Lead Issues

[isimbor]

Ever since I've started doing soldering and such, Ive been becoming increasingly paranoid about lead hazards.

How paranoid should I really be when soldering/handling electronics (manufacturered and homemade)? Do any of you have experience/knowledge of the subject?

 

[StageLeft]

Unfortunately I don't, but for some terribly retarded reason I once deliberately swallowed a lead pellet associated with my pellet gun. Stupider still is that I was 16, so not just a 6 year old with an exuse. Hopefully I won't die.

 

[dejitaru]

Unfortunately I don't, but for some terribly retarded reason I once deliberately swallowed a lead pellet associated with my pellet gun. Stupider still is that I was 16, so not just a 6 year old with an exuse. Hopefully I won't die.

Heh, yeah, you're a dead man.
If you swallow lead, you get LD and stuff.

Did you eat wall candy as a kid?

If you're working extensively with lead solder, you should wear the appropriate respirator.
Wash your hands after you touch the stuff, and don't let the solder rub against anything, as it rubs off easily.

I solder, breathing away from the fumes. As long as I can't smell it, I'm ok (I guess I'll be soldering with a tutor, eh?)

 

[KenGr]

I believe if you are doing electronic work, you won't have much to worry about because it's silver based now with very little lead content. I'm not sure on that but I think the lead content is high only with the heavy structural solder.

In any event, lead has been cited mainly as a hazard due to ingestion rather than inhalation since it doesn't get transported in air well. I think they have some inhalation controls in heavy industrial situations but plumbers and hobbyists who mold bullets still melt lead without any particular controls so it doesn't seem to be the top environmental concern.

 

[GlassGhost]

The 2 main hazzards with working with lead solder are from the solder fumes and getting liquid solder on your skin.

For the 1st hazzard, just don't inhale the smoke (duh!) and keep the room ventilated.

For the 2nd, wear gloves and be extra careful.


I wouldn't worry too much, just don't drink a big cup of coffee and try and do intricate soldering work!

 

[dejitaru]

I believe if you are doing electronic work, you won't have much to worry about because it's silver based now with very little lead content. I'm not sure on that but I think the lead content is high only with the heavy structural solder.

Not silver based. Regular solder is 40% lead/60% tin, specialized solder has 2% silver added. Even the lead-free solders are nothing to be inhaled.

 

[RM1]

Well Soldering lead is Hazardous. Period. But with caution, it can be safe.

2 things that needs to be noticed:

1. Soldering lead contains formeldehyde (sorry for the spelling), the kind of chemical that are used to preserve dead animals. It is toxic when inhaled. Use a fan that sucks the fumes away from you. Use with ventilated areas, not closed doors.

2. Lead can cause birth defects in pregnant women. Always flush and wash your hands, even if you are not a pregnant women, after a soldering session. And no food and drinks around the work area.

For best information, please refer to the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for the soldering lead, and it will provide some information. You can request the MSDS document from the manufacturer, or you can search it from the internet.

 

[0roo0roo]

a semi related question. recent hotdeals have revealed that halex dart boards include brass darts. brass darts that come with a lead warning. since brass does not contain lead. wheres the lead come from?

and what stupid company would use lead in something you are touching constantly, ussually while drinking and eating?

 

[0roo0roo]

and oh, is there lead in computer cases? in other words are filings from driling holes in metal computer cases for mods dangerous? or is it plain steel?

 

[gururu]

Eating lead and breathing lead oxides can cause different problems. Eating it seems to cause the most damage
in developing organisms (children). this is because the elemental metal is absorbed and can replace important minerals like
calcium. Breathing the products of lead oxidation can cause serious effects such as metal oxide (fume) fever. nausea, metallic aftertaste, respiratory irritation are early warning signs of inhalation. prolonged exposure will make you insensitive to the early warning signs but can cause long term damage to your body (brain damage probably being the worst).

soldering should be done in a well ventilated environment. particularly if the sessions are long and often. otherwise, I would not be especially concerned.

 

[Matt]

Eating metallic lead isn't as dangerous as eating a lead oxide since metallic lead doesn't get absorbed very well in the GI-tract. Eating a pellet isn't dangerous, unless you keep doing it on a regular basis. (In other word, if you are a moron)
You do however get exposed quite a bit through soldering if you don't take the necessary precautions.


/Matt

 

[KenGr]

I was curious so I did some searching on an industrial hygiene message board (www.industrialhygiene.com). The general opinion seems to be that the soldering temperature is not high enough to produce a significant level of "lead fumes". The fumes you see are the flux which isn't real healthy in itself. The lead exposure seems to come from dust which develops from cleaning and buffing soldered connections. If work areas are not kept clean this can build up significantly.

On previous questions, no there isn't any lead in computer cases. Drill and grind away. (Lead is too expensive to use anywhere it isn't needed for it's low melting point, density, softness or corrosion resistance.)

The darts are probably lead (for weight) coated or plated with brass. Safe but don't chew on them.

 

[gururu]

Good points Matt and KenGr!

 

[0roo0roo]

Originally posted by: KenGr


On previous questions, no there isn't any lead in computer cases. Drill and grind away. (Lead is too expensive to use anywhere it isn't needed for it's low melting point, density, softness or corrosion resistance.)

The darts are probably lead (for weight) coated or plated with brass. Safe but don't chew on them.

ah kewl thanks!

 

[dkozloski]

Every time you drink water it has passed through plumbing that contains lead based solder. For quite a few years now the water utilities have adjusted the ph of the water supply so that the lead stays where it is rather than being leached out and sent along with the stream. Lead bearing solder is now prohibited but the existing system will probably still have some of the old stuff for hundreds of years. Some water system components in the Norteast U.S. are close to two hundred years old and will continue to be used for years to come. Your attention would be better focused on other areas of concern that are a real danger such as second hand smoke and liberals.