Sometimes hot air works rather too well for desoldering through-hole components. The number of times I've changed a MCU only to find that the new one doesn't work. Then I find the through-hole crystal on the bench. . .

330 Celsius comes from my solder supplier who told me that the tip of a soldering iron should be 120 Celsius hotter than the melting point of the solder. With no other information to go on, it seemed like a sensible temperature for the hot air, and it seems to work.

 

I appreciate everyone sharing tips. What distance and tip for hot air. the smallest tip with most air? how long do you usuually have to hold it there to get it melted. i know all applications are different but what too long before i need to try something else? 5 mins 1 min 20 mins?

 

The time is on the order of 1 minute or a little more. Size tip doesn't matter that much for desoldering. I keep the tip moving as you would do for almost any fusing operation (e.g, brazing, torch soldering, torch welding, or glassblowing).