MOTM

A few months ago, Kester shipped us 3 spools of the 'organic' flux solder (that 
you wash off with water) that in reality was no-clean solder.

I was hoping that Indiana had flushed out all of the mismarked solder.

However, someone that just received a kit shipment had some of this solder.

So, here is what I suggest:

a) when you start a kit, solder just a *few* parts with the bag marked organic 
solder, then wash
b) if the flux does NOT wash off, throw the bag of solder away
c) email me and I will send you more if you need more. Chances are you have lots 
of extra organic solder (unless you are a newbie)

Now, if you solder the pcb with the no-clean solder, the board IS PERFECTLY OK. 
The reason the flux doesn't wash off is that it is not *supposed to*, it's a 
humidity barrier that prevents oxidation. This flux is NOT like rosin flux (the 
brown gook) which is in fact a moisture *attractor*.

Paul S.

Paul Schreiber wrote:

> Now, if you solder the pcb with the no-clean solder, the board IS PERFECTLY OK. 
> The reason the flux doesn't wash off is that it is not *supposed to*, it's a 
> humidity barrier that prevents oxidation. 

But it looks so damn nasty with 1000 little balls of hardened flux all 
over the board.

At 05:47 PM 12/17/2006, Paul Schreiber wrote:

>Now, if you solder the pcb with the no-clean solder, the board IS 
>PERFECTLY OK.

Dumb question: Why not just use the no-clean if that's what we got?
--
john

>>Now, if you solder the pcb with the no-clean solder, the board IS 
>>PERFECTLY OK.
> 
> Dumb question: Why not just use the no-clean if that's what we got?

You can, but it doesn't look near as nice :)

Paul S.