Desoldering station suggestion - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Lucky-Luka
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 06, 2022, 07:22:34 pm
content: I'm looking for a desoldering station to easily recover multi pin components from old boards (< 800E).

author: caprider
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2022, 04:00:10 pm
content: I’m interesting in this too.From what I’ve read Aoyue 474A++ is a fair option for about 135€.I’m curious to know if this a good station and if there are better alternatives in about the same budget.Cheers!

author: Calvin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2022, 04:48:44 pm
content: Hi,I´d be cautious! Got a INT2703A 3-in-1 station which also uztilizes a diaphragm pump -in this case to generate air pressure for hot air soldering and vacuum for the desoldering iron and solder fume extractor at once.Seemingly one of the two diaphragms is pointing towards the vacuum inputs and is stressed overdue by the hot air from the desoldering iron and fume extractor. It becomes stiff and brittle fast.Eventually the diaphragm develops fissures and the pump can´t build up enough pressure/vacuum any more. Took just about one year of useage for a 350€ station to become crap!Though it´d be easy to service the pump and replace the diaphragms alone, it seems that You have to source and replace the complete pump and associated filter-tank assembly, which costs almost 40€.ATM I´m waiting on a reply of the german distributor regarding replacement diaphragms, resp. a complete pump.regardsCalvin

author: caprider
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2022, 05:19:41 pm
content: Yeah, makes a lot of sense to use individual stations for soldering, desoldering and hot air.That’s why I’m only asking about a desoldering sucker station here.

author: pope
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2022, 08:45:47 pm
content: Quote from: caprider on January 15, 2022, 04:00:10 pmI have a Aoyue 474A++. It's OK if you want to desolder a few components every now and then but if you want to do some heavy work I'd probably look elsewhere.

author: LaurentR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 16, 2022, 12:20:25 am
content: The Hakko FR-301 Desoldering Gun (self contained) is not bad.If you have a (quite a bit) bigger budget, you can go for a Metcal solution (also needs a compressor as it's a venturi device). I have one of those and it's fast and painless. Only really makes sense if you're already Metcal-equipped.

author: TheBay
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 17, 2022, 12:05:22 am
content: I'm really impressed with my Quick 201B.

author: metan
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 17, 2022, 09:04:00 pm
content: I do own cheap ZD-915 and it have been working quite well for years.

author: BrokenYugo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2022, 02:19:29 am
content: Something I never see mentioned with these Chinese desoldering stations is the consumables situation, are they all proprietary, or do some use Hakko or similar heaters, tips, etc. that will be available for the foreseeable future?

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2022, 03:37:44 am
content: Quote from: BrokenYugo on January 18, 2022, 02:19:29 amHakko is quite aggressive about discontinuing parts for obsolete stations, so I would expect the Chinese parts to be available for longer. Also, unlike Hakko parts, they're cheap enough that you can afford to stock up ahead of time.

author: leftek
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2022, 01:45:10 pm
content: At this budget you can see for high quality and superior support PACE.I have one PACE desoldering station and i am very satisfied.I had need two times some information from manufacturer and he response immediately with his knowledge.If you can pay, buy from serious manufacturer with knowledge to enjoy high quality.

author: Ice-Tea
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 18, 2022, 02:10:34 pm
content: Got one of these recently:https://benl.rs-online.com/web/p/soldering-stations/1372292I'm sure it can be traced to the chinese manufacturer but I'm quite happy with it.

author: tkamiya
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2022, 06:10:18 pm
content: I would recommend HAKKO solution. I like it so much I bought a second one.One great thing about HAKKO model is that parts are available for purchase from Hakko itself, so if anything goes wrong, you can fix it yourself. For a good quality desoldering solution, it is inexpensive.

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2022, 06:19:12 pm
content: Hakko FR-301or maybe this:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/quick-201b-desoldering-station/

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 08, 2022, 06:56:54 pm
content: Quote from: leftek on January 18, 2022, 01:45:10 pmIndeed. Pace is outstanding in this regard.Here in Switzerland, it took 2 or 3 years for one to show up on the local auction site, but I got a used Pace desoldering station for around $120 shipped (including $50 worth of new tips and filters!) and then $15 of parts got it working and looking like new.I highly recommend going this route if it isn’t urgent.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 01:25:02 am
content: I've had a Pace SX 100 handpiece for almost 4 years now and it's been great.Compared to the Hakko it's smaller, pencil style (which many prefer) and the body just houses the solder trap, so quite lightweight. It costs about $20 to service a worn handpiece which is considerably cheaper than other brands.The Pace uses a station with built in vacuum pump, certain models can be both foot or handpiece actuated /controlled.

author: all_repair
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 01:46:42 am
content: Quote from: caprider on January 15, 2022, 04:00:10 pmI have one. Is a white dead elephant now, suction power is not there. I don't know where the design goes wrong, I have tried changing to a stronger pump, still giving me weak suction. Go for Hakko, I have 4 hakko desoldering stations, but their main unit and accessories are getting more expensive.Anyone knows how to "solder" back the wire to the heating element of Hakko head? The joint break off after a while (predetermined cycles== planned failure), I have quite a few faulty heads lying around with this simple fault.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 07:40:46 am
content: Quote from: Shock on February 09, 2022, 01:25:02 amFYI to anyone buying used: the SX-90 and SX-100 are identical, they’re just minor revisions, so minor that all parts are interchangeable. The SX-80 is identical to those except for the heater, so an SX-80 can easily (and officially) be upgraded to an SX-90 in order to use the improved SX-90 style tips. If you’re buying used, any of these is a fine choice.Quote from: Shock on February 09, 2022, 01:25:02 amDon't all of them have the pedal connection? (Incidentally, the pedal is a simple switch, so you can do like I did and buy a $10 guitar pedal and change the connector to the 3-pin mini-DIN instead of spending $100 on the official Pace pedal.)

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 09:47:33 am
content: I recall not all of them having foot control (such as the Pace ST-75) but yeah the din socket on the rear is a giveaway. The desoldering handpieces are much the same, it's more a case of figuring out if buying Sensatemp or Intelliheat wired versions.

author: Hydron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 10:47:42 am
content: Just don't go Weller - I got a _new_ DSX80 handpiece from ebay for a sharp price and built a station using a pump, transformer and weller control PCB that I already had (just had to whip up a DC supply for the pump), but after a few years of hobbyist only (i.e. very low duty cycle) use the sensor inside the iron failed.I thought I'd just be able to buy a heater/sensor assembly, but it turns out that it's almost the whole damn iron! The only thing you don't buy is the plastic handle and cord basically, and the replacement part is nearly the price of a whole new iron (and about 3x what I paid in the first place). It also seems that these I'm not the first with issues (reports on here about welds breaking etc).I thankfully managed to fix mine with a sensor I salvaged out of a scrap 50W weller iron (a PT20 RTD, so good luck getting one another way) but it was a massive PITA and I'm not sure how long the fix will last. Had to pick out the ceramic potting, remove the dead sensor. spot weld a wire to the new sensor (one broke off when I salvaged it) and pot it back into the iron. No idea how well my DIY weld will hold up (weld failure is likely what killed the original), so fingers crossed it doesn't just die again soon.Would go with almost any other brand in the future, the only reason I didn't give up on the weller when it died is due to having some pricey tips, consumables etc already.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 09, 2022, 09:48:03 pm
content: Quote from: Shock on February 09, 2022, 09:47:33 amI have an IntelliHeat ST 75 and it has the pedal input. I’m not sure off the top of my head whether the older SensaTemp ST 75 has it, though.

author: knave
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 06:01:52 am
content: I too ...Sometimes I work with old (70s/80s) boards with (unsocketed) DIP parts, it gets tedious and I'm wary of damaging the traces.The DIP28/DIP40 parts I need to remove carefully, smaller parts less so.I am looking at the FR-301 (~$250) and also some of the cheaper options such ashttps://www.amazon.com/Digital-Desoldering-Station-Anesty-Professional/dp/B07542D82F/If my main concern is avoiding PCB damage and then adequate performance.Might the FR-301 suffice? I have other HAKKO products and generally like them.I hadn't considered the 201B until reading this thread, it looks good but the cost is quite high. Metcal and Pace more so.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 07:50:28 am
content: If you do such desoldering often, and you can machine copper, an interesting option is to make giant DIP desoldering tips. Take a block of copper about 1cm thick and the size of the matching IC socket, then either drill a blind hole for each pin, or mill a slot for each row of pins. Then figure out how to attach this to your soldering iron. (For example, for old-style Pace, with simple cylindrical tips, make a copper rod the right size, thread it on the working end, and drill and tap a hole on the copper block.)The idea is that the block can melt all the pins at once. We had (commercially available) desoldering tips of this style at my old work, and they work superbly. They’re not made anymore, at least not for most soldering irons, hence the DIY instructions.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 19, 2023, 08:21:09 pm
content: The Hakko FR301 is one of the heavier handpieces (due to it being an all in one) and has a standard tip range. The stand it comes with is very basic. Consumables and service parts are fairly pricey for what they are but not too bad compared to heater tips. I've not heard any real problems with the latest version of it, should be fine.Vacuum desoldering I think is the safer method as it allows you to identify all the stuck pins fairly easily and has a relatively low risk of component and pcb damage. Otherwise there is a bunch of ways to go about it, some not as time efficient as others.

author: pope
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2023, 12:23:21 am
content: Quote from: tooki on January 19, 2023, 07:50:28 amWhy not use a solder pot in this case? Much less fuss.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 20, 2023, 07:54:41 am
content: Quote from: pope on January 20, 2023, 12:23:21 amBecause a DIP desoldering tip like that can fit into places a solder pot can’t.

author: knave
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 23, 2023, 12:34:54 am
content: Having something useful for a variety of packages would be a win.The biggest concern removing DIP is I don't want to damage 45+ year old PCBs. Removing larger DIP packages undamaged is also important as many are hard to replace.Having something "usable" for tube sockets and the rest would be good, but a much less frequent occurrence. I have several spring loaded pumps, they are mediocre at best and require cleanup afterwards.For SMT hot-air + wick so far seems to work.I sounds like I should consider the Pace or the Quick despite being a bit of a HAKKO fan, the Pace is a little under $400, the Quick a bit below that and the HAKKO $240.Almost everything I do is leaded, I'm curious if lead-free makes things more difficult?

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2023, 12:55:03 am
content: Removing chips from old boards is always iffy. I have used various suction based desoldering irons (Ersa, Pace) over the years but nowadays I used soder wick (the good stuff from Chemtronics) to empty the holes one by one. What helps with older boards is to clean the joints first with alcohol and redo the joints with fresh tin. When a pin/pad is attached to a large plane, I pre-heat using hot air. This and patience usually gets the job done without damage to parts and boards.

author: tatel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2023, 04:25:19 am
content: Quote from: Ice-Tea on January 18, 2022, 02:10:34 pmIt looks identical to proskit ss-331https://aliexpress.com/item/32957483227.htmlYeah, quite happy with it

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 25, 2023, 12:56:14 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on January 23, 2023, 12:55:03 amThough I still think that vacuum desolderingusing proper techniqueproduces the best results most of the time, for solder wick, try MG Chemicals. It’s braided from way finer wire than the rest, and performs better because of it.

author: Arts
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2023, 01:09:20 am
content: I purchased an Aoyue 474A++ several years ago for under 200 buck. Performs extremely well and has been totally reliable, and it has a lot of hours on it at this point.As with all desoldering apparatus, regular cleaning and filter replacements are mandatory, as is moistening the filter in the handpiece. Most Hakko consumables are usable.I also have a JBC DS 5300 desoldering system, but I find the Aoyue handpiece lighter and easier to manage, especially in tight spaces.

author: helius
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2023, 03:02:19 am
content: Quote from: Shock on January 19, 2023, 08:21:09 pmThe "stand" it comes with is just a folded piece of sheet metal and will transfer enough heat to burn a wooden desk. But there are real stands made by Hakko, they are just an additional purchase. The specified stand is C1100, but it looks like models 607 and 633 will also work.Hakko also makes quick-tip-change stands that are interesting, Model C5046. How much more complicated than the simple and fast tip changing arrangement of the Pace desolder tools!

author: donlisms
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 02:28:13 am
content: I have a Hakko FR-301 and I don't complain about it much, nor do I wish for something else. It just works. I'm not claiming it's the best.I agree with tooki that the thing is proper technique. I cringe when I see someone using the grind-aggressively-in-circles method; it's so abusive and unnecessary. Just melt the solder and give it a nudge!The Hakko replaced a low-cost gun that I bought thinking "How bad could it be?" Well, poor design and construction, parts not fitting, parts breaking, the passageway blocking up way too often... Finally the broken remains were discarded, without tears.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 09:11:37 am
content: Quote from: donlisms on March 29, 2023, 02:28:13 amThere’s a happy middle ground, but too much movement is better than the much more common problem that people don’t move the desoldering tipat all, resulting in poor hole clearing and residual adhesion on plated holes.Pace has great videos showing how to do it right.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 02:02:11 pm
content: Quote from: tooki on March 29, 2023, 09:11:37 amMoving tip in rotating motion is the useful part of the trick. What needs to be avoided is a pressure towards the board...

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2023, 04:06:59 pm
content: Oh, for sure! Feather touch, not like a gorilla!(The Pace videoliterallyhas a man in a gorilla suit showing what not to do! 😂)https://youtu.be/IqE1KA0OAnM@18:33

author: Paceguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2023, 08:10:34 pm
content: I have been using Pace for years. You can find used ones on ebay. Parts and tips are available. If you are going to do a lot of de-soldering, better to go with a good quality de-solder station and avoid the cheap ones.