PDA

View Full Version : Desoldering toys



Mach
07-27-2009, 10:42 PM
New SFF mod in the works that needs 200W of power with no standard PSU. I've got a 200 DC-DC power supply from Mini-box and they're biggest AC-DC brick at 110W but that isn't going to get it.

I need more pow-ah. There are 2 sources for 200W power bricks that I've found, the Dell DA-2 and the Xbox 360. The Dell DA-2 is giving me no love with the DC-DC power supply. Apparently it's a known problem over at the AVSforums. So that leaves the Xbox 360 and it's proprietary plug.

And we come to the subject of this post, I need that plug receptacle off the Xbox 360 motherboard (its a trashed one that I got off ebay).
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5ZGVyE4yI/AAAAAAAAF6Y/MI9XDK0tiXg/s800/IMG_5391.JPG



Normally I'd wail on it with solder, a solder sucker, and my soldering iron cranked to "11" but my success has been so-so doing it that way. Given the problem that Langer had here (http://www.thebestcasescenario.com/forum/showthread.php?p=222264&highlight=desolder#post222264) , I didn't have high hopes.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5ZEvDh4UI/AAAAAAAAF6U/aMJW5MP5tao/s800/IMG_5390.JPG



Enter one of these purchased from The Game Train (http://www.thegametrain.com/hot-air-rework-gun-856-p-855.html)
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5Y194L6kI/AAAAAAAAF5s/xlbk7UHYWZk/s800/IMG_5372.JPG



It cost me about $65US including shipping.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5Y3pkxudI/AAAAAAAAF5w/EaCqi4ZfcQs/s800/IMG_5373.JPG



The digital gauge on it says its putting out about between 800-900C cranked. Not sure if I buy that but I can't argue with results. It melts regular solder like ice. I mixed some regular solder on the back of the pins to get everything flowing.
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5Y5Zzm98I/AAAAAAAAF50/d-tao2ULGaE/s800/IMG_5377.JPG



A solder sucker and a few minutes later.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5Y7buxVOI/AAAAAAAAF58/5s3mZ4HdlII/s800/IMG_5382.JPG



:):up:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5Y8Qppt9I/AAAAAAAAF6A/SljHKZAqWT8/s800/IMG_5383.JPG



Not too bad for a first time. The plastic certainly took some heat. I mucked around with too much at first but its yards better than my soldering iron attempts.
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5Y-aQjxMI/AAAAAAAAF6E/iFxYXckAkSY/s800/IMG_5385.JPG



Cleaned up the solder bridges

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5ZBrm3mxI/AAAAAAAAF6M/1sx1WCTMmOo/s800/IMG_5388.JPG



Closer….:banana:
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_UdQdiSb7gT4/Sm5ZDUlhBtI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/NRfSLmuwm9c/s800/IMG_5389.JPG



Now I need a bigger solder sucker. I'm going to try to pull all the caps etc off next. Hints & tips from you re-flow experts appreciated.

nevermind1534
07-27-2009, 11:08 PM
I've used a propane torch in the past for items with tons of pins (around 100 pins), and that works great, other than having to be extremely careful with it.

Now I want to get one of those things.

Collinstheclown
07-28-2009, 12:50 AM
I had the same exact issue as you, and I ended up using a heat gun as well! It helps if you add some flux in the mix.

Good job! :) :up:




-CollinstheClown

Oneslowz28
07-28-2009, 08:17 PM
For the caps and and IC hold off on the hot air gun. Use the iron and solder sucker. Caps and IC's are heat sensitive. and it never hurts to have some solder wick handy.

nevermind1534
07-28-2009, 08:18 PM
For caps, I just use the iron, alone.

Mach
07-28-2009, 08:31 PM
Thanks for the tips guys. Will do on the heat for the ICs and caps as well as liberal application of flux.

Collinstheclown
07-28-2009, 11:09 PM
You should try "Quick Chip", it's a low temp. solder that stay molten for a good bit longer then normal solder. Just flux the joints and bridge them with the QC and pull out the part.


*Edit: Thanks for the 3rd green box! :) I'll leave some rep when I get home, the work PC doesn't like vb that much.

**Edit: I got it to work. :)




-CollinstheClown

Oneslowz28
07-29-2009, 03:22 AM
BTW resin is just a cleaning agent to clean the joint before the solder flows. It wont aid in solder removal.

Oneslowz28
07-30-2009, 06:32 PM
I forgot to add that Sparkfun has some awesome through hole and SMD soldering tutorials. I might be doing a tutorial on hotplate reflow soldering in the near future.

With that said who would be interested in a few soldering and desoldering tutorials?

Collinstheclown
07-30-2009, 06:45 PM
I'm always up for learning other people's techniques and tricks! :)




-CollinstheClown

Mach
07-30-2009, 11:57 PM
@Collin: Just saw your post on Curious Inventor, heh... Great minds...

@Z28: Does it make the solder flow easier when desoldering? One of the video tutorials I watched said helps to get the solder out of the holes. BS?

On sparkfun, at makerfaire last year, I got to take one of their classes on SMD soldering. It was easier than I expected. I pulled up one the traces but they showed me how to fix it. Definitely possible to do for the hobbyist.

Reflow? Yeah, I need to dig my Retromod project back out sometime and finish it. Maybe soon....

On tutorials, heck yeah. The guys at hard forum are about to talk me into buying a desoldering station maybe a contrast comparison tutorial?