In message <6.0.3.0.0.20040625010134.02958b60@66.227.78.148> James Tu wrote: > The solder joints of lead-less are not as shiny as with 60/40 solder that I > was using previously. Has anyone experienced the same thing? (Isn't the > rule..."a shiny joint is a good joint"?) I'd try desoldering and resoldering the joint. > Maybe the lead less solder has a higher melting point and I'm not reaching > it... That's one factor, the other is that lead-free and 60/40 technologies are incompatible. Getting lead into a Pb-free joint WILL weaken the joint. Examine the solder joint under a powerful magnifying glass and check for any visible impurities in the solder. Chances are, the tip of your soldering iron bit will be lead- or tin-plated and might react badly with the lead-free solder. Tip cleaners (e.g. the Multicore TTC1 - basically solder and a highly active flux compressed into a lump) also tend to be lead-based. There was an article in Everyday Practical Electronics magazine on lead-free soldering not long ago - it might be worth contacting Wimborne Publishing (www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk) and ordering a copy of the article. Later. -- Phil. | Acorn Risc PC600 Mk3, SA202, 64MB, 6GB, philpem@dsl.pipex.com | ViewFinder, 10BaseT Ethernet, 2-slice, http://www.philpem.dsl.pipex.com/ | 48xCD, ARCINv6c IDE, SCSI ... He's dead Jim. You get his tricorder, I'll get his wallet -- http://www.piclist.com hint: PICList Posts must start with ONE topic: [PIC]:,[SX]:,[AVR]: ->uP ONLY! [EE]:,[OT]: ->Other [BUY]:,[AD]: ->Ads