[Elecraft] Organic Rosin Core Solder

[David A.Belsley]

Lyle:
    As a matter of interest, what are the possible advantages of such a 
solder that would warrant such special, unusual, and awkward attention?

thanks,

dave, w1euy



On May 14, 2005, at 6:26 PM, Lyle Johnson wrote:

> First of all, you are correct, it is corrosion.  I have used plenty of 
> Kester Organic Core Solder, Flux 331.  I still use it a lot.
>
> The rules I follow are:
>
> 1) note the time the first solder joint is made.
>
> 2) not more than 1 hour later I take the work in progress to the sink 
> and run lots of hot water over it.  Sometimes I use an old toothbrush 
> to be sure things are scrubbed clean.
>
> My friend who builds spacecraft flight boards uses a 30-minute timer 
> rather than 1 hour.
>
> 3) I then dry the board and continue building, restarting the clock at 
> step (1) with the next solder connection.
>
> ***
>
> I have had some luck cleaning up neglected, starting-to-corrode solder 
> joints by resoldering them with yet more flux and then thoroughly 
> rinsing with hot (tap) water.  Alcohol doesn't work with this stuff, 
> you need warm-to-hot water.  This may not work, but the grainy 
> gray-green corrosion will only get worse with time, so the additional 
> risk is slight.
>
> /* lawyer speak on
>
> Naturally, the risk is yours and I am not advocating anything here! 
> This is not advice.  It is only an indication of what I might do, not 
> what you should do.
>
> /*lawyer speak off
>
> A final point: never use this type of flux when soldering stranded 
> wire.  It will wick up into the wire, you cannot clean it, and the 
> wire joint will corrode and fail.  Probably on Field Day...
>
> Enjoy!
>
> Lyle KK7P
>
> PS - this is *not* an endorsement or even a suggestion to use water 
> soluble flux!!! LJ
>
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