Solder shelf life (flux)?

[Mike F.]

Does solder eventually "go bad?"  I'm sure the metal components don't, but I wonder about the flux.  I'm talking about a span of many years.  I'm using Multicore MM00979.  What I'm using now is fresh, but I'm placing a Newark order for other stuff and thought I might include some more solder if it doesn't spoil.  Thanks.

--
73,
Mike, KC0KBC
Yaesu FT-857D, FT-8800R, VX-7RB
Elecraft KX1 #1819 (in work), XG2
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[Sandy W5TVW]

Never heard of it "spoiling".  Multicore produced some rather 'evil' stuff
at one time a few years back.  The flux smells peculiar and doesn't work
well.  Suspect it might be some water washoff type or some low residue
stuff.  It's really lousy solder whatever they did to it!  Last batch of
solder I got was Kester 60/40 with "44" flux.  It seems very decent.  I
still have some Multicore left over from years ago.  The best Multicore
seemed to come from the UK, but there is a 'division' in USA now I think.

If you get some decent Multicore from Newark, let me know.

73,
Sandy W5TVW
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike" <[hidden email]>
To: <[hidden email]>
Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2007 8:42 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] Solder shelf life (flux)?

> Does solder eventually "go bad?"  I'm sure the metal components don't, but
> I wonder about the flux.  I'm talking about a span of many years.  I'm
> using Multicore MM00979.  What I'm using now is fresh, but I'm placing a
> Newark order for other stuff and thought I might include some more solder
> if it doesn't spoil.  Thanks.
>
> --
> 73,
> Mike, KC0KBC
> Yaesu FT-857D, FT-8800R, VX-7RB
> Elecraft KX1 #1819 (in work), XG2
> _______________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Post to: [hidden email]
> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
> http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
>
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
>
>
>
> --
> No virus found in this incoming message.
> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
> Version: 7.5.472 / Virus Database: 269.9.0/851 - Release Date: 6/16/2007
> 12:50 PM
>
>

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[ROBERT CARROLL-4]

I just finished off a roll of Kester which was probably more than 10 years
old.  It was good to the end.

Bob W2WG

-----Original Message-----
From: [hidden email]
[mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Mike
Sent: Saturday, June 16, 2007 9:43 PM
To: [hidden email]
Subject: [Elecraft] Solder shelf life (flux)?

Does solder eventually "go bad?"  I'm sure the metal components don't, but I
wonder about the flux.  I'm talking about a span of many years.  I'm using
Multicore MM00979.  What I'm using now is fresh, but I'm placing a Newark
order for other stuff and thought I might include some more solder if it
doesn't spoil.  Thanks.

--
73,
Mike, KC0KBC
Yaesu FT-857D, FT-8800R, VX-7RB
Elecraft KX1 #1819 (in work), XG2
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[AJSOENKE]

Interesting question. Where I worked for many years we had very specific  
shelf life manuals on things organic like epoxies and paints and plastics. I'm  
not sure if I recall any shelf life on resin core solder. I have had rolls of  
the stuff that were 25 years old before they were used up, and I never had a  
problem.  I'd avoid high humidity because of the tin/lead oxidizing, but  the
flux inside is pretty well sealed up.
 
Al WA6VNN



************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[David Pratt-2]

In a recent message, Mike <[hidden email]> wrote ...
>Does solder eventually "go bad?"

I am still using 60/40 Multicore solder that I "inherited" from a
previous employer forty years ago and it still works fine.  I built my
K2, K1 & KX1, etc with it with no problems.

73
--
David G4DMP
Leeds, England, UK
------


_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com

[Julian, G4ILO]

On 6/17/07, David Pratt <[hidden email]> wrote:
>
> I am still using 60/40 Multicore solder that I "inherited" from a
> previous employer forty years ago and it still works fine.  I built my
> K2, K1 & KX1, etc with it with no problems.

That's the same stuff I'm using. I bought a reel as a kid of 16
because it was better value than the small packets. I never imagined
at the time how long it would last. It will probably outlast me, in
fact!

--
Julian, G4ILO
G4ILO's Shack: www.g4ilo.com
K2 s/n: 392  K3 s/n: ???
_______________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Post to: [hidden email]
You must be a subscriber to post to the list.
Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):
 http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft   

Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm
Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com