Solder shelf life

[HalfManHalfSaab]

Hi all,

I have a large drum of solder that is now a fair few years old. It seems like it's degraded quite a bit. Can solder 'go off'? I never thought of it having a use by date but thinking about it could see how the flux may dry out or otherwise break down.

It's the good leaded stuff and I've got 1kg of it. If there is a way to get some use from it - please let me know.

[tautech]

I've got some 1/8 inch Multicore saved for big jobs that must be 40+ years old, still fine for personal work. Also some nice 1 mm lead/tin/silver that I got from RS 20 years ago, that one is saved for special jobs. 

You will get a little more dross from old solder but it still works.
Many old varieties had more active fluxes than those today so be careful where you use it.

[sacherjj]

I'm almost done using up a roll of 63/37 solder I purchased from Radio Shack in 1989.  Solders fine, but is a little large diameter so it only gets used when I don't prefer the thin solder.   If anything happens to the flux, it is only at the exposed tip.  The biggest problem is probably oxidation.

Once you get to solder paste, that is a different story.  The flux is around the solder, rather than the other way around.

[Ian.M]

Life is virtually indefinite if stored in a sealed bag, dry, at or below room temperature.  Oxidation can (and should if visible) be removed from the outside of the solder by pulling it through a paper towel or if particularly cruddy, a green pan scourer.

The early 80's roll of heavy multicore on the bench is fine - still clean and bright.  The roll up the garage I use for occasional auto electrical work needs the pan scourer treatment as it got very dusty when the garage was being rebuilt and I think the damp got to it slightly.

[LA7SJA]

I still use solder from the late 60's without any problems of any kind. And it real leaded and not the EU shit the psykopat in Brussel is forsing many country to use.

Johan-Fredrik

[McBryce]

The flux may have dried at the ends, but further in the flux should be fine, just cut the end off. No reason why the lead/tin would degrade I don't think.

McBryce.

[linux-works]

officially, solder companies do state an expiration date on spools of solder.

I have bought very old spools from ebay and used them without problems.  I personally have solder that is over 40 years old and still works fine.

[T3sl4co1l]

Shelf life of the flux depends on how the solder was sealed: if the end is melted and rounded over, it's hermetically sealed and will last ~forever.  If it's open and you can see the pore(s), it will gradually dry out from the end.

Tim

[Augustus]

officially, solder companies do state an expiration date on spools of solder.

Our EU apparatschiks even put expiration dates on plain table salt 

@topic: I've never had any problems with old solder, as long as it's stored in a clean and dry place, it should work for decades... 

[GreyWoolfe]

I still have some 60/40 from 1997, thicker stuff I use for soldering wires.  No problems but I liquid flux everything anyway.  There is no such thing as too much flux.

[HalfManHalfSaab]

Thanks to all those who posted in response to my question. Sorry It's taken an age for me to reply.

I took off a good meter and the solder further in was much better but still 'spits' more than I think it should.

Thanks again!

 

[McBryce]

It might only have a single flux core which tends to spit more than modern solder with 5 flux cores.

McBryce. 

[CatalinaWOW]

The solder itself is fine except for possible surface oxidation.  I have solder of unknown age, but that can be traced back at least 60 years that works fine - with appropriate flux.  Same with flux core solder I bought surplus in the late 60s.   If you want the convenience of flux cored solder you may have issues with drying etc. 

All of the really old solder I have is in diameters that are totally useless for modern electronic construction so the lack of a flux core is immaterial.  When repairing really old school electronics I use it, and do the flux the old school way - separately.  Works just fine when wrapping wires around solder eyes.

Once I went full old school in one of these repairs - using a heavy copper headed iron that was heated between joints with a torch.  That experience made me value technical progress almost as much as my experience riding horses.