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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: DuckNorris on Thu, 29 August 2019, 13:15:20

Title: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: DuckNorris on Thu, 29 August 2019, 13:15:20: Hey guys I know a lot of custom build kits are not really hot swap so you ofc need to desolder switches if you want to change them. I am not too familiar with this but say if done right, is there really a risk if one desolder and solders a board more than once?

Just like worried of something happening if I buy a used custom board and fry something and got no replacement parts :eek:
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: wholypantalones on Thu, 29 August 2019, 13:22:32: I'm up to three times desoldering a TX87KIN L3 pcb, then I stuck mil max sockets in it and use it in a CLS.
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: Hyde on Thu, 29 August 2019, 13:49:52: All depending on your soldering skills, after 2 desolder and resolder I've ruined 2 sockets, and then I had to ghetto fix it. So it works perfectly fine for now but it will not allow future desolder anymore.

So if you think you'll be installing/removing all switches a few times it's best to buy a keyboard that support quick swap.

That being said, usually there's always a fix it's just I'm not skilled enough to fix the broken socket properly. If you're only going to do it 1 more time it should be ok. But then it also depends on how many times the previous owner swapped his switches.
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: shansoft on Thu, 29 August 2019, 17:23:03: If you are using desoldering gun, then it can pretty much last as long as you want.

If not, then 1-2 desoldering probably will screw up the plate.

Hence why I usually buy multiple PCB just to be cautious.

Now I much prefer hotswap PCB due to this very reason. ;D
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: _rubik on Thu, 29 August 2019, 17:34:15: Never if I can help it.

That said, I'm perfectly comfortable the first time round. I'll hesitate the second time, but have never run into a problem. Going three or beyond is asking for trouble unless you have the proper tools.
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: Sup on Thu, 29 August 2019, 19:18:02: So long you use flux paste i don't think there can go much wrong i think i desolderd my AEK64 like 3 times once. No difference after the first desoldering.
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: DuckNorris on Fri, 30 August 2019, 10:33:20: Thank you guys and in this post you also gave me recommendations for soldering tools :)

I will keep this in mind but also sadly many times for old keyboard kits there is only one PCB so will give me more confidence in purchasing a used keyboard
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: tp4tissue on Fri, 30 August 2019, 11:07:46: Even with good technique, It comes down to what the lacquer is designed for..

Very budget boards are more/less solder once. On these boards, even if you're good/fast, the lacquer will just melt, and the traces become unreliable.
Title: Re: How often can you desolder and resolder a board/pcb?
Post by: tedfs3 on Mon, 02 September 2019, 03:41:35: I was wondering this myself as I'd really like to desolder a board and use my own switches and have the benefit of keeping the case.