need soldering tips please

[Learn2Day]

Hi guys,

I need help badly! I'm desoldering a USB 3 port and a headphone jack from a Toshiba C850 board to another.. Problem is these new ports are so thin and bad that as soon as i start heating up the holes the plastics start to melt!

I have no more spare ports, can you guys help me removing this safely? I'm currently using 450ºC heat on a thin tip to avoid spreading the heat, but still unsuccessful.

Any tips? TIA.

[dj_ricoh]

Re: need soldering tips please

heat gun(gordak)! sry to tell you.
i use soldering iron just to melt some fresh solder with the old one so it will come easy with the hot air station .

[Learn2Day]

Re: need soldering tips please

Sorry if i didn't made myself clear but I'm using a station as well..
I did melted new solder with the old one, removed excess with solder wick (copper mesh), but, when i use the hot air station to pull the ports out, the plastic almost instantly starts to burning smoke and melt like you see in pictures. I'm afraid if push further i melt it beyond use.. One of the jacks is already busted..

[bushie]

Re: need soldering tips please

it would be better to put it on a IR station(reball station) if you have acces on one,otherwise it will be difficult to remove it in good condition.

[Learn2Day]

Re: need soldering tips please

I don't have one of those, but on that note, do you think if I reduce the hot air temp to 200~300ºC and decrease blow strength a bit to heat slowly it will work?

My main concern is, and I feel i really need to emphasize this, probably I only have one shot at removing it, and these are the only ports I have available for replacement.

[jtamad44]

Re: need soldering tips please

the proper tool to remove usb port or headphone jack is soldering iron station, but not just soldering iron station, but the good one, you save power as well. hot air or bga rework station inappropriate for these tasks.

[dj_ricoh]

Re: need soldering tips please

the proper tool to remove usb port or headphone jack is soldering iron station, but not just soldering iron station, but the good one, you save power as well. hot air or bga rework station inappropriate for these tasks.

go eat a biscuit!!!!

you think you can heat 5-6 layers of that motherboard with soldering iron.
i know how! even with a crap 15$ soldering iron.
but when i saw the Q i knew he need some advice that he can learn from it.

[sorinac]

Re: need soldering tips please

the solder with what the usb's are soldered is lead-free and it requires more melting temp.
add new leaded solder to lower melting temp on the contacts with solder iron, and heat simultaneous with iron at MAX and ,if needed, heat gun with a small nozzle at ~200 .
good luck.

[Learn2Day]

Re: need soldering tips please

I think I'm going to give it a try with my oldie JBC iron.. The tip is larger and might be easier to get all pins hotter.

What really surprised me and yet no one comment on it was the plastic melting so quickly.. Should I assume this is normal?

Thanks for you help so far. L2D

[Learn2Day]

Re: need soldering tips please

Hi guys, it's finally done!!

It was a long hard road but i finally did it..
With my JBC iron removing the phone jack was easy but the USB port was tricky. I removed most solder I could and the started using my heating station slowly from 250ºC until i got it right at 320ºC. After this I repeated the procedure on the other laptop, cleaned and replaced.

I have no photos cuz I was in such a hurry to assemble it and test that i completely forgot. Everything is working now.

Thanks.

[dj_ricoh]

Re: need soldering tips please

Hi guys, it's finally done!!

It was a long hard road but i finally did it..
With my JBC iron removing the phone jack was easy but the USB port was tricky. I removed most solder I could and the started using my heating station slowly from 250ºC until i got it right at 320ºC. After this I repeated the procedure on the other laptop, cleaned and replaced.

I have no photos cuz I was in such a hurry to assemble it and test that i completely forgot. Everything is working now.

Thanks.

Good Job!

[Learn2Day]

Re: need soldering tips please

Hey everyone,

I'm back for more tips. I've reached the conclusion I'm doing something wrong when soldering MLF chips.. First I created shorts on a Vaio chip, and now replacing another similar chip I'm almost sure one of the sides is not connecting to the board.

So.. Here's what I have at the bench:
- Hot air/iron station
- Solder
- Solder paste (non liquid)

I saw this video on youtube.
http://youtu.be/c_Qt5CtUlqY

Now, here's the main differences I noticed..
- My flux is in paste, not liquid
- My solder doesn't adhere as well to the board as on the video, it stays either too much or too little
- My chip doesn't align itself or go back to alignment when touched.

What am I doing wrong? Is it my solder material or is it just me?
I might be rushing the solder process, I did noticed I don't take 3min to solder a chip, although I might be 3min or more trying to align it..


Thanks again!

[rtstorm]

Re: need soldering tips please

i recend ago replaced USB port on lenovo, and what i found out is that you need to protect plastic with aluminium tape.

You can use hot air station to remove it but set it to slow blow and about 450 C maybe less, be patient!!!

After you remove USB use copper wick and hot iron on highest temp to remove solder from holes (do not try to push needle in it or you will brak and push the metal from it)

Always after removing clean everything with alcohol, important!!!

It is always good to have these on your bench, you will have 2 free hand

It is always better to use new connector than salvage from old board

[Learn2Day]

Re: need soldering tips please

thanks rtstorm but it would be nice if you read through the thread.. Especially the last post.

The USB port has been solved long ago, my issue right now is MLF chips.

Thanks.

[loser18]

Re: need soldering tips please

Next time when you'll be doing audio jack just protect it with a capton or aluminium tape and heat it from undernath...then remove with tweezer...easy as that...on usb again capton / aluminum and use smallest noozle...you have to heat it from the side & there's no way to melt any plastic...

about mlf chips-

-apply adequate amount of flux...
-desolder
-clean solder pads with desoldering wick
-clean it with alcohol
-apply new flux
-tint with new solder (be careful with center pad-too much & other pads won't connect properly, not enough and center pad won't connect)
-also clean pads on chip itself
-when soldering back try to bounce it a bit with tweezers (just a mm or less) when solder melted and it'll come back, then you know you've got proper connection

Always use a good amount of flux...a quality one...also check the solder pads under microscope if you've tinted them evenly...

Think it's all about practice...you have to find out what settings are best for you....depends on room temperature, machine, airflow, temps etc...just get some scrap boards and you can practice on them...