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| Cored Solder - not behaving |
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| BenKenobi:
Posting this here to see if anyone can shed light - I'm no beginner but the responses may be useful to others. So - I have some 60/40 Multicore branded X32C solder that just won't flow, it isn't that old, it's 3 Core 1.5%, 22awg and it simply will not flow out - even if I use a flux pen in addition. It just beads regardless of temperature, whether I use the flux pen or not it doesn't matter (I tried this because I thought that 1.5% may be too little on a repair I'm doing) I've another roll of similar solder and it works a treat - must be 10 years old but it is absolutely no issue, 325 Deg. Yes the area has been cleaned, yes the pads have been tinned, yes I'm using a temperature controlled iron (CSI Premier 75W), I've tried temperatures between 275 and 350, I've tried with and without flux pen - this particular roll won't work no matter what I try. I don't think in 30+ years I've encountered anything like it, tempted just to throw it out but I'm too tight fisted to do so (I have 1kg of the stuff ...) Any suggestions ? |
| jmelson:
--- Quote from: BenKenobi on February 08, 2019, 12:33:38 pm ---So - I have some 60/40 Multicore branded X32C solder that just won't flow, it isn't that old, it's 3 Core 1.5%, 22awg and it simply will not flow out - even if I use a flux pen in addition. It just beads regardless of temperature, whether I use the flux pen or not it doesn't matter (I tried this because I thought that 1.5% may be too little on a repair I'm doing) I've another roll of similar solder and it works a treat - must be 10 years old but it is absolutely no issue, 325 Deg. Yes the area has been cleaned, yes the pads have been tinned, yes I'm using a temperature controlled iron (CSI Premier 75W), I've tried temperatures between 275 and 350, I've tried with and without flux pen - this particular roll won't work no matter what I try. I don't think in 30+ years I've encountered anything like it, tempted just to throw it out but I'm too tight fisted to do so (I have 1kg of the stuff ...) --- End quote --- Where did you get it from? Are you SURE it is genuine, or could it be a fake product? Cut it with an X-acto knife and verify it rally has the flux core(s) in it. If you can't identify the flux core, then it is almost certainly a fake. Have you tried soldering a bare copper wire joint? Maybe some weird incompatibility with the plating on the PC board is causing it. Just a few random thoughts. Jon |
| BenKenobi:
Actually came from one of our workshops when it got closed down, I've only recently found it amongst all kinds of other stuff. Historically the companies supplier was RS components, I can see what appears to be a core - too small to see clearly. It tins wires OK, but still doesn't flow how I'd expect, seems to prefer 300°C or slightly less, on vero board it doesn't work so well - it's almost 'sticky' if that makes any sense - once it is on the tip it is hard to get off (plated copper tips). To get a decent joint I need to dwell too long even with a tip far too large for what I'm doing - it almost behaves like lead free, adding extra flux from a pen doesn't seem to help. So I did a little more research - the flux it contains is a low fume halide free, and in the document below it is rated as a '2' for working with - "2 - very difficult to work with, time consuming, solder not flowing properly" So this is a characteristic of the solder and attempts to reduce the fumes - time to buy some good ol 5 core ... https://www.sserc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Solder_Fume_Control.pdf |
| jmelson:
--- Quote from: BenKenobi on February 08, 2019, 09:55:59 pm --- So I did a little more research - the flux it contains is a low fume halide free, and in the document below it is rated as a '2' for working with - "2 - very difficult to work with, time consuming, solder not flowing properly" --- End quote --- OK, if it has some low-performing flux that has THEN degraded to even worse performance, I can imagine this might be what you are experiencing. And, some badly degraded flux might interfere with any flux you add to it. I HAVE, a long time ago, seen some very old solders that just didn't "work" anymore. Jon |
| stj:
http://www.bluethundertechnologies.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/henk_multicore_x32-10m_tds.pdf Shelf Life: 725 Days |
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