Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by xmodem 1559 days ago
Do you happen to know if tin whiskers have anything to do with passing current? (in other words, will a device that's in constant use develop them faster than a physically identical device that's switched off and in storage)
3 comments

> will a device that's in constant use develop them faster than a physically identical device that's switched off and in storage

Storage was one of the areas I researched extensively. It was like that scene in the movie "Clear and Present Danger" [0] in that the answer was always the same frustrating one regardless of conditions:

Stochastic growth onset; 0 to 3 years; can't predict growth start or rate; can't stop them; they will penetrate almost anything practical you can put on a board.

[0] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqtjbWJPIgQ

Passing current means thermal cycling...

And thermal cycling definitely accelerates whisker formation.

Yes. Voltage has a big effect on whiskers.