Steve:
I understand your delema!!!  Been there experienced that.

Here is what I have found out of Mil-Std-2000A

Section 5.1.3:  Solder pot and solder bath temperatures.  The solder pots
used for cleaning and tinning of areas to be soldered, drag soldering pots,
and wave solder baths shall be temperature controlled.  Solder pots or baths
shall be set at a preselected temperature within the range of 245 degrees C
to 275 degrees C or 475 degrees F to 525 degrees F.  The temperature shall
be maintained within +/- 5.5 degrees C and +/- 10 degrees F of the
preselected temperature.

This is ancient news and has been used for a long time.  The only glitch in
this is the fact that if you are using tinning oil, if you get at or above
520 degrees F you may have a oil fire on the pot.  That's another story.

I do not have the IPC Spec on solder pot bath temp and the +/- allowed.
Perhaps someone at IPC who is watching the TechNet Channel can interject
with the IPC Spec.

Ron Hollandsworth

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