How to Remove Solder | Soldering

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Sometimes when you're soldering, you may need to remove a component from the board to rework the board. And for that, we need different tools that will help us with that job.

First, we need to decide what kind of component we have to work with. We have service mount components, such as this capacitor. Service mount components have no hole that passes through the board, and so we need to work on the surface using a solder wick. To use a solder wick, we first start by trimming the end flush with a wire cutter. Solder wick comes with pre-applied small amount of solder flux, but it's often helpful to have a little bit more.

Clean our tip. Now, we apply the solder wick between the part that we want to use the iron. We place our iron on top of the wick so that the wick is heated. As you can see, the solder flows into the wick. This removes the solder from one of the pads and now we're ready to use the other pad. And we can, once we remove the solder on that side, we'll be ready to remove the device.

Another type of component that's common to work with is the through-hole device. Through-hole devices have terminals that pass through both sides of the board, and so the solder also passes through that hole as well.

To remove the solder from the through-hole, we need access to both sides of the board. Both sides. And what we use is a solder sucker. A solder sucker is, basically, a vacuum tool with a plunger that provides a vacuum that we can use to suck the solder inside through the tip.

So we'll work with the tool using my left hand on the back side of the board. We'll place the tip over the pin of the part that we're looking to remove and we'll heat from the other side. Once the solder is melted, press the trigger and the solder is gone.

[roniusadethel]

As someone who is dipping their toes into soldering, this was very helpful. Thanks!

[Yzdirtbike]

Ok bro. you are a life saver because my drone was broken one of the motor's was not working and then i was gonna swtich it out with another one but all the solder joints soldered together and than i used your advice thank you

[nvembrace]

So that's what's solder wick looks like. Have one in my solder kit and didn't know what it was. Thanks a lot.

[tr]

Thank you for your very explanatory video! It's just what I needed.

[dittocopys]

"Once the solders melted, press thee trigger"
*removes solder from our cannon universe, breaking the conservation of matter*
"Solders gone!"

[anonymouslyawesome]

Looks super easy until you work on 1970's and 60'S 80's electronic that are so dried up and mixed up with chemicals  everything breaks on you hehe 

[ZsomborZsombibi]

Usually, a component must be removed because it is not working anymore.
If this is the case, an SMD part can be simply desoldered by heating the component itself. A through-hole component can be cut at its legs to desolder its remaining wire.
I don't think a sucker is absolutely necessary when you don't collect used electronic parts.

[Nekotamer]

do you need a certain temperature? my pencil soldering iron and plunger doesnt do anything like here.

[Receptical]

Need to see what he is doing howcast. your camera angles are lacking =( get closer pls

[gaschalk]

what heat level is the soldering iron at?

[darkgenix]

i have my iron on 400c and i still can't get the solder to melt on the wick like that. i don't even get any smoke. what's the deal?!!

[nischalbhandari]

i did not know how to use the vaccum one for a year but now i know

[skoonthatraccoonskunkguy]

*sigh* wish I could afford/budget in these tools... Well at least I know what sort of mechanics I will be trying to mimic with whatever I can piece together.

[Apathymiller]

My wick gets stuck to the pad quite often?

[OgCricksta]

where does one buy these tools that isnt amazon

[alejandrochang]

Having issues getting solder to melt to remove dc jack from laptop. Any suggestions?

[LucasRonnenberg]

This guy's facial expressions absolutely do not correlate with what he's teaching. His facial expressions give off a more "there's a little boy in the back room" vibe

[Ajskyeatsairplane]

Looks like a lead free circuit board. Hope you're using 2009M flux for that. I work at a circuit board company so I know soldering by hand and soldering by wave machines.

[FugginNugget]

how do I remove solder from something that's through hole, but I only have access to one side of the board, because the USB ports I want to replace, are in the way of the other side.

[lordadz]

Im guessing you dont need flux to remove it then