Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at work?

Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by XorNot on Sunday September 04, 2016 @02:19AM (#12423029)

Depends on if you use leaded solder or not (and really, I appreciate why people do - unleaded solder at home as a hobbyist has been a nightmare for me so far).

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Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by fake-name on Monday September 05, 2016 @08:39PM (#12433012)

There is no lead in lead solder fumes (look up the vapour pressure tables. seriously).

The only thing in lead solder fumes is the rosin, which is benign except being an asthma sensitizer, so you should probably take precautions if you have asthma. Other then that it's basically harmless.

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Re:Ask HN: What does an electrical engineer actually do at w... by dan1234 on Sunday September 04, 2016 @10:44AM (#12424573)

It's the flux in solder fumes that are toxic, you shouldn't be vaporising the lead. A well ventilated room and a small fan to blow across your work area should be enough for most hobby work.

That being said, you should wash your hands after dealing with leaded solder and consider some disposable gloves if you're going to be doing a long session.

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