soldering a dc jack

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justalfe

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i have so many questions on soldiering guys ive done some reading here and a lot of you recommend that i i get a hot air station over a regular soldering station. my only questions are


  • at what temp would you set the hot air station to
  • what type of solder would i use ( i goto the store and i see so many different kinds)
  • whats the best desolding method and hardware to use?
 
justalfe said:
i have so many questions on soldiering guys ive done some reading here and a lot of you recommend that i i get a hot air station over a regular soldering station. my only questions are


  • at what temp would you set the hot air station to
  • what type of solder would i use ( i goto the store and i see so many different kinds)
  • whats the best desolding method and hardware to use?
Click to expand...

Soldering iron and desoldering iron is all we use at BT. Hasn't let us down yet. We typically cut the old jack off just to get it out of the way then use the desoldering iron to remove the small pins left in the mobo.
 
The OP has a very similar question to what I just came here to post.

I use a hot air station and have noticed that the temperature needed varies greatly from computer to computer. I imagine that there are varying types of solder used in different computers, but it seems that lately I have been having more and more trouble getting solder to release the jack. What temps does everyone use, and what specific type of flux do people use? I am using some flux paste I pickup up at the local radio shack, but I thinks its pretty crappy flux. The problem is, when I go online to find a definitive answer to my flux question, I can find no great answer.

So, I apologize to the OP if I am hijacking his thread, but I figured this was so related that all would be forgiven...:D
 
I'm not a highly experienced expert but I can offer up what I do personally.

I wouldn't use the HAS to do the soldering just the desoldering. I set mine to the highest temp it will go to with a medium air flow. I used medium sized nozzle as it will heat all the pins easily whilst still allowing me to focus on one pin as well. I use a flux pen. I use a normal desoldering pump. I heat all the pins for a bit and then focus in on one pin at a time making attempts with the pump and looking for a sign of melting (change in reflectivity for instance). The first pin gives you an indication of how long you need to heat the rest of the pins. Once all the pins are desoldered it normally drops right off. Otherwise I'll heat all the pins simultaneously unti lit does. Some jacks with bent pins need a bit of prying or pushing.

For soldering I use a standard soldering iron with a wedge tip. I use the same flux pen and I use standard lead-free solder.

I learned by getting a bunch of old mobos and desoldered them almost bare to learn the relationships between temp, time and component size etc.
 
i usually add some fresh solder to the pins to help loosen up the old solder before sucking up the excess, sometime i cheat by cutting the jack off too , it makes it easier to work it out, just be real careful you dont try to pull too much you could possibly pull the thin copper ringlet out of the motherboard
 
i sometimes cut the jack in half with dremel tool, after i have de-soldered must it. Then able to heat & pull each "half" from either side of the jack out, of the board... gently.

few months back, finally figured the trick with using a "wick". tried "wick" method before and could not get anything to suck into the wick.

the secret that i have found is:
dropping a bit more solder on the jack pins,
dip the tip of the wick into some "flux" (very small amount on tip),
heating the solder on jack pin for 1-2 seconds,
then bring the "wick" to the jack pin (with the flux on the tip of the wick)
put the iron on top of the wick 2-3 seconds,,,
with the flux liquifying along with the solder,, the solder sucks all up into the wick...............

and also, after the tip of the wick gets full of sucked up solder, trim/cut that tip of the wick off before going to the next solder joint.

I'm hardly ever using the de-solder pump anymore.

then cleanup with alcohol
 
Thanks everyone for the information. I am finding that jack replacement can be a good profitable part of my work when I get some more experience. I hate having to send boards out for repair.

It also gives me some real hands on time while I am watching/listening to TV rather than all that mind-numbing, eye-glazing screen time that comprises most of my work.
 
Make sure the room is well-ventilated, too - I read that breathing flux smoke can lead to emphysema, because it's acid. Having had both a mom and dad who had it from smoking (and both died very young, by the way), I want no part of that!

Peace and health!


Sky
 
Skyhooker said:
...because it's acid...
Click to expand...

Make sure you are NOT using an acid based flux or acid fluxed solder on electronics.
nono.gif

.
 
Last edited:
atlanticjim said:
Thanks everyone for the information. I am finding that jack replacement can be a good profitable part of my work when I get some more experience. I hate having to send boards out for repair.

It also gives me some real hands on time while I am watching/listening to TV rather than all that mind-numbing, eye-glazing screen time that comprises most of my work.
Click to expand...

i agree with you the only problem i see is ordering the damm jacks..
 
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