Motherboard recap issue

[tmiha71]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Quote:
Originally Posted by SteveNielsen View Post
The 30mm chisel tip does better but still a chore on a large enough plane.
I think you meant 3 mm there . 30 mm would be quite a bit too large for recapping. Definitely good to have when working on BGA stuff, though.

Or for some real plumbing ...

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

That's good info about the Aoyue. I was looking at a couple of that make too.

Yeah, I definitely meant 3mm. I somehow managed to screw up this job with the 3mm tip and now have a short between copper planes that are a hair-width apart. I've used flux and solder wick and even cut a little at the gap with a razor knife but it's still shorted.

I tried a couple of different sizes of bevel tips on this RS unit but they just didn't have enough mass to hold the heat. I've got a larger bevel tip but it's even fatter than the 3mm chisel is and I'd probably real screw things up with it.

[momaka]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

The 30mm chisel tip does better but still a chore on a large enough plane.

I think you meant 3 mm there . 30 mm would be quite a bit too large for recapping. Definitely good to have when working on BGA stuff, though.

I use a 5.2 mm bevel-type tip (LF-52D) with an Aoyue 2900 station. The station itself is nothing fancy - just a cheap digital station, that's all. But the tip holder it came with uses tips similar to the T7/T15 -type Hakko tips (in fact, I think my stations is even compatible with those). While more expensive, these tips have built in heating element, and therefore respond many times faster than those "standard" Hakko (and Hakko clones) ones that use a "shared" heating element. I can actually melt a big 2 cm ball of solder in under 10 seconds. Try that with those cheaper tips - no way you'll do it this fast (if at all!)

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Sharing more of my experience with the Radio Shack Pro Line 70W...

The 2mm chisel tip is pretty good but for a pad that's in a good sized copper plane in the board it is not sufficient. You'll have to use a larger tip. The 30mm chisel tip does better but still a chore on a large enough plane.

I'm working on a particularly stubborn Gateway MB. I've had to use my good ol' Wen 100W gun and a needle to clear some of the holes and even with that it's been a chore. Considering that, I think the RS unit is doing pretty a pretty good job for what it is.

BTW, a safety pin is easier to use than a needle for clearing holes, it's got a built-in handle.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

I'm sorry, I forgot to add that the tip supplied with the Pro Line station does NOT get hot enough. A Hakko 900 type 3mm chisel tip does although it is a bit large for the job. I'm still trying different size/shape tips to find the smallest and best shape to do motherboard soldering.

Ok, the Hakko 2mm chisel tip works great with the temp set at maximum, so if you have or get one these Pro Line units get that size tip and do the temp alignment and all is well. I bought a 10 pack of various size/shape tips for $7.88 thru Amazon.

I still haven't found a source for a 70W replacement element though.

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Yes, it does work now. I'm happy. Thanks again for the help. I've even looked at the manual a few times lately and can't believe I kept missing that part.

[Uniballer]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

I would be interested to know if that station can provide enough heat to recap a motherboard once you have it aligned (please?).

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Yes, that is the unit. My God you're right! I forgot all about that temp alignment function. I read it in the manual when I first got it but my old brain is not what it used to be. Thanks a bunch Uniballer!

I did know about the blob of solder and no it doesn't seem to hurt my thermocouple at all. Thanks again.

[Uniballer]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Using the Hakko 2mm chisel tip it got up to 420c when set at 480c (max) and 155c set at 200c (min). Not even close to the rated +/-5% tolerance. I did open up the controller and could not find any calibration adjustment.

Is this the station you bought? If so, temperature alignment procedure is on page 6 of the manual. Also, I think for measuring tip temperature it matters that you have a good blob of hot solder between the tip and thermocouple for good heat conduction. Unfortunately, this might wreck the thermocouple for your meter, but it is the standard procedure for the Hakko FG-100 (I have a cheap ebay clone of one of those and it seems to work OK).

[Uniballer]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Dose Hakko use a switch power supply to the controller part of this iron

Judging by these teardown photos of the 230V version I would say no. Does it matter?

[sam_sam_sam]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Dose Hakko use a switch power supply to the controller part of this iron

[SteveNielsen]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

I bought a RS Pro-Line 70W station on sale for about $50 and it is no good for recapping motherboards even using a Hakko 900 type 2mm chisel tip (which is a close fit but the cylinder of the tip that goes over the element is 2mm longer on the inside length). It is rated at 70W but that energy isn't making it to the element or tip and it certainly does not achieve it's max temp of 480c +/- 5%. It is absolutely useless for laminated motherboards.

I used a Mastech MS8264 meter (accurate within 1% up to 400c, 2% up to 1000c) to measure tip temp using the conical tip supplied with the unit. My readings were:

Setting/Actual temp
480c/388c
400c/328c
300c/244c
200c/137c

Using the Hakko 2mm chisel tip it got up to 420c when set at 480c (max) and 155c set at 200c (min). Not even close to the rated +/-5% tolerance. I did open up the controller and could not find any calibration adjustment. Out of the box it is a $50 disappointment for sure. I'm shopping for a better unit and chock this one up to experience.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

I think the fx-888d looks like a good fit. I know there are better stations out there, but this is a side job, so around $100 is good.

When I finally decided to upgrade from sort by lowest price 40W 120V AC soldering irons on ebay (usually $4 USD + free shipping), the difference in price between the FX-888 and some Hakko clone was "only" about $30 CDN.

With the ever little soldering I do now, I fully expect the FX888 to last my lifetime so spending the extra $30 was a no brainer for me.

Now if the FX888 was in the $500 category, I would have bought a $60 Hakko ebay soldering station knockoff.

I suggest getting a 3.2mm chisel tip for desoldering.

PS. Dave Jones' teardown of the FX888 also convinced me to spend a few $$$ more so my house doesn't burn down to cheap incorrectly wired knockoffs.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

@ retiredcaps - Happy new year.

Happy Belated New Year.

As you may have noticed, I don't participate regularly in certain areas anymore. I'm spending my time learning and test and measurement equipment over at eevblog.

[NickLoC]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

Thanks for all the advice. I think the fx-888d looks like a good fit. I know there are better stations out there, but this is a side job, so around $100 is good. The radio shack iron I used was not 25watt. It is a 60 watt. I am a firm believer that things aren't made a well as they should be. It's a lot harder to find well made stuff at a decent price. It will be nice to do a repair and not have to fight with my tools.

[momaka]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

weller is average, nothing
exciting like Metcal or JBC...

I agree.
For those of you who think Weller is nice, wait until you try JBC. I had the chance to use one of their stations and that thing really is the Rolls Royce of soldering stations. Not to mention it never struggled to heat anything. You could probably melt all of the ice in the South pole with it if you tried.

[tron]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

weller is average, nothing
exciting like Metcal or JBC...

[dj_ricoh]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

I read the reviews on the weller solder stations. Lots of people had issues with the newer ones. Was going to go with one, but after the reviews I decided not to.

get a used one!
the guy who had time to teach me a few things about electronics had one, before i came to him and i was around him about 4-5 years.

i can tell you this. he always kept it on. that was bad because he bought alot of tips.
just before i came he bought a new iron cuz the old one was going on for a couple of years.


I got a crap 60W to main wall iron about 15-25 GBP and a gordak station( i can put a small tip on it)

but at the end of this month i will get that ws 51 weller; believe me there is now iron can compare to that weller.

I can say only thing when you get used to a iron that is magnetize and you will never use a Wick or a pump that`s precious.
Good luck!

[momaka]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

I think you just need to get some flux. That stuff makes a night-day difference with any iron/station I've used. I will now refuse to solder unless I had some flux (or unless it's some emergency fix).

[tron]

Re: Motherboard recap issue

radio shack 25w iron
with
conical(default) tip
will get you nowhere

FX-888 with chisel tip
will lead somewhere
where it is possible
to solder and
de-solder
comfortably