flux

[Uranium-235]

so i've been using this for a while



I haven't used it in a long time, since finally got my hakko tip yesterday, I started using it and found it solidified and the alcahol evaporated in it, all the resin and denser chemicals floated to the bottom, and will not remix. I also have a refill bottle which has done the same thing

anyone has suggestions on flux? I keep seeing these youtube videos on youtube with this clear paste in a syringe used to remove chips, is that the best stuff? what stuff do you guys use, what is the best stuff, cause this other shit an't going to fly anymore, besides this liquid stuff is messy, and has spilled before leaving a sticky soft drink-like film thats hard to clean up

[smason]

Re: flux

I only use flux for tricky jobs (SMD mostly) but I use the Kester stuff in the tube from Digikey, it has a felt applicaor kinda like a highligter. Seems to work well.

[Uranium-235]

Re: flux

come on! out of everybody, I only get one response?! this is a topic plenty of people here can help me with, especially the senior members (not citizens, but they might be one in the same)

[momaka]

Re: flux

I haven't used it in a long time

How long?
I just checked my 100 ml bottle that I bought about 8 months ago and it's still fine, but I'm guessing yours is older than that.

[Per Hansson]

Re: flux

I dunno, I've never used good flux.
I simply used solder with a flux core, it works just fine for 99% of what I do.

It gets a bit tricky to solder SMD components with it though, here flux would help
So I would also be interested in

[PCBONEZ]

Re: flux

Same as Per Hansson.

Although I picked some up a few days ago because I want to try fluxing my solder braid next time.
It's supposedly fluxed already but it isn't acting like it. Maybe it got too old.

.

[digge]

Re: flux

Same as Per Hansson.

Although I picked some up a few days ago because I want to try fluxing my solder braid next time.
It's supposedly fluxed already but it isn't acting like it. Maybe it got too old.

.

Flux ages, so if you didn't buy it recently or it sits for long on a shelf it will go bad. Exactly how bad flux works depends on the brand i guess.

I bought some noname flux on syringe, don't use it very often but can be good sometimes.

[Scenic]

Re: flux

you can make your own flux using colophony (colophonium?)
read the reviews there
http://www.dealextreme.com/p/just-wo...ing-paste-4697

if you get the mixture right (somewhere between "runny as water" and "gooey mess"), you could just use a syringe to suck it up and put it wherever you want it

works quite well.
you can also change the consistency by either adding more colophony (thicker) or IPA (more runny). if you have a block like the one in the link, crush it into smaller pieces to speed the dissolving process up..

[Agent24]

Re: flux

I won\bought some of this: http://www.sparkfun.com/products/8967 for SMD work (Thank you Free Day!)

Practiced with it on some old motherboards a bit, seems to work well.

Wish they didn't use big cardboard boxes to send stuff though, I'm pretty sure a padded envelope (like the one they stuck the whole box in!) would have done just fine, and cut down on costs...


Other than that, I've only ever used the rosin flux from my solder...

[Uranium-235]

Re: flux

this is just what I picked up today



after months of using the liquid stuff for desolering, this stuff works about 50% better and on boards that have the most difficult solder, it makes it just as easy

the bad thing though, is the smell is much more prevalent, and there is more smoke...the neighbors in the apartment next to me might think i'm making meth

edit: I just realized the picture above was poorly edited lol

[mockingbird]

Re: flux

This stuff works just as well and is a lot cheaper I think:


I've used it in tons of jobs. I know it's made for plumbers, but it works just as good for electronics. Nasty fumes though like you mentioned.

[PCBONEZ]

Re: flux

Acid flux is a no no on electronics.

I've never seen flux with a Sunscreen rating before...

.

[Agent24]

Re: flux

As far as I know you're not supposed to use acid flux for electronics...

Edit: PCBONEZ has beat me to it... but isn't sunscreen rating SPF though?

[mockingbird]

Re: flux

It's only ate away at a PCB layer once. I was recapping an A8N motherboard and I was trying to fit some 10mm caps in the 8mm VRM holes. I tried to move the coils a bit to squeeze in the caps but they were absorbing all the heat so I put a lot of it on and then neglected the motherboard a bit. In general I did a really sloppy job on that motherboard at that time, it's not my best work.

The paste ate away at the etching and it exposed the thin copper layer underneath - but this was only because I left it on there for a ridiculously long time, and Asus was really cheap with the outer layer on this model.

In the end I ended up mangling one of the capacitor holes (Usually my work is immaculate - this was something I just wasn't paying attention to) but luckily there was an unpopulated spot in the VRM so I put the cap there instead and the motherboard works great.

All in all - except for this incident - I have never had a problem with this acid paste. The tins used to be blue and I have two tins that are probably around 30 years old and the stuff still works great.

[severach]

Re: flux

You can use acid flux on electronics but you must clean it off real well. I'd use it on anything that was very corroded where I could scrape it with a razor. It's often needed on old car wiring. PC boards are much cleaner so I find rosin flux sufficient.

[Evil Lurker]

Re: flux

Not to mention the fact that you can just about watch your tip getting eaten away with acid flux...

[smason]

Re: flux

Not to mention the fact that you can just about watch your tip getting eaten away with acid flux...

Ouch, sounds painful.