Why Should We Clean Boards From Flux?

[ThePanda]

The smoke you see (and smell) when soldering IS the flux fumes, not lead. We don’t get to anywhere near the temperature lead vaporizes in soldering, there are no lead fumes from lead bearing solder. But yes, the resin fumes ARE the problem.

I just have memories of my dad teaching me how to solder at age 7 during his repair class he was teaching at the community college.

Breathing in ALL the fumes

 

[Fama]

The smoke you see (and smell) when soldering IS the flux fumes, not lead. We don’t get to anywhere near the temperature lead vaporizes in soldering, there are no lead fumes from lead bearing solder. But yes, the resin fumes ARE the problem.

I believe I've actually had smoke come out of my pedals twice so far, and both times nothing broke. I think I just got lucky, and no parts were harmed, but some leftover flux went up in smoke.

(one of those times was the Die Factory Musikding kit, I don't remember which transistor it was that I messed up with but it might have even been germanium, heh)

 

[finebyfine]

The smoke you see (and smell) when soldering IS the flux fumes, not lead. We don’t get to anywhere near the temperature lead vaporizes in soldering, there are no lead fumes from lead bearing solder. But yes, the resin fumes ARE the problem.

So does leaded solder not smell different than lead free? Every leaded solder I've tried has been acerbic to me in a no lead free has.

 

[Bricksnbeatles]

So does leaded solder not smell different than lead free? Every leaded solder I've tried has been acerbic to me in a no lead free has.

I'd guess that different fluxes are used for the flux cores of leaded and lead-free, perhaps

 

[Alan W]

So does leaded solder not smell different than lead free? Every leaded solder I've tried has been acerbic to me in a no lead free has.

Good question, and I'm guessing that @Bricksnbeatles has the correct answer. But I don't know.