DESOLDERING
Much like soldering, you run the risk of damaging the circuit board while desoldering. If too much heat is
applied to a circuit board the solder pad can pull away from the board, breaking its electrical connection. A
solder sucker and solder wick are your best friends when desoldering. Here are a few tips on how to use them:
1. USE A SOLDER SUCKER
Depress the plunger on the solder
sucker to prepare it. Tin your
soldering iron, apply it to the
solder joint, and hold the solder
sucker a fraction of an inch away.
Within a few seconds, the joint
will liquefy. As soon as it does,
push the button on the side of
the solder sucker and remove
the soldering iron from the joint.
Inspect the solder joint and
repeat the process until all of the
solder is removed.
2. USING SOLDER WICK
Solder wick is a flat, braided
wire that can be used to remove
solder from a joint. Simply place
the wick on the solder joint and
press your soldering iron against
the wick, heating the joint
through the wick. The solder will
liquefy and absorb into the wick.
Keep inching the wick down as
it absorbs solder so it does not
become saturated.
3. LIFT THE LEAD
Once the solder is removed from
the joint, use a pair of pliers to lift
the lead from the circuit board
contact. If the lead doesn’t want
to come up, heat the solder joint
up to liquefy the residual solder
which will free the lead. Once
the lead is lifted, use the solder
sucker or solder wick to remove
any leftover solder.
