How to handle the smoke during the soldering? (2023)
Although soldering is a useful technique, there are several challenges, one of which is solder smoke. Solder fume, also known as solder smoke, is generated when soldering electronic components, wires, or circuit boards and putting hot iron in the wax.
When solder is heated, the phase change occurs from solid to liquid, and this produces a solder fume. The solder fume contains different harmful gases which can affect your health.
Solder fume management is particularly important when soldering, and suitable safety measures must be used. Working in a well-ventilated area, make sure to use fume extraction, select the right flux, control soldering iron temperature, try not to use flux excessively, wear personal protective equipment (PPE), and limit your soldering time can help you to handle solder smoke effectively.
If you’re concerned about how to handle the smoke during the soldering, don’t be; this article examines several approaches and the most practical ways to deal with them.
Let’s get started.
What is solder smoke or fumes?
Solder smoke is a combination of airborne particles and gases that are generated during the process of soldering.
During the soldering process, the solder is used to join components and create connections.
When filler material is heated it starts to melt changing from solid to liquid, which produces solder smoke.
The solder is composed of lead and tin or lead-free solder like tin-copper-silver or tin-copper so when heated it evaporates and produce fine particle in the air.
Soldering also involves the use of flux, a chemical compound that is applied to solder joints to remove oxidation and improve solder flow. During this process the flux decomposed and released gases, adding to the solder fume.
Soldering fume health hazards
The soldering fume is dangerous because it contains hazardous gases that can impair a person’s health when they are soldering. CO is the predominant gas in the smoke, along with CO2, O3, and CH4.
The presence of carbon monoxide, ozone, and nitrogen oxide can cause damage to human lungs, kidneys, and liver. Pneumoconiosis, coronary heart disease, bronchitis, and diseases of the respiratory system, and circulatory system are common diseases that can be caused by soldering fume.
The respiratory system is on more risk compared to rest, and soldering fume can cause:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Nasal congestion
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
Prolonged exposure to these irritants can lead to chronic respiratory issues, especially in individuals with pre-existing respiratory conditions like asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Also,
The smoke produced when the solder is heated releases a large amount of tin smoke which will cause vision loss if exposed for a long time. So the smoke is toxic proper precautions should be taken to minimize exposure to this harmful fume.
While lead-free solder has become more common, some soldering materials still contain metals like tin, lead, silver, and others. When heated, these metals can vaporize and be inhaled.
The potential risks include:
- Lead Exposure: Historically, lead was a common component in solder. Inhaling lead fumes or particles can lead to lead poisoning, which affects the central nervous system, blood cells, and other body systems. It can cause symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue, headache, memory loss, and developmental issues in children.
- Other Metals: Inhaling other metal fumes, such as silver or cadmium, can also lead to adverse health effects over time.
How to handle solder smoke?
Let’s discuss the steps that will help you to handle solder smoke or fumes during the soldering process.
1. Work in a well-ventilated area
When you think about soldering, it’s important to make your workplace a well-ventilated area. If the workplace has no ventilation then the solder fume will accumulate in the room and can cause serious risk to the health.
If there are windows in the workspace, the fume can exit from there. Ideally, work near an open window or use a fan to blow the fumes away from your breathing zone.
2. Use fume extraction
If you love doing soldering then consider investing in the fume extraction system or using a fume hood specially designed for soldering work. In soldering, a fume extractor is used in the lab environment.
A fume extractor captures the solder fumes at the source and filters them before releasing the air back into the room. This is one of the most effective ways to minimize exposure to fumes.
The soldering fans and soldering extraction unit (Amazon link) are used for extraction. The main difference between both extractors is soldering fans are used for small soldering work and in the lab soldering uni is used.
3. Select the right flux
Flux is a chemical that is used during the soldering process to remove oxidation and enhance the flow of solder to create strong soldering joints. When hot iron comes in contact with a certain flux it also produces fume.
The rosin-based flux is commonly used and generally considered safe but still, it releases the smoke to some extent. So selecting the right flux also helps in handling the solder smoke.
4. Control soldering iron temperature
Working on your soldering project with the right control on iron temperature can essentially reduce the soldering smoke. If the iron is too hot, the solder may burn and create excessive smoke.
On the other hand, if the iron temperature is too low, you may not achieve the resultant soldering joints and this will result in extra work and smoke that wasn’t necessary.
For soldering iron temperature please follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Don’t use a solo or pencil soldering iron if you are doing soldering full-time. Invest in a decent soldering station so that you can control the temperature according to your project requirements.
5. Wear personal protective equipment
If you worked in a properly ventilated area still it is important to wear personal protective equipment while soldering. Try to wear a well-fitted soldering mask to protect yourself from inhaling solder smoke.
Make use of goggles to protect your eyes from solder smoke and solder splatters. Wearing a respirator or a dust mask is recommended to avoid inhalation of any harmful fumes or particulates.
6. Limit your soldering time
Maybe this is not applicable to many of you, but for the sake of health, I think you should limit your soldering time.
To reduce the prolonged exposure to solder fume try to limit the duration of continuous soldering work. Take a short break in the ventilated area after some time to give time to your body to recover from any minor exposure.
Conclusion
Proper handling of soldering fumes or smoke is essential for the safety of the person doing soldering and for the environment. The solder smoke can cause a lot of health issues if not correctly handled.
By working in a well-ventilated area, making soldering fans, selecting the right flux, and adjusting the soldering iron correctly you can minimize the smoke and can protect yourself.
Also, wear appropriate personal protective equipment to further safeguard yourself during soldering activities. Try to take a break from time to time after continuous soldering work.
By following these guidelines, you can significantly reduce the risk of exposure to harmful solder fumes and maintain a safer soldering environment.
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