Help !!! Having trouble de-solder Filco LED !!!

[Hyde]

So I want to swap my Filco LED from red to blue.  So I went off and bought a 30 watt Weller soldering iron (not station) for cheap.

And when I try to de-solder the existing LED.  The solder doesn't travel up the wick, it kinda just dabs then nothing happens.  Then I try adding more fresh solder into it and it's the same.  Just dabs and nothing happens.

Anyone know why this happens?  Could it be that:

- My soldering iron is too crap quality?  Maybe it's too crap and it's not hot enough?  (though it does melt the solder)
- Should I change the tip on it?  I'm currently using the pointy stock tip but I heard chisel tip transfer heat better.
- Should I just try a vacuum pump instead.

Btw mod if I post this in the wrong section feel free to move this post.  I wasn't sure if I was suppose to post in "making stuff together".

Thanks !!!


EDIT:  Bought a soldering sucker and it worked like a charm.  Finally got it done now 

[Photekq]

Are you pressing down quite hard on the wick with the soldering iron?

[Hyde]

Uh sorta hard I guess, maybe not hard enough?  But I find sometimes when I poke too hard the stem from the led just poke through the wick.

[tp4tissue]

So I want to swap my Filco LED from red to blue.  So I went off and bought a 30 watt Weller soldering iron (not station) for cheap.

And when I try to de-solder the existing LED.  The solder doesn't travel up the wick, it kinda just dabs then nothing happens.  Then I try adding more fresh solder into it and it's the same.  Just dabs and nothing happens.

Anyone know why this happens?  Could it be that:

- My soldering iron is too crap quality?  Maybe it's too crap and it's not hot enough?  (though it does melt the solder)
- Should I change the tip on it?  I'm currently using the pointy stock tip but I heard chisel tip transfer heat better.
- Should I just try a vacuum pump instead.

Btw mod if I post this in the wrong section feel free to move this post.  I wasn't sure if I was suppose to post in "making stuff together".

Thanks !!!

HAHA.. well it could be 2 things.. the wick absorbed too much heat  so the solder isn't melting.

Try adding some flux to the wick  and hold it for a bit longer,  while moving a length" of it along the place you want to desolder, because one section may be too saturated..

but yea i think it may be the heat is not enough because the contact isn't good when you're desoldering with a wick.

[Hyde]

Mmmmm should I try buying a chisel tip or maybe try vacuum instead then?  I think I'm trying to avoid buying flux on its own because my solder already has flux and I'm cheap LOL.

[Photekq]

You'll need a chisel tip for this or you could try holding the iron sideways in order to make a larger surface area.

[tp4tissue]

Mmmmm should I try buying a chisel tip or maybe try vacuum instead then?  I think I'm trying to avoid buying flux on its own because my solder already has flux and I'm cheap LOL.

chisel..

, you're going to need flux sooner or later in your soldering career... this is something that almost never runs out... I got a small tube i've been using for 7 years.

[tp4tissue]

You'll need a chisel tip for this or you could try holding the iron sideways in order to make a larger surface area.

Yup.. ninja run that ****..

[Hyde]

Mmmmm maybe I'll just try all of the above and see what happens lol.

Maybe de-soldering is so hard, though at least soldering is pretty easy. 

[typo]

30 watts is too hot on a wick. get a pump or 15 watt iron. I really would not use more than a 20 watt iron for that. if you are going to do this regularly get a regulated station.

[phoenix1234]

So I want to swap my Filco LED from red to blue.  So I went off and bought a 30 watt Weller soldering iron (not station) for cheap.

And when I try to de-solder the existing LED.  The solder doesn't travel up the wick, it kinda just dabs then nothing happens.  Then I try adding more fresh solder into it and it's the same.  Just dabs and nothing happens.

Anyone know why this happens?  Could it be that:

- My soldering iron is too crap quality?  Maybe it's too crap and it's not hot enough?  (though it does melt the solder)
- Should I change the tip on it?  I'm currently using the pointy stock tip but I heard chisel tip transfer heat better.
- Should I just try a vacuum pump instead.

Btw mod if I post this in the wrong section feel free to move this post.  I wasn't sure if I was suppose to post in "making stuff together".

Thanks !!!

Did it go to 300 degree Celsius when you do the soldering?
I believe Weller normally can go between 250-450  degree Celsius easy to melt the solder on the board.
I think the main issue here is about the soldering tip which is you are using the pointy stock tip.
You can try this technique:
- Transfer a little solder into the tip before contacting the board
- Make the solder on the tip contact the solder on the board instead of pointing the tip directly into the join point
=> This technique will help to transfer a significant heat from the tip indirectly to the join point and make the solder point on the board melted.
Hope it can help

[The_Ed]

Are you using Radioshack desoldering braid? If so then that is your problem, just throw it away as it doesn't have any flux and is worthless. (This has happened to a LOT of beginners)

I use Techspray Prowick, that's the good **** that actually works. I buy it in giant bulk rolls, and have desoldered many dozens of POS boards with it. It's oozes with fluxy goodness when you put the iron to it.

[Hyde]

30 watts is too hot on a wick. get a pump or 15 watt iron. I really would not use more than a 20 watt iron for that. if you are going to do this regularly get a regulated station.

I think I was partially trying to avoid the "ghetto 20 watt isn't hot enough" issue.  That and I don't think I'll do it this regularly that's why I didn't want to spend too much lol.

Are you using Radioshack desoldering braid? If so then that is your problem, just throw it away as it doesn't have any flux and is worthless. (This has happened to a LOT of beginners)

I use Techspray Prowick, that's the good **** that actually works. I buy it in giant bulk rolls, and have desoldered many dozens of POS boards with it. It's oozes with fluxy goodness when you put the iron to it.

Mmmmm I bought a generic Japanese made desoldering braid.

So yeah you could be right, it most likely doesn't have any flux on it.  I guess I'll see if the store sells the ones with flux or I'll just get separate flux and add into it.

lol so many optionssssssss hopefully one of them works out.

[domoaligato]

filcos use a rohs lead free solder and it is a lot harder to desolder then some other boards.
Is this one of the weller irons that doesn't include the temperature adjustments?
I bought a weller wlc100 and it works great. but it is a 40 watt and not a 30 watt like yours.

edit: I also have a chisel tip

[badcop]

i like pencil tips for desoldering.  hold at an angle to get more surface area.  also i set my iron for about 625 for rohs boards and less for leaded solder.

with a wick, make sure you have a clean piece and lay it over the joint.  put the tip on the wick and let it heat up.  Take your solder and just put a little dab of it on the wick.  There is flux in the core of it and it will act as a heat bridge.

i dont use wick very much.  I think pumps are much much better but thats my opinon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0012YJ3HO/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 - if you want a pump, stay away from the radio shack ones.  they will fall apart after a few months.  this one is really nice.

[The_Ed]

I use 700 degrees on my Weller WESD51. I prefer an 1/8" long screwdriver tip, it works the best for almost everything. You don't have to apply any solder to techspray prowick, it just takes a little longer to absorb if you use a clean piece. It works best when you apply heat to the absorbed solder a few milimeters from the edge of it's absorbtion. It then soaks up more solder and the edge of absorbtion travels away from you. You move the braid over and repeat if necessary to remove all the solder from the terminals.

[Dreamre]

I think you should use a solder sucker. Worked good with 4 of my keyboards.

[Hyde]

I think you should use a solder sucker. Worked good with 4 of my keyboards.

Just bought one and yes it worked  !!!



Now I have blue LED on my Filco except omg so bright LOL.

[SpAmRaY]

I think you should use a solder sucker. Worked good with 4 of my keyboards.

Just bought one and yes it worked  !!!



Now I have blue LED on my Filco except omg so bright LOL.

Which one did you end up buying?

[Photoelectric]

Reading this with interest, as I also couldn't desolder those LEDs with a Radio Shack desoldering tool.  Waiting on my Weller to arrive + some good desoldering braid with rosin flux.

[kaiserreich]

Just bridge the LED leads and pull it out when the solder is heated.
This trick works on those cheap 25watt iron.

Make sure you have a good quality solder sucker to clean the pads later.

[Hyde]

Just bought one and yes it worked  !!!



Now I have blue LED on my Filco except omg so bright LOL.

Which one did you end up buying?

Just some generic $8 solder pump.  Usually after the first pump it will be clean enough except minor part still sticks, then I'll try to heat up the LED wire and wiggle it out.

Except I've tested all the other colours on my LED tester, and blue is the only one that's super ultra bright.  Now I might try to frost it (sand it with fine sandpaper) to see if it will be dimmer and easier on my eye lol.

Reading this with interest, as I also couldn't desolder those LEDs with a Radio Shack desoldering tool.  Waiting on my Weller to arrive + some good desoldering braid with rosin flux.

Cool let us know if that works after, if not the solder pump was pretty cheap too and worked for me.