who cares about 10 mg lead on a tip for manual soldering?

Its only relevant for mass production, using automatic soldering.

Plus your forgetting company's use the same tools as we do and they must comply with law and do you think the will spend the money to make a separate line when they can have one that will work with both solders..

 

who cares about 10 mg lead on a tip for manual soldering?

Its only relevant for mass production, using automatic soldering.

Or, as indicated by the example I gave earlier, in situations where the presence of lead in the system, even in minute quantities, is unacceptable for technical reasons.

 

Its relevant for any product to be sold within the UK.

Hobby use, and repairing stuff originally made with 60/40 are among the exemptions.

How much lead the product would contain even if you deliberately use a tip that previously was used for lead soldering? A trace on a few joints?

 

How much lead the product would contain even if you deliberately use a tip that previously was used for lead soldering? A trace on a few joints?

AFAIK; RoHS certified manufacturers have to prove to inspectors that that sort of thing can't happen.

 

AFAIK; RoHS certified manufacturers have to prove to inspectors that that sort of thing can't happen.

Tin whisker promotion inspectors?

 

AFAIK; RoHS certified manufacturers have to prove to inspectors that that sort of thing can't happen.

you can have 0.1% lead.

You should seek professional adivce. Its just a phone call.

 

[QUOTE=" Can I, or can I not, use these lead free tips with lead solder?[/QUOTE]

My .02 ? It doesn't really matter from a tinkers' standpoint...

Cleanliness, flux, and enough heat are still the required elements of successful soldering


I have been using 63/37 on older pcbs, though for more modern gear, I've used lead-free interchangeably on tips for longer than this old brain [ 66 yr.] can remember... it doesn't seem to matter... not one whisker... ever...


When push comes to shove, tho'... Unless in critical industry...who is going to analyze a solder joint looking for miniscule amounts of lead anyway...

 

You can use soldering tips designated for lead-free for leaded solder. The lead-free tips are actually plated better due to the harshness of lead-free solder/the higher temperatures required and will probably last longer using leaded solder than the older tips that were not designated lead-free. Soldering tips all have a copper core and are plated/tinned over the core, with the tinning/plating being lead-free on the tips designated for lead-free soldering.

 

You can use soldering tips designated for lead-free for leaded solder. The lead-free tips are actually plated better due to the harshness of lead-free solder/the higher temperatures required and will probably last longer using leaded solder than the older tips that were not designated lead-free. Soldering tips all have a copper core and are plated/tinned over the core, with the tinning/plating being lead-free on the tips designated for lead-free soldering.

Its worth mentioning that Antex tips are not pre-tinned at the factory (its cheaper) - so you can tin them with whatever solder you want to.

This is a frequent topic because people don't realise they have to tin the tip before it gets hot enough to oxidise.

RoHS solder being harsh on the tips is just the cost of doing business - more frequent tip changes have the hidden advantage of reducing the chances of the tip seizing onto the iron. On some irons its practically impossible to remove a seized tip without wrecking the element.

 

I remember being issued some 2% or maybe it was 4% silver alloyed solder for reworking surface mounted caps and resistors due to the "tin whisker" problem.
Just sayin

 

I don't see why not, as long as your product/project is not subject to Rohs requirements. Personally, I use lead/tin/silver (and have for 30+ years) as it provides a beautiful shiny joint that a bit physically stronger than 60/40 or 63/37. As a bonus, it does not leach any silver plating from chip components. With two 1# spools of different gauges I pretty well set for a lifetime. LOL !

 

I don't see why not, as long as your product/project is not subject to Rohs requirements. Personally, I use lead/tin/silver (and have for 30+ years) as it provides a beautiful shiny joint that a bit physically stronger than 60/40 or 63/37. As a bonus, it does not leach any silver plating from chip components. With two 1# spools of different gauges I pretty well set for a lifetime. LOL !

Early on, RoHS solder was a disaster - I always reworked with 60/40, and the repairs always lasted longer than the new equipment had before it came to me.

The manufacturers seem to be getting on top of the problem now, so its probably worth using the "proper" solder for any reworking jobs.