Electronics > Beginners

Is 'indirect' contact with lead solder safe?

<< < (5/6) > >>

tggzzz:

--- Quote from: Ian.M on November 25, 2018, 12:00:08 am ---Lead pipes are safe enough as long as you have hard water and don't drink or cook with water from the hot tap.   The video doesn't mention iron pipes which are by far the commonest for the incoming supply in old properties.   Running a litre of water will flush out 8m of 1/2" pipe, so its a good idea to run a couple of litres from the kitchen tap before use if it hasn't been run that day, even for plastic pipes.  Don't drink from taps that don't have a direct mains water supply - cold header tanks are a breeding environment for all sorts of nasties and if poorly maintained tend to have dead rats and/or pigeons in the bottom!

--- End quote ---

Precisely; beat me to it.

For 30 years I've lived in a house with lead pipes between the street and the internal stopcock. When I moved in I had the lead content measured as 49ug/l, just under the legal limit (limit is now 10ug/l). After running the cold water for 1 minute to clear out that pipe, the lead content was undetectable.

Hence for any cooking/drinking purposes I have run the water for 1 minute, and I was perfectly happy to bring my daughter up here.

I also keep tin/lead solder paste in my fridge, inside a syringe, inside a sealed plastic bag, inside a sealed plastic box.

I handle lead/tin solder whenever I do some soldering.

I do wash my hands after any such activities, but I'm not paranoid about it.

jotwerde:

--- Quote from: tggzzz on November 25, 2018, 09:21:23 am ---I also keep tin/lead solder paste in my fridge, inside a syringe, inside a sealed plastic bag, inside a sealed plastic box.

--- End quote ---

This may sound stupid, but is there any particular reason for storing the solder in your fridge?

mikeselectricstuff:

--- Quote from: jotwerde on November 25, 2018, 02:24:53 pm ---
--- Quote from: tggzzz on November 25, 2018, 09:21:23 am ---I also keep tin/lead solder paste in my fridge, inside a syringe, inside a sealed plastic bag, inside a sealed plastic box.

--- End quote ---

This may sound stupid, but is there any particular reason for storing the solder in your fridge?

--- End quote ---
Solder paste lasts longer in the fridge

tggzzz:

--- Quote from: jotwerde on November 25, 2018, 02:24:53 pm ---
--- Quote from: tggzzz on November 25, 2018, 09:21:23 am ---I also keep tin/lead solder paste in my fridge, inside a syringe, inside a sealed plastic bag, inside a sealed plastic box.

--- End quote ---

This may sound stupid, but is there any particular reason for storing the solder in your fridge?

--- End quote ---

Solder paste for SMD components contains liquid flux and has a shelf life. Being cooler extends the shelf life, but I wouldn't want to use that technique where repeatability is required.

jotwerde:

--- Quote from: tggzzz on November 25, 2018, 02:38:46 pm ---Solder paste for SMD components contains liquid flux and has a shelf life. Being cooler extends the shelf life, but I wouldn't want to use that technique where repeatability is required.

--- End quote ---

I noticed that you wrote paste, excluding it from my question was a typo.
Just asking cause there's no hint to keep it cool written on the one I've got.
Thanks for the info.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page

There was an error while thanking
Thanking...
Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod