Hi everyone,
I've been practicing on working on SMD component (trying on scrap boards of course). Many resources I came across online calls to set the temperature at 350 degree celsius and the air at half. I am able to remove components on some of the boards sometimes set at those values and they are mostly on older boards, but like I said mostly its a hit and a miss. I do experiment with slightly higher temperature and different air settings. I never go above 380 degree celsius though.
Then I came across a youtube instructional video which suggest to use the temperature at 400 degree celsius. Could that be right? Would that be an ok temperature to set at especially if I'm planning to reuse the removed components? Setting my station at that temperature definitely gets the components removed very easily.
I am having particular bad luck removing DPAK packages specially the body connection. I haven't tried using 400 degree celsius on those yet. I do use RMA-223 flux.
Looking forward for your thoughts and any further tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

Use whatever works for you. Guidelines are not requirements.

I just got my first temperature-controlled station a few weeks ago. Prior to that, I used a Wagner 400HT (350W) unregulated hot air gun designed for removing paint. Worked with a high count LQFP, no problem.

If you have ever done brazing or silver soldering, you control the temperature, not the temperature of the flame, which is much higher. Same for hot-air soldering. Don't depend on the temperature setting. Depend on what you see.

 

Then I came across a youtube instructional video which suggest to use the temperature at 400 degree celsius. Could that be right?

Seems too high to me and YouTube isn't necessarily a reliable source of information.

If you're using unleaded solder, the highest melting temp I've seen is around 240C (464F). 63/37 melts at 183C/361F. I don't set my hot air tool to a specific temperature, but it's usually in the 250-300C range. Once the solder has melted on whatever I'm removing or installing, I move the tool away from the component. A higher temperature would heat solder to the melting point faster, but it's also harder on the heating element.

I am having particular bad luck removing DPAK packages specially the body connection.

Those are always going to be harder for hobbyists. The pros use better tools and heat the board from both sides.

 

Then I came across a youtube instructional video which suggest to use the temperature at 400 degree celsius. Could that be right?

Hello there.

Ask yourself, what temperature would you solder the components into the board?
A highly successful technique is to add solder onto the component before the Desoldering it's a lot cleaner and smds really hate flux. Through capillary action flux will migrate to other components that are very sensitive and essentially leech current to that component. Figuratively speaking.

 

Thanks everyone for the input

I don't set my hot air tool to a specific temperature, but it's usually in the 250-300C range.

So it works at very low temperature too! Does it take long for you to get the solder melted in order remove the component?

A highly successful technique is to add solder onto the component before the Desoldering it's a lot cleaner and smds really hate flux.

I do that too hehehe, I didn't come across anyone else pointing that out. But when trying to remove BGA chips I would have to use flux right? What brand would you suggest to use?

 

So it works at very low temperature too! Does it take long for you to get the solder melted in order remove the component?

It never takes long enough for me to consider raising the temperature. Any temperature above the melting point would work.