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How to Desolder

Desoldering is the process of removing solder to disconnect components, fix mistakes, or salvage parts. There are two main tools for desoldering: the solder wick and the solder sucker. Each has its strengths, and the choice depends on the situation.

Using a Solder Wick

A solder wick is a braided copper wire that absorbs molten solder through capillary action. It is ideal for cleaning pads, removing excess solder, or desoldering small joints.

Required:

Steps:

  1. Prepare the wick: Cut a fresh section of the wick and place it over the solder you want to remove.
  2. Add flux: Apply a small amount of flux to the wick to improve heat transfer and solder absorption.

  3. Heat the wick: Press the tip of the heated soldering iron onto the wick. The heat will transfer through the wick to melt the solder underneath.

    Tip

    Using a larger tip on the soldering iron is highly recommended.

  4. Absorb the solder: As the solder melts, it will be drawn into the wick. Move the wick slowly with tweezers to cover the entire joint.

  5. Remove: Lift the wick and iron together, then cut off the used portion of the wick.

When to use:

  • Cleaning pads for rework or component replacement.
  • Removing bridges between fine-pitch pins.

Using a Solder Sucker

A solder sucker is a handheld vacuum pump that removes molten solder by suction. It is best for through-hole components or large solder blobs.

Required:

Optional:

Steps:

  1. Prepare the joint: Heat the solder joint with the soldering iron until the solder is fully molten.
  2. Position the sucker: Place the nozzle of the solder sucker directly over the molten solder.
  3. Activate suction: Press the release button to create suction and pull the solder into the sucker.
  4. Repeat if necessary: For stubborn joints, reapply heat and suction until the solder is fully removed.
  5. Pull the component: If desoldering a through-hole component, you may need to gently pull it out using tweezers. In this case, you don't need to remove all the solder, just enough to free the component.

When to use:

  • Removing solder from through-hole joints.
  • Clearing large amounts of solder quickly.

Using a Hot Air Rework Station

If you have a row of pins that are soldered together (i.e. header rows) or a component with many pins, you cannot reliably use a solder wick or solder sucker to desolder, since the other pad or pin would cool down after the soldering iron is moved away from it.

In this case, you can use a hot air rework station to heat the area around the pins until the solder melts, and then you can pull the component out with tweezers.