Reflowing with a hot air station? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2014, 10:49:36 pm
content: (posted this earlier in an old blog thread and got no answer so posting here).Is it practical to use an small Atten or Hakko (e.g. FR 802) hot air stations to reflow small SMD boards?I am trying to avoid 'dicking' with a toaster oven, controller, etc. This is for a few one-of boards by an hobbyist, not any serious production, and with components like thesehttp://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/ATA6614Q-PLQW/ATA6614Q-PLQWTR-ND/3903739http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/CSTCE16M0V53-R0/490-1198-1-ND/584635

author: mazurov
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2014, 11:52:19 pm
content: Hot air is weak. In my experience, anything larger than TQFP-32 is painful to rework with hot air alone. For the packages you linked a preheater is very useful addition to hot air. That's the one I made recently ->https://plus.google.com/114645657478782700234/posts/hm3boiCHiqE.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2014, 11:53:45 pm
content: I've successfully reflowed that kind of component with a hot air blower, but it's quicker to use an iron if you can' t be arsed with an oven. Indeed, given your scenario I would only use the blower for a chip with hidden pins (i.e. an LGA or similar).

author: Strada916
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 22, 2014, 11:57:27 pm
content: If the board is single sided you can use an aluminium plate on a heat source.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2014, 12:24:40 am
content: Quote from: Strada916 on January 22, 2014, 11:57:27 pmSingle sided copper or single side components?My boards are two layers, with our without solder mask, components on one side.Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2014, 01:32:32 am
content: I have done both of those package sizes with both hot air and a toaster oven. You will have a hard time with the QFN using just hot air if you have a large ground plane, but it is possible. A preheater will solve that problem though.Use a lot of good flux!

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2014, 06:32:13 am
content: Thanks everybody for the information. I decided to get an hot air station and give it a try. It will be useful anyway for reworking, etc. I was thinking getting this Hakko FR801http://amzn.com/B001ICXTYIbut than I looked at the tips and was surprised with Hakko's prices, for example $187 for a single QFP nozzlehttp://amzn.com/B000PDQMZE.Ebay has third party nozzles like this onehttp://r.ebay.com/iKKAN3with significantly lower pricing. Are these cheap nozzles just pieces of metal and work more or less the same? Is it reasonable to mix the Hakko FR801 with cheap Chinese nozzles?I could got with the less expensive Atten and the like but would prefer better safety and qualityhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/deadly-wiring-fault-atten-858d-hot-air-rework-station/Edit: here is another cheap nozzle from ayouehttp://amzn.com/B0012379MQis it reasonable to use it with the Hakko FR801?

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2014, 09:37:37 am
content: Nozzles are nozzles... all they need to do is direct the air where it needs to go, stay on the gun firmly, and not melt.

author: jeremy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 24, 2014, 01:00:14 am
content: I have the ATTEN one that Dave reviewed a while back, as well as an AOYUE. Both are equally as good as the expensive ERSA and Weller gear at work for hand placing a part or two.

author: ivaylo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 25, 2014, 08:52:44 am
content: I've done it but am always nervous with temperature control. Say I use solder paste the profile of which says 250C max. Then if I want the thing to melt in like 10 seconds I have to set the hot air station to 380C or so (same station Dave reviewed). Once it melts I'd pull it quick but I'll scorch a chip one of these days, I am sure. Need to calibrate it with thermocouple I guess...

author: fake-name
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 25, 2014, 09:49:48 am
content: Quote from: amyk on January 23, 2014, 09:37:37 amYou forgot not rust. A lot of the really cheap nozzles have crappy plating, which can flake off, and then they get rusty.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2014, 12:32:31 am
content: Interesting, it looks the same as this one which is available from DigiKey.http://www.chipquik.com/LowTempSolderPaste.pdfI may give it a try. Currently using this one with good resultshttp://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SMD291AX10T5/SMD291AX10T5-ND/3972568Any disadvantage for low melting temperature solder?

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2014, 03:41:56 am
content: 250g is 67$ around herehttp://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/SMDLTFP250T3/SMDLTFP250T3-ND/3645042With this low melting temperature I can reflow it with a hair dryer or a magnifier glass in the sun ;-)Edit: this guy is reflowing with a halogen lamp