Lead-based solder

neoneo
Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2014
I have 2 old hard drives in my PC's that seem to have lead-based solder on the circuit boards, and i have a fan that i duct-taped on the hard drive for cooling. I dunno if i have to take the fans off, or is it not that big of a deal. According to MSN.com, that stuff is serious, but i don't really care, especially that people used to use lead everywhere, like in paint and gas. It took like 50 years to find out that it's bad for health. I forgot to mention that my PC's are running with the outside of the case taken off for better cooling.



-Neø

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    outsideroutsider Posts: 6,008member
    It explains a lot.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    Dude! Be careful, putting cooling fans over hard drives with lead are frickin DANGEROUS



    My friend's mother's colleague's brother's cat died from sitting in front of the computer's exhaust too much, which had lead solder in its circuits!!!



    Man, I would go to a doctor if I were you, for that dangerous metal, lead, which dissolves so easily in air in its solid form, is insanely dangerous. And did you know the radiation properties of lead? They are insane, I would be seriously careful being around your computer, especially with fans over the lead solder to blow the lead fumes right into your face.



  • Reply 3 of 10
    neoneo Posts: 271member
    Right now the fans are pointing up toward the ceiling, and would there be any difference if i turn them over?

    And is there any thing that you can paint over the lead to keep the lead from vaporizing ?



    BTW, i would've went to the doctor, but right now we don't have insurance



    -Neø
  • Reply 4 of 10
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member






    The smoking ass says "quit your ridiculous whining and get me a drink".
  • Reply 5 of 10
    rick1138rick1138 Posts: 938member
    Lead is quite hazardous to your health, and lead fumes are quite dangerous, but lead does not produce fumes until it is heated to around 500 C. Handling lead is a hazard as well. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly, including under your fingernails, before you eat. If you are using solder, make sure it is somewhere that is well-ventilated. I recommend using lead free solder. Ruining your health isn't worth the benefits of lead, which are few. The health effects of lead have been known since classical times.
  • Reply 6 of 10
    splinemodelsplinemodel Posts: 7,311member
    Some of the smartest people in the world have spent countless hours soldering with lead. I wouldn't worry about it too much. If fact, the people who design your computer have probably inhaled quite a bit of fumes from solder. Incidentally, 99.999% of the fumes from solder are the burning rosin.



    After a session of soldering with good solder (the lead kind), and after the smell of burning rosin gets in your system (the kind you have to add to the good, non-rosin core solder solder you're using) . . . for some reason a cold coke tastes so incredibly good.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    chychchych Posts: 860member
    I think the point I was getting at was, thinking that blowing air over metal (lead) at hard drive temperatures (i.e. <<500C) creates dangerous fumes, is silly
  • Reply 8 of 10
    murbotmurbot Posts: 5,262member
    It's ok chych, I think 99% of us got it.
  • Reply 9 of 10
    notaclonenotaclone Posts: 82member
    Does this mean I can sue my Dad for child abuse for making me learn how to solder PC boards at home during the 70's?
  • Reply 10 of 10
    rick1138rick1138 Posts: 938member
    Lead fumes are dangerous. Lead is classified as a poison. Anyone who tells you the health effects of lead are no big deal does not know what they are talking about.
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