Experimenting with garage style reflow - Connectors? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: fsedano
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 05:49:07 pm
content: Hello folks,I did some experiments today for first time with reflow soldering. Results are ok-ish but one small detail: IDC connectors, as you can see on the picture.This IDC connector was a cheap one no-name from ebay, I was not sure on how it would survive.Are good quality IDC connectors OK to reflow? Or is it better to solder them by hand after reflow?Attached pictures of the temp profile and resultThanks!!!

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 06:11:55 pm
content: Surface mount types should reflow fine. Through hole types are hit and miss, cheap Chinese connectors will melt in most cases. Also, IR will heat connector to higher temperature than PCB.

author: Gary.M
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 10:26:49 pm
content: How are you controlling the reflow temperature profile?

author: John_ITIC
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 10:36:28 pm
content: Try using a real reflow oven. The IR ones on Ebay heat very unevenly. Black absorbs more heat.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 10:43:09 pm
content: Quote from: John_ITIC on August 28, 2016, 10:36:28 pmEven with vapor phase where you cannot heat anything more than 230oC by it's nature, many of such connectors melt. I made experiments with some different connectors from reputable and not very reputable manufacturers. Many expensive connectors melt too, they are just not made for reflow, but cheap Chinese crap usually is bad in this regard.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 28, 2016, 11:25:47 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on August 28, 2016, 11:20:01 pmThose which state glass filled plastic in the datasheet seem to not melt.

author: fsedano
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 01:29:44 am
content: Quote from: Gary.M on August 28, 2016, 10:26:49 pmBy hand with the help of a termocouple and fluke 289 - You can see the profile on the pic. I'm planning to build a controller.This was my first experiment with it...

author: l0wside
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 01:53:33 pm
content: Is this an SMD or a through-hole connector? The remains look more like through-hole to me, which is usually soldered in a separate step after reflow. If it is through-hole, how did you apply the solder?Max

author: fsedano
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 02:46:33 pm
content: Quote from: l0wside on August 29, 2016, 01:53:33 pmHi Max,It's TH, I soldered it by applying paste on the hole. I had read about it and wanted to give it a try.So, conclusion looks to be it should be OK to reflow good brand SMD connectors?Thanks,

author: hs3
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 29, 2016, 03:07:53 pm
content: Quote from: fsedano on August 29, 2016, 02:46:33 pmI have been reflowing SamtecEHT-110-01-L-Dthrough hole connectors without issues using the pin in paste method. Lead free paste and temperatures. Much easier to just be able to solder the though hole connector in the same step with the surface mount parts instead of having to do another step for the connector.With some other through hole parts I haven't had as good luck even if it has been "good brand". So the suitability should be checked if planning this kind assembly method.With surface mount parts I don't remember having had problems. I imagine with surface mount parts the basic expectation is that they can be reflowed...

author: l0wside
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 30, 2016, 07:50:14 am
content: Quote from: hs3 on August 29, 2016, 03:07:53 pmSend pics!Seriously: I am interested in how you are doing this. I have two THT components on my board, which I need to solder manually. PiP would definitely help. How do you calculate the stencil opening, the resulting amount of paste, ...?Max