Lead free wire

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splinetto said:
Just got some 14/2 and lead free is written all over the wrapper...Does anyone know the story or reasons behind it?? Thank You

I remember a story years ago about an electrician who use to chew the jacket of wire like it was tobacco. Casually his memory got worse and worse then they finally discovered that he was chewing the wire that had lead in the paint. I guess they are getting rid of the lead.
 
RoHS

RoHS

Look up RoHS compliances. It's a booming thing in the UK, we're starting to follow here in some applications.
For those of you who think you can't solder all that great now, wait to you use lead-free solder. :rolleyes:
 
splinetto said:
Is it in the sheathing or insulation? Either way we are all going to die

Then start chewing. I think in the case I was talking about it was the insulation on the wire but I bet it is in both.
 
Dennis Alwon said:
Then start chewing. I think in the case I was talking about it was the insulation on the wire but I bet it is in both.

At least we can laugh about it. I don't see the NEC ever approaching that too soon :rolleyes:
 
Ya know I too have been wondering about this type of thing lately (4mo baby at home - changed diaper during this post....) and there has been reams of articles and stories about China loading every baby toy with toxic metals or other hazardous materials. Candy with battery parts from Mexico. Apparently they can load all kinds of crap like lead and mecury into what one might think is just plastic. So yes I was wondering too what type of trash is going into construction materials of our trade. Like what exactly is in the SimPull coating!?!?

So now I go home and do the Mr. Rogers with some OCD handwashing before handling my daughter.... Sap from framing is one thing - the grime from MC could very well be much more than we want to know about.....
 
Lead has been used in the plastic used for wire insulation and sheathing for a long time. It is used both in the dyes and to make the plastic more flexible. It is being removed from use at this time and as a company makes there product RoHS compliant you will likely see stickers that say lead free.
Don
 
2011

310.15(B)(2)(d) Lead Free Conductors. The allowable ampacity of each conductor shall be reduced as shown in Table 310.15(B)(2)(d).
 
don_resqcapt19 said:
Lead has been used in the plastic used for wire insulation and sheathing for a long time. It is used both in the dyes and to make the plastic more flexible. It is being removed from use at this time and as a company makes there product RoHS compliant you will likely see stickers that say lead free.
Don

REALLY!?! :mad: I'm about to be very up-set......... Not that I chew on the stuff - but was not aware of this...
 
I haven't chewed on the stuff, but I do use ground tails for coffee stirrers. hmm, forgot what I was gonna say . . .
 
"haven't been the same since I drank my thermometer..."
Cletus.gif
 
Poke all the fun you want, but you may see this into term before we retire.
The UK is taking it very seriously. I chewed tons of lead chips when I was a child, look how I turned out? I see no problem in C cord through out.

Marc, let's megger it to show proof;)

No pun intended, my Fluke 1507 rules!!!!!!!!

Consider this folks, it's coming.
 
Yeah, the USA has a bit of a laissez-faire view on this safety of materials stuff, but first Europe and now Asia(!) are requiring all product to conform to certain standards. What this means, of course, is that the USA will get the same stuff, as it's cheaper for manufacturers to use one type of material rather than have two product sets, a RoHS type compliant one for the world, and an "anything will do" line for the States.

Same argument as the eventual domination of TR receptacles...
 
I don't think Europe and N.America use the same cable types, colors, or guages for simular purposes. Nor do they use the same devices.

Anyway, last night I was reading some scary stuff about insulation and toxins - not that I need to grow dreads and listen to The Dead to appreciate it. But is a bit of a wake up call...
http://www.steelconduit.org/pdf/GettingDownToWire.pdf
www.turi.org/content/download/3373/30408/file/Schmidt%202006%20final%20report.pdf
http://www.teknorapex.com/News.111/current_category.117/division.13/whats_new_detail.html
http://www.wireville.com/news/Cabling%20Can%20Kill%20You.html
 
e57 said:
I don't think Europe and N.America use the same cable types, colors, or guages for simular purposes. Nor do they use the same devices.

Anyway, last night I was reading some scary stuff about insulation and toxins - not that I need to grow dreads and listen to The Dead to appreciate it. But is a bit of a wake up call...
http://www.steelconduit.org/pdf/GettingDownToWire.pdf
www.turi.org/content/download/3373/30408/file/Schmidt%202006%20final%20report.pdf
http://www.teknorapex.com/News.111/current_category.117/division.13/whats_new_detail.html
http://www.wireville.com/news/Cabling%20Can%20Kill%20You.html


Don't bring the Dead into this. This is none of their concern, no fault of theirs.
That's for another forum.
 
brantmacga said:
i can testify to that! i hate that stuff.

I like using Lead-free solder (I use Silver alloy), it gives a much stronger joint.
It costs a little more, but I don't use that much anyway.

I realize that it's harder to solder with a electric soldering iron, but I use a small (minature) butane torch, a dab of lead free flux, and it flows really good.

I always wash off the flux (with carb cleaner) after I finish soldering to remove the corrosive, but all in all, it's quicker than waiting for a soldering iron to heat up.

Just my opinion

steve
 
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