View Full Version : SOLDER 50/50 or 98/2?
Gk22CoE
11-12-2004, 11:31 AM
alright so i'm been soldering for a while now and have always been using 98/2 (tin/lead) solder. Recently in my chemisty book under alloys i looked up solder and found that 98/2 solder was for joining copper wires together and 50/50 solder is for joining two metals together. I have noticed that my solding doesn't look as good or hold as strong as pictures on these forums.
Is this the problem I've had? or is the secret in using enough flux?
CaTalyst.X
11-15-2004, 06:46 PM
grab some 62/36/2 Silver Bearing Solder from Radio shack, i use .022
-CaT
SN/Pb 60/40 or something close to that is best. The eutectic point is as low as you can get and the fracture point is reasonable. The lead free stuff we will all be using soon (leaded will not be available much longer) requires a higher temperature which can damage your componnents as well as the FR4 laminate.
Get your leaded solder while you can.
Hell-Fire
12-15-2004, 04:39 PM
SN/Pb 60/40 or something close to that is best. The eutectic point is as low as you can get and the fracture point is reasonable. The lead free stuff we will all be using soon (leaded will not be available much longer) requires a higher temperature which can damage your componnents as well as the FR4 laminate.
Get your leaded solder while you can.
Thats pretty much the perfect solder for our needs that you described.
In layman's terms, go to Radio Shack and buy 60/40 Rosin Core solder.
The Silver bearing solders, although they are quoted as making stronger bonds than Rosin core, require higher melt temps.
Tatewaki
12-20-2004, 08:33 AM
60/40? Eutectic solder is 63/37 tin/lead composition. With rosin core you can solder without additonal flux. Hi-lead 10/90 solder wire cannot be easily worked on without a lot of heat. Silver containing solders are future lead-free types which has higher melting pt than 63/37, but lower than 10/90
Dissolved
12-20-2004, 09:03 AM
Thats pretty much the perfect solder for our needs that you described.
In layman's terms, go to Radio Shack and buy 60/40 Rosin Core solder.
The Silver bearing solders, although they are quoted as making stronger bonds than Rosin core, require higher melt temps.
what he says...
I use .32 60/40 rosin core, from ratshack as well with a 15w iron. works good enough. the silver based solder might need a 25w iron to melt it, and those can do more damage then help, plus they burn you alot worse xD