I 2nd Merv's experience. My on the ground radials, on an oceanside salt marsh, have held up as new for 4 years and I used the lead free plumbing solder. The only issue is that solder requires a bit more heat then the leaded solder.
That's all I use outdoors any more. 734 & HNY, Gary KA1J > Here in salt air regular solder turns to white powder pretty fast, > I have been also using lead free solder, I got a roll of plumbers > solder and a jar of resin flux. works very well on #10 radials and > 4 inch wide copper strap etc. Have left several joints exposed > and there is no corrosion after 4 years. > Works great so far. > 73 Merv K9FD/KH6 > > > 2% is about what the lead-free electronic solders are (they are a > > tin/silver/copper alloy and are mostly tin). Don't bother with the 30%. My > > mechanical contractor uses this stuff to fix things he can't reach well > > enough to braze. It's not generally used for anything normal. > > > > Coincidentally I was just out soldering more radials last night. I use 18 > > gauge solid copper radial wire and a 1/2" copper pipe ring to tie them > > together. My original 29 radials were all soldered with lead-free > > electronic solder and they are all fine after 2-3 years. I didn't do > > anything to try to protect the soldered connections -- everything is fully > > exposed and lying on the ground. > > > > I added 31 more radials. I soldered some the same way, but I'm trying > > regular lead-free plumbing solder on the others. I am finding the plumbing > > flux to work better than the rosin-core solder (it wets the joints more > > evenly). I'm not sure what the exact alloy is for the plumbing solder. > > > > If you use the solder bars remember that you'll need separate flux and > > brushes to apply it. I like the water soluble flux -- it cleans up way > > easier. > > > > -Bill KB8WYP > > > > Sent from my iPad > > > >> On Dec 30, 2014, at 7:28 PM, Jorge Diez CX6VM <[email protected]> > >> wrote: > >> > >> Hello > >> > >> I read about using silver to solder wire radials to terminals > >> > >> This week I decided to ask sellers about silver solder and they offered me > >> a 2% and 30% silver bars > >> > >> What we need for our use? Will be ok to use 2%? The difference in price is > >> extremely high! > >> > >> Thanks, > >> Jorge > >> CX6VM/CW5W > >> > >> Enviado desde mi iPhone > >> _________________ > >> Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > _________________ > > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > > > > _________________ > Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband > --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. http://www.avast.com _________________ Topband Reflector Archives - http://www.contesting.com/_topband
