What solder type. Sorry such a simple question

[LorneinCanada]

Need to order another roll of solder. The life time supply an elder gave me has run out. I believe the solder he gave me was lead and rosin and was about 1.2mm in diameter. What would be a modern equivalent. I was sifting through Mouser and found I was did not posses the proper lingo knowledge to figure out what I needed.

 

[ldkraemer]

If you are working on Electronics or Printed Circuit Boards the best is Kester 63/37 Rosin Core Solder.
You can pick the diameter you like, my preference id .050" Diameter. It is expensive, but it is good solder.

 

[alank2]

Solder is pretty pricy at Mouser (but it is fresh and traceable). I usually get mine off eBay, Kestor brand. You can get it with different fluxes. I like the water soluable so I can rinse it off, but it MUST be rinsed off. I find leaded easier to deal with than the lead free.

 

[Chuck(G)]

For most hobbyist use, avoid lead-free solder. It neither flows nor wets like the lead-based stuff.

 

[g4ugm]

Well you would probably want a modern flux, 60/40 tin lead solder. I would have thought something like this was OK

Chip Quik - Solder Wire 60/40 Tin/Lead (Sn60/Pb40) No-Clean Water-Washable .020 4oz

but any of their tin/lead no-clean would be fine.

 

[Unknown_K]

I stick with lead solder which is what was used on the old gear I work on anyway.

 

[LorneinCanada]

I found some of the Kester that idkreamer suggested. 61 thousandths. A little thicker than what I have. But I'm not that keen in the fine 23 gauge stuff. I do a lot of point to point tube type stuff. Boy that was expensive $71 for a roll.... not that big a roll either lol

 

[shirsch]

Solder is pretty pricy at Mouser (but it is fresh and traceable). I usually get mine off eBay, Kestor brand. You can get it with different fluxes. I like the water soluable so I can rinse it off, but it MUST be rinsed off. I find leaded easier to deal with than the lead free.

I'll second the recommendation (and warning) for water soluable flux. You absolutely need to rinse it off (I use hot water and the kitchen sink sprayer), but unlike rosin flux (with currently legal cleaners) it does all come off and looks wonderful. Back in the days of yon we used fluorocarbon solvents on rosin flux, but not available or allowed in much of the world now. I'd also add that you shouldn't use water soluable fluxes on stranded wire.

 

[Chuck(G)]

I use isopronanol or perchloroethylene to remove rosin flux if necessary. I even make my own flux with rosin and alcohol. "If necessary" in my book says that it should be cleaned before a conformal coating is applied, as such coatings tend not to stick to rosin very well.

There's no particular reason to clean off rosin flux; it's not corrosive and may in fact be somewhat protective. I've seen radios with rosin flux deposits in excess of 80 years working just fine. Rosin flux is chemically active only when liquefied by high soldering temperatures.

Yes, I know that the electronics chemicals outfits (e.g. Chemtool, GC,...) like to give reasons that rosin flux should be cleaned off, but they're in the business of selling solvents. If rosin flux were corrosive at room temperatures, it would make garbage out of violin strings and gymnasts' hands.'

 

[shirsch]

I don't worry about the long-term effects of rosin flux, but the aesthetics bother me greatly. Maybe it's just me, but IPA really doesn't do much more than loosen it up a bit and spread a film over the entire board. PERC might be a different story, but I'm not sure where to obtain it.

 

[Chuck(G)]

You want Perc? As close as your nearest big-box or Amazon, of course. Use this in a well-ventilated area and use gloves. Avoid using it on plastics. Commercial dry-cleaning solvent.
ETA: Get the red can; the green can is something else that doesn't work as well.