr
M.Terrell pointed out up thread.

--
Ian Malcolm. London, ENGLAND. (NEWSGROUP REPLY PREFERRED)
ianm[at]the[dash]malcolms[dot]freeserve[dot]co[dot]uk
[at]=@, [dash]=- & [dot]=. *Warning* HTML & >32K emails --> NUL:

 

[whit3rd]

On Jul 4, 7:28 am, Smitty Two <prestwh...@earthlink.net> wrote:

In article
none-0307101819110...@dialup-4.231.175.251.dial1.losangeles1.level3.net



,
 n...@given.now (Joe) wrote:

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

No, but there IS faulty and inconsistent solder product in
the market... major brands (Kester, Multicore) are fine.

I'm the militant s.e.r. liquid flux advocate. If you're going to solder
at all, especially to make repairs, you *need* liquid flux, period.

I'll second that. A 2 oz. bottle of liquid flux, with an artist's
small
brush, always sits between my soldering iron and the magnifier
(so I can see bad joints, hit 'em with the flux, and reheat).

Rosin flux does develop clumps (probably just the alcohol
evaporating); the water-soluble type is just as good in its
own way (but you HAVE to rinse clean afterward).

 

[Ecnerwal]

In article
<none-0307101819110001@dialup-4.231.175.251.dial1.losangeles1.level3.net

,
none@given.now (Joe) wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.
....
Is there a definite life for unused solder?

I've got a roll or two of Multicore that's easily 3 decades old, and
still works fine. Now, when doing repairs, you are often up against a
filthy joint and the crufty remains of the flux last used, plus any dirt
or corrosion it's attracted since it was made - and there just might be
a layer of varnish or the like applied to the thing post-assembly to
additionally complicate life, and none of those will help a bit.

If you can't make it clean mechanically (the preferable option, IMHO),
additional flux might help.

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by

 

[David Nebenzahl]

On 7/4/2010 3:36 AM Michael A. Terrell spake thus:

Joe wrote:

I have two spools of Radio Shack 63/37 rosin-core solder. One of the
spools is almost empty (the one that I had the problem trying to solder
with), the other looks at least half full.

Both spools have the Radio Shack stock number 64-015, but they have
different artwork on their labels, and the old plastic spool is black, the
newer plastic spool is white.

The older spool quite possibly dates back to around 1980.

Radio Shack solder was low quailty, years ago. I won't buy it. It
used a low grade flux, and the core was inconsistant. if you didn't see
smoke when you touched it to the work, then it had no flux. The rosin
is dry, anyway. It was the old acid core solder that was liquid.

Not *necessarily* true that RS solder was low quality: I have a roll
I've probably had for 20 years, RS # 64-009A, 60/40, .032 dia. (I call
it "angel-hair pasta") standard rosin-core. Works great.

Dunno about their other solders, nor about what they currently sell,
which could well be crap.

Sounds like what the O.P. was using wasn't rosin-core, anyhow. The flux
doesn't disappear since it's solid.


--
The fashion in killing has an insouciant, flirty style this spring,
with the flaunting of well-defined muscle, wrapped in flags.

- Comment from an article on Antiwar.com (http://antiwar.com)

 

[Archon]

On 7/3/2010 9:19 PM, Joe wrote:

A couple of days ago I did a small repair to an electronic timer. It just
need a bit of solder to reconnect a wire.

I had a devil of a time with that small repair, the solder just didn't
want to flow over the wire and onto the pad on the PCB.

A little while later, it occurred to me that maybe the problem was that I
had used some old solder - about a foot or so are remaining on probably a
5 or 10 foot spool.

The big Aha! came when I realized that all during that soldering attempt,
there was absolutely no odor of rosin flux.

Questions:

Are there any obvious ways to tell if old solder has lost its flux, other
than trying it out on say, soldering some scrap wire?

What happened to the rosin core of that solder? It doesn't look like the
end was left open.

Is there a definite life for unused solder?

--- Joe
Don't you know "old solders never die.............etc etc"

JC

 

[William Sommerwerck]

I'm the militant s.e.r. liquid flux advocate. If you're going to solder
at all, especially to make repairs, you *need* liquid flux, period.
One of these days I'll make a video for youtube demonstrating
how flux facilitates soldering. I don't care if you think you've been
soldering fine without it for 50 years, if you don't use it, you have
no idea what you're missing.

Never used anything but rosin core flux except to solder copper
pipe. Maybe you could "explain" what it is I might have been
missing over the last 30 years?

I've never had trouble "wetting" an old joint with a bit of new rosin-core
solder.