Silver solder for ceramic mounts - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 01:32:22 am
content: I have an old Tekronix oscilloscope that needs some old carbon resistors changed, and many connections made in little ceramic wells. So I gather I need Silver solder to bond to the ceramic. I'm wondering what type of Silver solder to get, there's $15 SS on amazon, that's 96% Tin and 4% Silver, with rosin core. So is that fine ?There's not very much only 4.54g, I guess it gets pricey at 4% Silver (if true)

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 01:54:25 am
content: I used to have a supply of the silver solder but it's long gone. What I do have is some sticks of silver solder from my father's watchmaking bench. It takes very little silver to do the job.Incidentally, I have a supply of unused Tektronix silver terminal strips.

author: highpower
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 02:16:52 am
content: The service manual for my 465 says to use 3% silver.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 02:17:40 am
content: Quote from: MathWizard on December 29, 2021, 01:32:22 amNo, that's not what you want. Something like this is good:https://www.radioshack.com/products/radioshack-1oz-silver-sdr015

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 02:21:22 am
content: So something with Lead too ? I'm about to order an Iwiss crimper on amazon so I'm already getting free shipping, so I'll see what they have.Yeah the manual just says 3% Ag, no mention of the rest. I'd assume 4% is fine though, it's probably cut down anyways.What about 96.5/3/0.5 Tin/Silver/Copper Rosin Activated, for even cheaper but from a brandname

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 03:16:45 am
content: Anything between 2% and 4% will work fine. I'm pretty sure the original was a lead/tin/silver alloy so I'd stick with that. The silver content is needed to keep the silver plate on the ceramic standoffs from pulling off. You can get away with a little plain lead/tin solder but it is not recommended. Be sure to get flux cored solder for electronic work.Tektronix used to put little rolls of that stuff tucked away inside the scope for repair purposes. I've only had a few scopes that used the ceramic standoffs and none of them had it.Lots of places on ebay sell lead/tin/silver solder; you can get enough to repair a dozen scopes for $5.

author: JohnG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 03:55:22 am
content: Quote from: edavid on December 29, 2021, 02:17:40 amRadio Shack lives on?!?!Do they still sell five-packs of 10% half-watt carbon comp resistors for $0.99 in 1980 dollars (that's >$3 in 2021)? I admit to buying some of those...My favorite article about Radio Shack:https://www.theonion.com/even-ceo-cant-figure-out-how-radioshack-still-in-busine-1819569077John

author: abdulbadii
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 07:18:28 am
content: Quote from: MathWizard on December 29, 2021, 02:21:22 amDefinitely~2 % Ag adequate, simply wiki the conductivity level list, it ranks the most conducive soit's best on high continuous current apps , where its higher melting point would be a clear winning over elseand for joining 2 dissimilar kind of material

author: m3vuv
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 11:22:35 am
content: ive mostly used 60/40 lead/tin solder in old tek scopes,never had any issues some of the repairs are over 8 yrs old,use what works!

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 12:45:46 pm
content: Quote from: m3vuv on December 29, 2021, 11:22:35 amThat isn't correct in Tektronix's opinion though, otherwise they wouldn't have gone to the effort of including a small reel of suitable solder inside their scopes with Silver ceramic terminal strips... Remember that's not all of them by any means, standard 60/40 is absolutely fine for the PCBs, justnotthe Silver ceramic bits!

author: m3vuv
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 01:14:49 pm
content: Say what you want but for me using 60/40 lead tin has been fine,the proof is in the pudding!!

author: m3vuv
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 01:16:04 pm
content: no matter what anything has to be better than the modern lead free dogshit!!

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 01:21:26 pm
content: Quote from: m3vuv on December 29, 2021, 01:14:49 pmHey, you managed to start a sentence with a capital letter!Quote from: m3vuv on December 29, 2021, 01:16:04 pmOh, well.Your pudding is no proof though.

author: highpower
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 02:29:44 pm
content: 070-1330-00_465_Service_Manual 40.pdf(87.21 kB - downloaded 204 times.)

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 03:41:38 pm
content: Now I can't find any Pb/Sn/Ag solder for under $40 on amazon, looking last night on ebay I couldn't see any either, not cheap anyways. It doesn't help both sites throw up so much stuff when looking for 'silver solder'There's lots of Sn/Ag/Cu though for cheapLooking up silver+Ag, by the 2nd of 3 pages, it's mostly non-solder related stuff with neither silver or Ag anywhere to be seen (for under $30CAD anyways) and still no Leaded silver solder.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 04:53:00 pm
content: Can you get a Digi-Key order together?https://www.digikey.com/short/2j55hn3h

author: PaulAm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 05:26:42 pm
content: Here you go, Kester 83-7145-0415 SN62/PB36/AG02https://www.ebay.com/itm/255115477400?epid=750134346&hash=item3b66114198:g:D~oAAOSwRTVaVQYdAmazon also carries it, but a little pricier.

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 09:06:57 pm
content: Everything at Amazon is pricier. I am still using my dad's legacy silver solder with good success.

author: MathWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 09:25:52 pm
content: Yeah thanks guys that ebay is small, there's no rush anyways, I'll order my other stuff on amazon, and get real SS next time I order from a real E supplier.

author: andy3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 09:28:40 pm
content: Quote from: edavid on December 29, 2021, 02:20:55 amThis is where the ceramic strips are.

author: T3sl4co1l
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 29, 2021, 09:42:48 pm
content: Note that mixing lead/free will give a poor finish, and maybe a cold joint (takes longer to solidify). Unless you want to wash out the joint and start over fresh, which is probably more wear on the silver plating than is wise, even with silver-bearing solder. And then you have to keep track of which joints are lead-free(-ish)?And yeah, using silverless is fine for a few, but if you're doing a bunch of rework, silver is a good idea.Tim

author: m3vuv
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2022, 01:34:50 pm
content: That looks like the crt hv psu,i recaped one in my 453 used 60/40,no issues so far.as a matter of fact it has the spool of solder still on the rear of the scope,didnt spot it tho untill after the fact!!

author: factory
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 01, 2022, 02:14:41 pm
content: The problem with using ordinary solder & the silver plated ceramic tag strips, is that silver is soluble in solder.Hence why you should use tin/lead/silver solder to prevent loss of the plating. And even if you get away with it once, if a part fails again & rework is required, you risk loosing more silver plating, potential worse case ending up with no plating left.David

author: jonpaul
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2022, 08:50:20 am
content: The valve/tube TEK series 300/500 have these ceramic term strips.Inside the lower chassis, a small roll of TEK Silver solder is included!Use of any non silver siolder (or lead free) will eventually degrade the silver bond to the ceramic and damage the strip.Solder temperature is also important.All the alternatives mentioned might seem to work but can result in damage.Suggest to see the Tek forum at Groups.io.Bon ChanceJon