Desoldering
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| Guide details | |
|---|---|
| Topic | Skill |
| Applies to | Both |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| How often | — |
| Tools needed | Soldering iron Desoldering braid (wick) Solder sucker (pump) Flux Flush cutters |
Desoldering means removing solder so you can take a part off a board. It's harder than soldering, and the main risk is damaging the board.
Tools
- Desoldering braid (wick): copper braid that soaks up melted solder.
- Solder sucker (pump): a spring-loaded vacuum that pulls up melted solder.
- Desoldering station: a heated tip with a built-in vacuum pump. Expensive, but it makes big jobs much easier.
- Flux for everything.
Tip: add solder first
Old solder can be hard to melt and remove. Adding a little fresh solder to the joint first makes it flow and come out much more easily.
Using braid
- Add flux to the joint.
- Lay the braid on the joint and press the iron tip on top of the braid.
- The solder melts and wicks into the braid. Lift both away together.
- Cut off the used section of braid and repeat if needed.
Using a solder sucker
- Cock the plunger.
- Melt the joint with the iron.
- Quickly place the sucker's tip over the melted solder, remove the iron, and press the button.
Removing a part
- Clear the solder from every pin, then gently wiggle the part out. Don't force it. If it won't come out, a pin still has solder.
- Don't overheat pads. If a pad starts to lift, stop and let it cool.
Removing a dead chip
If you already know a chip is bad, you can cut its legs with flush cutters right at the chip body, then remove each leg one at a time with the iron. This is much easier on the board. Only do this with chips you're replacing.
After removing a chip, many people install a socket so the next replacement doesn't need desoldering.