Advice needed: Desoldering components from a speaker crossover

Options
Sosublime
Sosublime Posts: 11
in DIY, Mods & Tweaks
Hi everyone—I’m replacing components on a pair of Polk Monitor 5's crossovers and could use some advice on removing the old solder without damaging the board. I’ve attached a photo showing its current condition.

In the past I have done some basic repairs/replacement on much smaller PCBs and have not worked before with such large blobs of solder to remove.

I have:
- An adjustable-temperature soldering iron
- Solder and flux
- A manual solder sucker
- Desoldering braid

A few questions:
- What temperature and tip shape would you recommend for these joints?
- Should I use the solder sucker first and braid only for cleanup?
- How do I free a component lead that still seems attached after removing most of the solder since the leads are long and folded over the board?
ck6btqnin3g2.jpg
9z36tjpn05sa.jpg
pui6n2mq0hrg.jpg

I’m trying to avoid overheating the board or lifting the copper pads. Any practical tips would be appreciated. Thanks!
· Share on Facebook

Comments

  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 8,271
    Options
    Some people like solder suckers, but I prefer to use the braid. If you have a knife edge tip, that will be most effective because you can lay it sideways on top of the braid. The board will be fine as long as you keep the temp a low as it takes to melt the solder. This is probably well before before lead-free solder was used, so it shouldn't need too much temp to flow. I'd shoot for 360-375F on the temp. Clean the tip often.
    · Share on Facebook
  • Sosublime
    Sosublime Posts: 11
    Options
    Thank you Bill!
    · Share on Facebook
  • billbillw
    billbillw Posts: 8,271
    Options
    Good luck and don't forget to stay ventilated.
    · Share on Facebook