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RoHS

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ROHS is Restriction Of Hazardous Substances.

It's European ligslation relating to certain substances used in electronics (eg Lead, Mercury, Hexavalent Chromium. . . etc)
It's rather complicated, but it basically means that certain substances MUST be below a certain level in order to compy with ROHS legislation. If it doesn't comply, we shouldn't be using it. . . And it shouldn't be sold.

The best example is solder. Now ALL solder must be lead free (unless it is used for millitary or medical equipment)
BUT NOTE that it doesn't only cover the use of lead in solder.
 
oh right and so what is in a phono socket who's RoHS compliance can boost the price from 19 pence per piece to 61 p i don't think they are made of cadium or anything could there be lead in a phono socket ?
I'd prefer choosing the RoSH compliant stuff but I must say I have to be real determined at that price difference
 
Regarding the phono socket. . . It's probably tinned with solder which contains lead if it's not ROHS compliant. It really can be something as silly as that.
Part of the reasoning of this legislation is 'apparently' to make way for new legislation regarding disposal of waste products. We are heading towards a time when manufacturers have to accept responsibility for disposal of their products when they reach the end of their useful life, and it is becoming increasingly expensive to dispose of 'hazardous' substances.

It is very tempting though to buy some 'bargains' when you see NON-ROHS stock at silly prices.
 
frankly I am all for protecting the environment and making stuff easier to dispose/recycle it needs to be done, I would only buy non RoHS stuff on the assurance that they are the last of the stock and that they are low in price to clear them out.

can there be no lead in solder ? I thought it was vital else the solder (well at that point just tin) would not melt.
 
Thunderchild said:
can there be no lead in solder ? I thought it was vital else the solder (well at that point just tin) would not melt.

Lead free solder is now used in almost every product sold in Europe, and probably most of the rest of the world as well?. As you say, it's almost all tin, with various other metals depending on manufacturer.
 
aha well thats good, so just out of curiosity what other metals are used now ? can't pure tin be used ? I have not bought solder in a long time and mine is 40% tin and 60% lead
 
Pure/high tin coatings have this weird ability to spontaneously form long thread like nodules called whiskers which can cause short circuits to adjacent conductors. I don't think it's particularly well understood but it can and does occur. I did a google search and found one link where there was a reported case of a pacemaker developing an internal short due to tin whiskers which caused it to cease functioning... I'm assuming they got the device back after the autopsy... I'm going to asume without bothering to research it anymore that it has something to do with the tin being electrically charged and some bizzare crystal formation occuring in responce to local static electric fields.
 
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