Is there a way to remove solder from a pcb? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 08:47:35 pm
content: Let's say you have all the components off of a board and it has lots of solder on it still. Is there a way to get the solder off easily so it is flat again? I thought about reflowing it and wiping it with something while hot maybe... Ideas?

author: fivefish
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 08:50:12 pm
content: If you have a Hakko desoldering gun, you can suck it up almost flat the pads... but you can't remove "evidence" that there was solder there before.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 08:51:34 pm
content: Solder wick

author: Roeland_R
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 08:52:26 pm
content: You can also use this stuff:https://www.mecktronics.nl/index.php?item=de-soldeer-litze&action=article&aid=60&lang=NL(Sorry, don't know the english name)

author: Augustus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 09:06:22 pm
content: You could try heating the whole pcb with a hot air gun till the solder reflows and give it a quick wipe with a damp cotton rag

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 09:13:30 pm
content: Quote from: Roeland_R on August 09, 2015, 08:52:26 pmthat's solder wick

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 09:15:19 pm
content: Solder wick along the edge of a wide (10mm+) blade tip.And plenty of flux as the old solder will be all manky and oxidised

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 11:32:53 pm
content: Quote from: Augustus on August 09, 2015, 09:06:22 pmThis is what I was wondering - heat it up in a reflow oven and try to wipe it?

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 11:42:50 pm
content: So if it's just a one-off, maybe some chip quik (or a clonehttp://www.ebay.com/itm/121716224906) would make it easier to heat sections up and wipe/wick off.

author: Pack34
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2015, 11:47:52 pm
content: The easiest way is solder-wick and lots of flux.I've always had the best success using cheap wick and saturating it with either a flux pen or a jar with a brush.Since it will be a large area that will receive flux treatment you will most likely need to clean the board afterwards.

author: Augustus
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2015, 08:23:19 am
content: Quote from: alank2 on August 09, 2015, 11:32:53 pmThe problem with a reflow oven is time. By the time you get your pcb out and ready to get wiped, the solder very well may be starting to solidify. With the hot-air gun you could work two-handed, one hand holds the gun, heating the pcb, the other hand has the cotton rag ready to level the board, at the moment the solder is in its molten state. The whole process has to be carried out really quick, with as little delay as possible between the two steps. With a little practice this should work reasonably well. Desoldering braid still may be needed to touch up here and there but the majority of the work is done by the rag. Wicking the whole board would take very long and eat through lots of wick, which isn't exactly cheap stuff

author: Gyro
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 10, 2015, 08:55:38 am
content: Well the standard finish for our bare smt leaded PCBs used to be 'Hot air solder leveled'