Soldering with lead

[ItsKyan]

Hey guys, I am planning to solder some wires together I bought soldering wire with 40% PB and 60% SN. I did some research and found out that lead is a bigger problem with soldering than I first thought. My question is if it's safe to solder with lead in the garage (with the door open ofc) or outside without any extra ventilation.

[Skipple]

Put on a fan, you will be fine. Honestly, if you are just soldering together a few wires, I wouldn't worry that much. The amount of lead you will be exposed to is fairly minimal unless you are soldering frequently. 

[da na]

Definitely use a fan right over/next to your soldering area to remove fumes. If properly ventilated, lead solder is not particularly dangerous.

[porina]

Lead isn't the biggest worry. Avoid the flux fumes. Wash your hands after handling the solder and lead isn't a problem. If you're only doing occasional soldering the impact is not significant.

[ItsKyan]

37 minutes ago, Skipple said:

Put on a fan, you will be fine. Honestly, if you are just soldering together a few wires, I wouldn't worry that much. The amount of lead you will be exposed to is fairly minimal unless you are soldering frequently. 

 

Also when im outside or only in the garage?

 

[Zando_]

19 minutes ago, ItsKyan said:

 

Also when im outside or only in the garage?

 

Garage with the door open should be good. The random breeze outside could make it harder to avoid the solder/flux fumes. Like when you sit at a fire and the wind decides to keep putting the smoke in your face no matter where you move. 

[Beerzerker]

As long as you have ventilation you're fine.
I use 60/40 solder all the time and it's easier to work with than silver solder, which is why I use it.

The amount of smoke/fumes produced isn't that much and some of that is due to whether or not it has flux made into it (Rosin core). If it was that serious of an issue you'd already been hearing about how plumbers were falling down in the past because that's what was used (and is still used by many) for sweating copper pipe together in some places that's tight/enclosed anyway.

As said here:

1 hour ago, Skipple said:

Put on a fan, you will be fine. Honestly, if you are just soldering together a few wires, I wouldn't worry that much. The amount of lead you will be exposed to is fairly minimal unless you are soldering frequently. 

Even if soldering frequently it's not a real concern, I've known people that did such work with it for years as part of their living but never had any health problems because of it.
However:
At the same time, if possible they did at least have a little ventilation going on while it was being used, so do that and you'll be fine.

[FlyingPotato_is_taken]

1. If you solder frequently change to lead free solder. The myth that lead free is difficult is from the early days when the industry was still learning how to make good lead free solder (and matching flux).

2. don't breath the fumes

3. Wash your hands

 

[Zando_]

8 minutes ago, Beerzerker said:

If it was that serious of an issue you'd already been hearing about how plumbers were falling down in the past

My grandfather has Parkinson's and is quite sure it has something to do with the 30 years he spent as a plumber working with all sorts of lead, so not a great metric. It won't straight up kill you but it can make you more likely to just suddenly degenerate into a shell of your former self when you get older. Study here, there's some newer ones as well. 

[Beerzerker]

44 minutes ago, FlyingPotato_is_taken said:

1. If you solder frequently change to lead free solder. The myth that lead free is difficult is from the early days when the industry was still learning how to make good lead free solder (and matching flux).

2. don't breath the fumes

3. Wash your hands

Sorry, I've personally tried both types and silver solder is more difficult to work with so it's no myth.
It's probrably true it's easier to work with than when first introduced but everytime I've ever tried to use it, the work didn't go so well but with 60/40 I had no problems in comparison.

44 minutes ago, Zando_ said:

My grandfather has Parkinson's and is quite sure it has something to do with the 30 years he spent as a plumber working with all sorts of lead, so not a great metric. It won't straight up kill you but it can make you more likely to just suddenly degenerate into a shell of your former self when you get older. Study here, there's some newer ones as well. 

TBH I have heard a few attribute being around lead such as pipe fitters having this (Parkinson's) to happen but these guys were also from the time before sweating pipe was commonly done as a standard practice of how things were done.
Sweating pipe has been done for years now but there was a time threaded pipe (Lead pipe) was used instead of copper and that's from around the time your grandfather was doing his work on back from there.

I've never heard of any plumbers saying it, and to be fair about it on my part plumbers do far more than just sweat pipe as part of their profession... But to be fair the other way about it, doesn't mean it's false either.

[FlyingPotato_is_taken]

22 minutes ago, Beerzerker said:

Sorry, I've personally tried both types and silver solder is more difficult to work with so it's no myth.

A selection of the solder I have laying around (those aren't all of them): Blue spool in the bag is the only leaded solder in this picture.

 

 

[ItsKyan]

The 60/40 versions are also a lot cheaper in my country (€3,40 20G and, with of 0,6mm)

[FlyingPotato_is_taken]

@ItsKyan Get a spool of 0.5mm Felder Sn100Ni+

100g are 15€ (in Germany) and for home use 100g is already a lifetime supply.

[ItsKyan]

On 2/22/2024 at 8:25 PM, FlyingPotato_is_taken said:

@ItsKyan Get a spool of 0.5mm Felder Sn100Ni+

100g are 15€ (in Germany) and for home use 100g is already a lifetime supply.

Do you know a site? (im not from Germany but Gernany is very cheap in general)

[FlyingPotato_is_taken]

@ItsKyan ebay

 

If you can't get the Sn100Ni+ consider the Armack BF32-3 (Sn95Ag4Cu, 3.5% flux).

[Needfuldoer]

The flux fumes are a more immediate problem than the lead. Melting solder doesn't get hot enough to vaporize lead, only liquify it. 

 

Just use a fume extractor or set up a small fan to blow the fumes away from your face, and wash your hands after handling leaded solder. It's not that dangerous, and leaded solder flows a lot easier than lead-free.