I am not in North America, so Kester is not an option.
The last few reels of solder wire I bought locally have been terrible.
Even the product from a large brand-name manufacturer.
In any case my only real alternative is to buy on eBay - probably Chinese made.
I would like to hear from people who have bought specific brands on eBay (or form Banggood) and who can highly recommend a particular brand they have actually used.
I basically want to order a brand that comes highly recommended.
Could the problem be flux? Is the solder you are using have a flux core that is released as the solder melts? what flux are you using?
Also, if you are using an iron that is not temperature adjustable it may work with leaded solder, but the solder you are buying is lead-free which requires a higher temperature.
It would help if you told us where in the world you are. Here in France I use Castolin RT 3232 for general electronics use.
It's best to go for a 60/40 tin lead alloy with a rosin flux core. Don't bother with lead free solder. It's only needed for manufacturing consumer products and is much more difficult to use.
I think you'll find that, just like with solder tips, there will be times that the 0.8mm works very well and other times where you really want something about half that diameter.
If you don't want to have to use industrial hand clensers to remove heavy metal residue from
your hands (soap doesn't work), avoid lead. Use the lead-free solders with silver in them, much
easier to work with. The plain tin/copper alloy is trickier and can't easily be re-worked once
set. The silver stuff is fine, just runs a bit hotter than tin/lead. The extra cost is neither
here nor there compared to the cost of the rest of board and components!
Use the lead-free solders with silver in them, much easier to work with.
I am going to have to disagree with you here. I find it difficult to "wet" with lead-free solders. I have never met an engineer who prefers it, although there are a few on line like yourself that say it is easier to work with it is not my experience.
Hi
I hate trouble shooting lead free soldered PCB, hard to tell dry or cracked joints.
I never use lead free at my bench, to resolder a lead free joint, I completey remove the old solder using desoldering tool (sucker) and the solderwik.
I can't see the pro.. pro... proble... problem with l... lll... lead sodder er sodder er solder.... u.. u... used...it. al.... all..... m...... my...... life.
Great idea for getting different sorts of solder out of the building without buying a full reel .
That's similar to how I found the best lead free solder to work with my weller.
I think the dangers of using metallic lead are sometimes overstated. Metallic lead is quite inert and not easily absorbed, unlike some lead salts such as used to be used in paints. Organic lead salts such as tetra-ethyl lead are the worst.
I've used tin/lead solder for over 55 years and show no signs of lead poisoning - except perhaps hair loss but that could just be age :-[
