Lead Free Dual Deployment Altimeter

I'm looking for someone who will make a lead free DD altimeter. I do want to avoid the discussion if lead/ lead solder is bad, etc. I know some say that due to the shock loading in rocketry, leaded solder is a requirement. The requirement and safety issue are opinions based on facts that we can all acquire for ourselves. Many electronics are made with lead free solder successfully, and I work in an industry where lead is prohibited due to contamination issues, so we've successfully used lead free components for years. So my experience has lead me to believe lead free is the best choice for me. I even had some locator beepers made by someone who makes them, and just sent thru a special order for me to make sure they were mfg with lead free solder. They've worked successfully, however, have been unable to find anyone offering lead free in a DD altimeter.

Who did you ask?

I find it hard to believe that any recent altimeter isn't lead free. most components now a days (especially commercial ones) only come lead free and cms don't really want to deal with building both. we have to go out of our way to build leaded boards these days.

jderimig said:

Who did you ask?

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I believe I asked Featherweight & Adept a year or so ago and then recently Apogee Components, since they sell several brands and might be aware. Everyone said "nope", all are leaded solder.

Derek said:

I find it hard to believe that any recent altimeter isn't lead free. most components now a days (especially commercial ones) only come lead free and cms don't really want to deal with building both. we have to go out of our way to build leaded boards these days.

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That's what I thought too-but found out otherwise-unless they don't know what their contract mfg is using?

I would check with the manufacturers. They probably know the technical details of there product the best. Just ask if their product is RoHS compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances). Any product being sold in the EU, has had to be RoHS compliant since 2006, so I would first look at the biggest companies that are most likely to sell to the EU. Toys and sports equipment are specifically required to be RoHS compliant in the EU. Maybe look for a European rocket supply company and see what they sell. I would be surprised if most/all are not RoHS compliant these days.

Wear nitrile gloves when prepping your rocket.

May not be the route you're looking for, but you could solder (or have someone solder) an eggtimer with lead free solder. It wouldn't be completely lead-free as there are SMT parts pre-soldered on the board (which may or may not be lead free), but it at least reduces the overall lead amount in the end result.

The R-DAS is lead-free.

Jeroen

Could I drop the word "lead" and just get a free dual deployment altimeter? :eyepop:

CZ Brat said:

I would check with the manufacturers. They probably know the technical details of there product the best. Just ask if their product is RoHS compliant (Restriction of Hazardous Substances). Any product being sold in the EU, has had to be RoHS compliant since 2006, so I would first look at the biggest companies that are most likely to sell to the EU. Toys and sports equipment are specifically required to be RoHS compliant in the EU. Maybe look for a European rocket supply company and see what they sell. I would be surprised if most/all are not RoHS compliant these days.

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I was surprised and you might be too, that I've found none that are RoHS compliant.

Just curious as to why you are so concerned about a miniscule amout of lead? When you burn an AP or BP motor you release HCl, CO2, soot, etc. Why is that OK and a little Pb solder is not? What about the lead acid battery in your car you drive to get to the launch?

Jeroen_at_CTI said:

The R-DAS is lead-free.

Jeroen

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Dr. J to the rescue, problem solved.

Gregory R said:

Just curious as to why you are so concerned about a miniscule amout of lead? When you burn an AP or BP motor you release HCl, CO2, soot, etc. Why is that OK and a little Pb solder is not? What about the lead acid battery in your car you drive to get to the launch?

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As I stated, I was trying to avoid this discussion, we all have our opinions.

BrianURocket said:

As I stated, I was trying to avoid this discussion, we all have our opinions.

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I wonder why . . . perhaps you don't know. You want some bisphenol-A free epoxy? :lol:

hball55 said:

I wonder why . . . perhaps you don't know. You want some bisphenol-A free epoxy? :lol:

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I know why I want lead free, if I didn't know, i wouldn't care. that's why I'm asking. You have a source for BPA free epoxy?

Gregory R said:

Just curious as to why you are so concerned about a miniscule amout of lead? When you burn an AP or BP motor you release HCl, CO2, soot, etc. Why is that OK and a little Pb solder is not? What about the lead acid battery in your car you drive to get to the launch?

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Minuscule? You're saying it's parts per billion? Again, it's all relative to each of us-for reasons or no reasons.
A little HCl and CO2, etc. is fine for me-maybe not for you. Again-each of us have our opinions.
BTW, I don't handle my car battery every time I go to a launch, maybe once every 4 years when I change it.
I didn't want to get the thread off topic and discuss if lead was safe or not, I was simply asking for anyone that might mfg lead free.

This tread is base on a lack of information. The lead is dangerous if you absorb it ( you have to shallow it or breath the dust or fume ) lead contain in solder is not absorbed through the skin. They don't want lead in the solder because peoples trash too much electronic and too much go directly to burial site. So it's an environmental issue not an health hazard issue.

Area66 said:

This tread is base on a lack of information. The lead is dangerous if you absorb it ( you have to shallow it or breath the dust or fume ) lead contain in solder is not absorbed through the skin. They don't want lead in the solder because peoples trash too much electronic and too much go directly to burial site. So it's an environmental issue not an health hazard issue.

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In my opinion, it can be a health hazard issue and an environmental issue, when you have a damaged or lost altimeter, both can occur. Yes, part of my reason. Again, I deliberately tried to avoid this discussion, we are all able to make our own opinion, all i wanted was options on mfgs that might make a lead free altimeter.

hball55 said:

There's more lead in the air you breathe than on an altimeter . . . you going to stop breathing?

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You got proof of that? I'd like to see those numbers.
Please, if you have recommendation of a mfg altimeter that does lead free mfg please do so.

Jeroen_at_CTI said:

The R-DAS is lead-free.

Jeroen

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Thank you.

The Marsa54L can be "almost" lead free. Pads on PCB are tinned with some lead. If you want complete RoHs compliance that can be done for a small upcharge on a custom order. Contact me on website if you need more info.

www.marsa4.com

BrianURocket said:

As I stated, I was trying to avoid this discussion, we all have our opinions.

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Exactly. People are going to whack at you, but you have every right to your opinion. Yours is right (for you).

jderimig said:

The Marsa54L can be "almost" lead free. Pads on PCB are tinned with some lead. If you want complete RoHs compliance that can be done for a small upcharge on a custom order. Contact me on website if you need more info.

www.marsa4.com

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John,
E-mail sent thru your website.
Thanks

sooner.boomer said:

Exactly. People are going to whack at you, but you have every right to your opinion. Yours is right (for you).

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I would like to +1 my support for Brian not having to defend his opinion in "TRF court", just to ask if RoHS compliant altimeters exist.

RoHS does not mean "lead-free". The purpose of RoHS is to minimize the amount of toxic metals and other substances that end up in EU landfills, which is something that California has been doing for some time as well. There are quite a few exemptions to the RoHS "rules", usually based on their necessity for manufacture or for pragmatic reasons. For example, leaded solder is permitted for hand assembly (due to its lower melting temperature), and hobby kits (like the Eggtimer and Eggfinder) are specifically exempted too. Some devices are "RoHS-compliant by exemption"; that means that it's not possible to make them without RoHS-regulated substances, so they qualify for an automatic exemption.

cerving said:

RoHS does not mean "lead-free". The purpose of RoHS is to minimize the amount of toxic metals and other substances that end up in EU landfills, which is something that California has been doing for some time as well. There are quite a few exemptions to the RoHS "rules", usually based on their necessity for manufacture or for pragmatic reasons. For example, leaded solder is permitted for hand assembly (due to its lower melting temperature), and hobby kits (like the Eggtimer and Eggfinder) are specifically exempted too. Some devices are "RoHS-compliant by exemption"; that means that it's not possible to make them without RoHS-regulated substances, so they qualify for an automatic exemption.

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Thanks, but remember-I didn't ask for RoHS compliant, I asked for "lead free".

Funny how whenever anyone starts a thread and says something along the lines of, "I'm asking about THIS, not THAT, and I don't want the thread to get sidetracked onto a discussion about THAT. So, please don't post about THAT. Just answer my question about THIS." Sure enough, someone will inevitably post about THAT, and add nothing to the discussion that the OP was trying to have.

How about spraying the board with a conformal coating (basically a clearcoat)? That should dramatically lessen any exposure from handling.

Zeroignite said:

How about spraying the board with a conformal coating (basically a clearcoat)? That should dramatically lessen any exposure from handling.

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Clearcoat can wear away or degrade over time. If it starts out lead-free in the first place that issue is avoided. Kurt