Hi Blair!

I would say that the pot is too hot. Can't tell you what that "brownish" stuff is, but I think you're describing what I would call a "goldish" color to the solder.
Maybe the beginning stages of dross?

Anyways, I've seen it when the solder gets really hot, will see it more when the temperature starts getting up above 550 C.

Maybe will take a picture of what I think you're seeing and post it on my web page, and then you can tell me if it's the same thing...can't do that until tomorrow though...

-Steve Gregory-


Hello Technetters,

I'll readily admit that I'm not an expert on solder, and something has been
bothering me lately here at the shop, so I'll see what insight the forum can
yield.

We have a small solder pot used for tinning wires in our harness area.
Periodically as I walk by this pot I notice fairly thick black dross
covering the surface of the solder. This gets wiped away before they tin
wires, but lately I've noticed it turns brownish fairly quickly after wiping
off the dross from the surface.

What can be the typical causes of this? Could the pot be too hot? Could the
pot be contaminated (e.g. with copper)? Could it be contaminated because
it's too hot? I'm suggesting heat here because they run this pot at a fairly
high setting, I'm not sure why.

Thanks,

Blair Hogg
QA Manager
GAI-Tronics


--------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a free service by IPC using LISTSERV 1.8e To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/html/forum.htm for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-509-9700 ext.5315 -----------------------------------------------------