[TenTec] Omni C + new Ham = Oops.

[chacuff at cableone.net]

In regards to the statement below, which is correct, one of he worst things you can do is use too small of an iron.  It causes one to linger and twist around on the connection trying to get the connection to melt and inevitably damages the board.  It is much better to use high heat quickly. (within reason of course)  I have good luck with high heat, and either a spring loaded solder sucker or a vacuum desoldering iron sometimes augmented with another iron at the same time.  The key is quickly.  Heat it till it fully flows, pull the solder off and lift the lead all in about 3 to 5 seconds.  All of my soldering/desoldering gear is Hakko including a hot air rework station.  On a job like the PA you need an iron/tip that has enough thermal mass to deliver heat until the job is done.  Smaller iron/tip combinations sink off the heat quickly and wilt on something like this.  The tip on the iron I use for PA replacements is probably 1/4” wide.  Of course it’s used more often on my tube type radio point to point work than PA’s but you get the point.

 

Dental tools are handy too...for lifting leads.

 

Just my 2 cents worth...



Cecil Acuff
Gulfport MS
K5DL


From: Mike Bryce
Sent: ‎October‎ ‎16‎, ‎2013 ‎11‎:‎42‎ ‎AM
To: Discussion of Ten-Tec Equipment
Subject: Re: [TenTec] Omni C + new Ham = Oops.


Use wide solder wick and a good sized iron. My 35 watt weller WTCP and a chisel tip works fine. You don't want to linger on the pcb too long as that will cause the copper to lift.