[Elecraft] Relay Removal Results
Thanks to all who shared their experience and suggestions. Some interesting approaches indeed. I decided to try the spring-loaded solder sucker method, since one was available. It worked well enough (in conjunction with a bit of lead prodding) on all the ungrounded pins, but I couldn't get the grounded ones to stay hot long enough. As there were only two per relay I was able to get the relays out successfully by heating these pins only (one at a time, having cleaned out the other holes with the solder sucker), combined with gentle prying. All seems to have gone well as the K160RX they were in is now apparently operating normally. 73, Steve VE3SMA __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Relay Removal Results
A little hint with the spring loaded solder-sucker. Use an X-Acto knife and cut a little notch in the end of the tip so your soldering iron tip can stay on the joint while the sucker straddles the tip. That way you can heat the joint, stick the solder sucker over the tip of the iron, and suck out the solder. I've used mine like this for years. I hired a technician once and when he borrowed my solder sucker, he fixed the tip by cutting it flat again. I had to bring him up to speed on the better way. 73, jim -- Original message -- From: Steve Kavanagh [EMAIL PROTECTED] Thanks to all who shared their experience and suggestions. Some interesting approaches indeed. I decided to try the spring-loaded solder sucker method, since one was available. It worked well enough (in conjunction with a bit of lead prodding) on all the ungrounded pins, but I couldn't get the grounded ones to stay hot long enough. As there were only two per relay I was able to get the relays out successfully by heating these pins only (one at a time, having cleaned out the other holes with the solder sucker), combined with gentle prying. All seems to have gone well as the K160RX they were in is now apparently operating normally. 73, Steve VE3SMA __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] Relay Removal ?
OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several checks to make sure it was done right !). Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If so what technique did you use ? 73, Steve VE3SMA __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?
If you can get a desoldering tool with heated pencil and desolder vacuum built-in go for it. I got a Hako 808 and removed many remove components from boards without damaging components or boards on any PCB's. Double-sided, singles and multi-layer. 73, KI4HRN - Original Message From: Steve Kavanagh [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 2:17:27 PM Subject: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ? OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several checks to make sure it was done right !). Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If so what technique did you use ? 73, Steve VE3SMA ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?
I mounted an entire row in my K1 ATU backwards after checking it at least once. It was easier and safer to just crush them with sidecutters, remove the pins with desoldering braid and replace the relays with knew ones. I found them locally, but you can get them from Elecraft, Mouser or Digikey as well. They aren't very special and they are inexpensive. Unless you have one of those fancy desolderers they talk about here (I don't), it is risky and very tedious trying to do it with desoldering braid. I figured if I couldn't handle soldering them in correctly in the first place, what would make me think I could desolder them correctly after the fact. Eric KE6US www.ke6us.com -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Steve Kavanagh Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2006 11:17 AM To: elecraft@mailman.qth.net Subject: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ? OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several checks to make sure it was done right !). Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If so what technique did you use ? 73, Steve VE3SMA __ Find your next car at http://autos.yahoo.ca ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
RE: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?
Steve, If you have a Hakko 808 or similar quality desoldering tool, you might try removing them, but if not, I strongly suggest that you order new relays and cut the cases on the existing ones so you can remove the pins one at a time and clean up with solder wick. The board with the other mounted components is more valuable than the relays - remember that when you are working, we hams have a tendency to salvage everything possible, but resist that temptation. 73, Don W3FPR -Original Message- OK, while everyone seems to be on the subject of stupidity...I just found I installed two of Elecraft's ubiquitous latching relays incorrectly (after several checks to make sure it was done right !). Has anyone ever successfully unsoldered one without serious damage to either the relay or the board ? If so what technique did you use ? 73, Steve VE3SMA ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
Re: [Elecraft] Relay Removal ?
On Wednesday 04 January 2006 20:05, Allan Bacon wrote: If you can get a desoldering tool with heated pencil and desolder vacuum built-in go for it. I got a Hako 808 and removed many remove components from boards without damaging components or boards on any PCB's. Double-sided, singles and multi-layer. I have used the spring loaded sucking plunger type that's used with a soldering iron to remove ICs and components. I have one from RS Components (when I lived in England) and one from Radio Shack. The method is to remove the solder and then 'crack' the leads from the board, to free them from the residual solder, with a small screwdriver or such tool. Even 40 pin ICs succumb undamaged to this. Ian, G4ICV, AB2GR, K2 #4962 -- ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
[Elecraft] relay removal...
OK, HOW I DID IT !!! First, I made a tool, a heat shield. I made this out of a piece of tin from an Altoids box. I used a set of relay holes on the circuit board to mark on this piece of tin the precise location of all ten holes with a needle. Then I put the piece of tin on a piece of wood, I wanted a soft backing, and I punched the holes with a nail. I made the holes big enough for the soldered relay pins to poke through the holes. Further more, because I punched the holes with a nail into wood, the wood side of the tin was pushed out around each hole. I used tin snips to cut out the rectangle larger than the relay area, forty five cuts in the corners of the shield, folded the sides up perhaps 20 degrees. What I have made here is a heat shield. The poked through metal from punching holes holds the heat shield up off the PC board. But the soldered pins all show on the top side of the heat shield. The heat shield spread out more than a quarter of an inch beyond the pins. Now, I placed the PC board across two piles of books so that the offending relay is below. I gently gripped the relay with a vice-grips with a piece of leather between the vice-grips and the relay. the pile of books was tall enough that the vice-grips hung down between them, putting weight pulling on the relay out of the board. Now. I took a hand held mini-butane torch, cost fifteen dollars at the local hardware store, and flamed ALL the pins at once. In seconds, the vice-grips pulled the relay out of the holes. Relays all fine. PC board fine. Piece of cake. E-mail me if you want a picture of the heat shield. Good luck, Fred - KT5X K2 # 700 ___ Elecraft mailing list Post to: Elecraft@mailman.qth.net You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com
