Desoldering

Desoldering

At some stage you will probably need to desolder a joint to remove or re-position a wire or component. There are two ways to remove the solder:

Using a desoldering pump (solder sucker)

1.  With a desoldering pump (solder sucker)

• Set the pump by pushing the spring-loaded plunger down until it locks.
• Apply both the pump nozzle and the tip of your soldering iron to the joint.
• Wait a second or two for the solder to melt.
• Then press the button on the pump to release the plunger and suck the molten solder into the tool.
• Repeat if necessary to remove as much solder as possible.
• The pump will need emptying occasionally by unscrewing the nozzle.

Solder remover wick Photograph © Rapid Electronics

2.  With solder remover wick (copper braid)

• Apply both the end of the wick and the tip of your soldering iron to the joint.
• As the solder melts most of it will flow onto the wick, away from the joint.
• Remove the wick first, then the soldering iron.
• Cut off and discard the end of the wick coated with solder.

After removing most of the solder from the joint(s) you may be able to remove the wire or component lead straight away (allow a few seconds for it to cool). If the joint will not come apart easily apply your soldering iron to melt the remaining traces of solder at the same time as pulling the joint apart, taking care to avoid burning yourself.