[Elecraft] OT: RoHS Solder/ Was: A Quick Question About Solder

[paul alexander]

I work as a design engineer in the medical electronics industry and am
well aware of both the domestic and international requirements as well
as the implications of removing the lead from solder.

My chief concern is with tin whiskering. Eventually small strands of
tin "hair" grow amongst component pins, causing short circuits, which
lead to circuit malfunctions.  Eventually, your radio becomes an
expensive paperweight.

No, conformally coating the boards does not stop the problem.

I know that all the Japanese radios are intended for the world market
and must be manufactured for the lowest common denominator, RoHS
compliance.  Since I rarely purchase new HF radios (my last was in
1982), I wanted this one to last me for a while.  This became even
more important when I considered the fact that I was spending about
$3000 for a radio.  Elecraft's assurance that the radio was built on a
leaded soldering process was a major factor in deciding to purchase
the K3.

Unfortunately, with the push to become RoHS compliant, the component
manufacturers have virtually stopped making leaded components.  This
means that we can still see internal failures of the components, and
is well beyond even Elecraft's control.  This also means that some
customers (military and aerospace) who think they are immune to the
effects of RoHS will have some major difficulties ahead.

As a side note, solder is not the only thing effected by RoHS.  RoHS
covers the entire product, including the metallic chassis parts and
the plastics that are so common in electronics devices.  Many plastics
use lead as a stabilizer and can no longer be used.  RoHS also
prohibits the use of other heavy metals, such as cadmium, which is
used as a plating on metal parts.  Bromine, a fire retardant in many
plastics used in semiconductor casings and circuit boards, has also
been eleminated.  It is my belief that the days of picking up a usable
20 year old radio at a hamfest will soon be over.

Paul Alexander
wb9ipa