Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

[Agent24]

A while back I was given a Jaycar "Duratech" TS-1560 soldering station (the Hakko clone) this one:

The heater is rated at 50 watts, 24vAC.

Bought some extra tips for it from eBay and recently decided to test it out on an old video card (Geforce 4 MX)

Desoldering the capacitors (6 in total) proved difficult. I had to use the biggest tip I bought (3.2mm chisel) and set the temperature to maximum (480°C) before I could get anywhere.

This was also after melting some new solder onto the joints (and I doubt this card is new enough to use lead-free either)

The leads not on the ground plane were easy to get out and the solder sucker cleaned the holes perfectly.

However the others it seemed only *just* came out, and I had to use the needle method to clean the holes (and that didn't go through easy either)

I'm worried that soldering in the new capacitors won't work well or at all.

Does this sound like I'm doing something wrong or does it sound like the iron isn't powerful enough?

I'm starting to look at the Goot RX-711AS from Jaycar with its 65-watt heater, lead-free capability and digital readout and even though it's $360 I am tempted...

[ant3202]

Re: Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

sorry im unsure about that soldering iron u are currently using...
hopefully someone here will help u later.

hmm .... goot, i had used it for some time in my school, pretty decent.
hakko.. .can also be considered.

advise you to talk to an agent about it or best if they allow you to have a test of their equipment to use.

[kc8adu]

Re: Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

probably doesnt have the thermal mass to do the job on the power/ground planes.
careful use of a heatgun on low to preheat will make things easier.remove heatsink pushpins so you dont melt them.

[larrymoencurly]

Re: Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

Is the temperature calibration correct? Because my cheapo variable-power iron, when set to 50W (Kill-A-Watt says actual draw is 48W) has no trouble melting the solder of leads connected to ground planes, provided the tip is kept clean (oxidizes easily because lack of temperature control allows overheating), and it has a conical tip, which isn't the best for transferring maximum heat. OTOH to solder capacitors, I've found that 40W is enough.

Goot has a temperature-controlled 70W iron, model PX-201, that's about $50 US.

[Agent24]

Re: Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

probably doesnt have the thermal mass to do the job on the power/ground planes.
careful use of a heatgun on low to preheat will make things easier.remove heatsink pushpins so you dont melt them.

The tip I was using is pretty big (as recommended in the tutorial here) unless you mean the element?

I don't have a heat gun of any kind - although I was thinking of getting one of those SMD rework stations from eBay some time, guess I could use that?

advise you to talk to an agent about it or best if they allow you to have a test of their equipment to use.

Don't even know if there is an agent for any of these brands here... Even if there was (and they'd probably just be an importer) they'd probably have no clue...

Is the temperature calibration correct? Because my cheapo variable-power iron, when set to 50W (Kill-A-Watt says actual draw is 48W) has no trouble melting the solder of leads connected to ground planes, provided the tip is kept clean (oxidizes easily because lack of temperature control allows overheating), and it has a conical tip, which isn't the best for transferring maximum heat. OTOH to solder capacitors, I've found that 40W is enough.

Goot has a temperature-controlled 70W iron, model PX-201, that's about $50 US.

Wouldn't know, and of course, nothing to check the temperature to calibrate it with

Can't find that PX-201 here either. We don't get a good range of things here unfortunately (or I'm not looking in the right places)

Even if we did sell it, I bet it would be far too overpriced as it wouldn't be a standard order.

[pacoso]

Re: Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

Until you get reflow station you can order Low Melt Solder.
It melts on very low temp and stays melted for a long time.
You can also remove chips whit this solder, just apply flux first.
Also you can get some Industrial Heat Gun for cheap, to preheat on those big thermal parts and pcb pads.

[klendatu]

Re: Problems with desoldering capacitors - Bad iron or my fault?

Is the temperature calibration correct? Because my cheapo variable-power iron, when set to 50W (Kill-A-Watt says actual draw is 48W) has no trouble melting the solder of leads connected to ground planes, provided the tip is kept clean (oxidizes easily because lack of temperature control allows overheating), and it has a conical tip, which isn't the best for transferring maximum heat. OTOH to solder capacitors, I've found that 40W is enough.

Goot has a temperature-controlled 70W iron, model PX-201, that's about $50 US.

im agree
got 2 station by hiyua
the both are wrong
normally works fine at 300 degres