Soldering Noob

SkidMarkKing

SkidMarkKing

SkidMarkKing

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Hey,

currently looking for a fume extractor for when i'm soldering (SMB, PC/Laptop motherboards etc)

I am a complete novice so don't want to spend £100s

Also in regards to solder wire I see leaded is recommended as it brings down the melting temperature, can anyone recommend one? I did purchase some a while ago but it's extremely thin and lead free.
 
My fume extractor is a gentle blowing action. Love the small of soldersmoke!

Solder comes in different sizes, so you can get thick or thin, depending on the job you're doing. I'll never use unleaded solder.
 
SkidMarkKing said:
Hey,
currently looking for a fume extractor for when i'm soldering (SMB, PC/Laptop motherboards etc)
Click to expand...

I open a window and blow a fan across and out the window :D Gets a bit cold in winter.

SkidMarkKing said:
Also in regards to solder wire I see leaded is recommended as it brings down the melting temperature, can anyone recommend one? I did purchase some a while ago but it's extremely thin and lead free.
Click to expand...

There's a number of alloys used for soldering, I'd stick with the known brands - MGChemicals, Weller etc to ensure the impurities are kept under control:

Leaded - typically 60/40 tin/lead. The old stuff and melts at a reasonable temp.

Lead-free - this is where there's a bit of a rabbit hole, however generally the melting temp is higher. The exception is Bismuth blends which melt at lower temps but also form brittle joints so most don't use it.

The leaded vs unleaded is a quasi-religous debate..

I use this lead free SAC305 compliant (basically means it's decent mil-spec stuff) tin/copper (with 2% gold to help prevent problems with gold contacts etc)

I see you've mentioned SMD. I've also got some solder paste too - this is good stuff and I've done quite a bit of SMD work - use the flux pen below to clean the pads etc. Again this is a lead-free tin/copper/gold blend that's thermally stable and doesn't need to be stored in a fridge:

It takes a little getting used to coming from leaded, but I'd also recommend:
* a solder flux pen - this has a fibreglass tip that cleans along with the flux: https://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MG-Chemicals/837-P and helps make the solder flow better and create a better joint.
* desoldering braid - this helps mop up excess solder: https://eu.mouser.com/ProductDetail/MG-Chemicals/426

I'd get a decent solder sucker removal tool - just make sure it has a high heat resistant nozzle rather than the cheaper plastic ones: https://cpc.farnell.com/weller/7874b/esd-safe-desoldering-pump/dp/SD01651 I have a draper one IIRC..

Lastly - get some 99.8% iso-propyl alcohol and some Q-tips. Irrespective of 'no-clean' claims giving the board and joints a wash before and after improves things immensely doing SMD (such as removing unmelted paste balls). You can get a large litre bottle at places like APC Pure: https://apcpure.com/product/isopropyl-alcohol-998-acs/ECE1007-D that don't cost and arm and leg. Just decant some into a smaller screw lidded bottle for working from.
 
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Opening a window and a fan will be better than anything cheap. Arguably this is the best method anyway.

The most important thing to know is hose little square "extractor" fans with a filter in front don't remove the fumes at all, so don't fool yourself in to getting one and thinking you can keep a sealed room.

Ideally you'd either open a window and have a fan across towards it, or you'd get something which can actually capture the smoke in to a box and then filter through multiple stages, Google Vevor fume extractor to see what I mean, although you won't get one for less than £100. Even then, you're still best advised to open a window as the filters can only do so much and over time the recycled air will become more hazardous.
 
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Cheers everyone.

Struggling at the first hurdle here, haha

I've got the 858D hot air station, set to 300 then tried 450oC and can't even get the solder to loosen to remove a USB-C/ethernet port on a motherboard (practicing on an older board). That's with flux as well
 
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SkidMarkKing said:
Cheers everyone.

Struggling at the first hurdle here, haha

I've got the 858D hot air station, set to 300 then tried 450oC and can't even get the solder to loosen to remove a USB-C/ethernet port on a motherboard (practicing on an older board).
Click to expand...

This is probably for a couple of reasons:
a) large shielding planes - some of the pads that the old connector will be attached too is basically a large sheet of copper. So the heat is conducted away. This is why you're normally looking at hot air and possibly a hot plate underneath to minimise the heat loss. It can take a while - people use a heatproof tape to prevent the air from melting other components.
b) conformant coating - you may have some overspray or conformant coating insulating the heat.
c) if using an iron then tinning the solder iron tip first, then use a little added solder to conduct the heat effectively. Once molten then solder suck.

If it's modern electronics they could be using higher temperature lead-free solder for ROHS compliance, hence adding leaded solder is going to melt before the lead free. Also you then want to remove and clean off the now combined leaded and non-leaded solder and stick to one or the other.
 
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100% add leaded, or even better, specific low melt solder.

The 858 and similar stations generally take a long time to push the amount of air needed over the component to get it up to temperature compared with atten 862/quick 861 etc.
 
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Even some of the cheaper bench top fume extractors work surprisingly well to just take the initial hit away.. but absolutely use in a well ventilated area, desktop cheap extractors aren't a 100% filtration system, I just use them so you don't get it wafting directly in to your nostrils..

I've got one similar to this which pulls the worst of the fumes away and seems good at trapping flux in the filters..

And as for leaded solder, we have 0.6 and 0.71mm in work, I use the 0.71mm at home, a good 60/40 mix with non aggressive flux seems great for reflowing or preflowing before hot air:
 
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potatolord said:
Thought ths thread was "soldering nob"

Disappointed.
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omg that did make me chuckle!

How much soldering are you doing? if it's just random bits now and again just open a window :cry: I've been soldering for years the only time i used and extractor was when i did it full time many moons ago
 
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