this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2025
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What's a good high wattage soldering iron? (lemmy.world)
submitted 1 month ago by PriorityMotif@lemmy.world to c/askelectronics@discuss.tchncs.de
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I'm always struggling to desolder high heat circuit boards like pc motherboards because they used high heat solder. Sometimes I can get it hot enough that I can mix in some lower temp solder but it's always a pain. I've also used my rework hot air at 500* plus the soldering iron at 500* and gotten it, but that's a pain as I only have two hands. Right now I'm replacing the Nec/Tonkin caps on a ps3. Fortunately removal is simple with a chisel, but getting the pads ready for soldering is a huge pita.

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[–] micronicle@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 3 weeks ago

My experience with PC motherboards in regard to your question is to only use a soldering iron where a hot air gun is just not practical. The power surface mount FETs that are numerous and have large thermally efficient track/pads are the most difficult component to remove without damaging the PCB. Hot air and kaptan tape to protect close by components is essential. I have repaired hundreds of PC system boards. Where possible cut the component body off of the component legs before attempting to remove the through hole pins. Electrolytic capacitors will readily pull off of their legs by leaning them sideways for leverage then pulling to remove the can completely, meaning only the plated through hole need be heated with hot air, and rather than use a desolder tool or solder sucker as we call them which can easily damage tracking, using a very narrow nozzle on the hot air rework gun to melt the solder holding the pin in place while gently extracting the pin with snipe nose pliers and then keeping the solder in the plated through hole hot, blow air through the hole with a quick dab of the nozzle, perpendicular to the PCB will result in a good clean plated through hole with the least amount of damage possible.