Continue to Site

Welcome to EDAboard.com

Welcome to our site! EDAboard.com is an international Electronics Discussion Forum focused on EDA software, circuits, schematics, books, theory, papers, asic, pld, 8051, DSP, Network, RF, Analog Design, PCB, Service Manuals... and a whole lot more! To participate you need to register. Registration is free. Click here to register now.

First experience with solder

Status
Not open for further replies.

johnnymarijuana

Newbie level 1
Joined
Mar 13, 2017
Messages
1
Helped
0
Reputation
0
Reaction score
0
Trophy points
1
Activity points
19
This is my first experience with solder and I had a problem.
I bought the 40 lead/60 tin off the internet because I've read that non-lead solder is not too good to use in most projects and I don't have a really hot iron for the other kinds of lead-free solder.
I ordered a bunch of health supplements at the same time with the 40/60 solder which I did not expect that the company I ordered from would combine the health supplement bottles with the solder package in the same box.
When I got the box of items I could immediately notice the scent of metal right away... while it was still in it's packaging.
I've never been this close to actual lead solder before but it stunk up my house coming out of the box and was kind of overwhelming while I had to figure a place to put it until I can use the solder, so I put it on the back porch (which is close to my bedroom) in another box (still sealed in it's packaging).
Then I woke up randomly and couldn't sleep that night for some reason... I had lot of trouble getting back to sleep.
I called poison control and asked them if it would be safe to eat the health supplements even though the outside of the bottles smelled like the solder. They stated that as long as all the products were in sealed packages that I should be fine but I am still kind of terrified.
I still don't exactly 'buy it' but I guess it would be safe even though no amount of lead is supposed to be safe for ingestion.
 

Hi,

I never had a solder which smelled bad. Indeed they don't smell at all.

On the other hand I don't think - just the smell - on the other things is not dangerous. But this is just an opinion, for sure it depends on the smelling material.

But if you have a bad feeling, then just the "feeling" may cause that the benefit of your health support things is reduced.

In the end it will be your choice what to do...

Klaus
 

This is very:thinker: strange.

Lead based solder has been used for decades without any 'health supplements' being needed. Unless you eat it, there is virtually no danger from the short term exposure to lead based solder by inhalation or skin contact. I worked all day beside soldering machines with constant fountains of flux, solder and solvents within touching distance and even after months of close proximity, blood tests showed no signs of contamination.

Solder has almost no smell at all, it is not voltaile and essentially a solid at room temperature. It is also not normal for any health supplements to be needed when using it. I suspect you have fallen foul of a scammer who is selling you fake medications on the grounds that the solder puts your health at risk. Whatever makes the smell is not the solder, it may be the 'medications' or the packaging but Pb/Sn solder is virtually odorless.

The reason Lead was reduced or removed from solder is not for immediate health reasons, it was because of the problems of disposing of soldered equipment when it was discarded in landfill. There, the lead would corrode in damp environmental conditions and could eventually pollute the ground although I've never heard of any instances of that actually happening.

Brian.
 

Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Part and Inventory Search

Welcome to EDABoard.com

Sponsor

Back
Top