Electronics & Soldering Forum
Hello there, does anybody know if desoldering capacitors, resistors, and other components from the circuit board to repair it might harm these elements? The power supply board I was desoldering components out of used lead-free solder, which has 370 degrees Fahrenheit or more. Because I'm new to electronics and still learning how to desolder parts, it takes me longer than normal to desolder anything, maybe 3-5 minutes or so, plus much more if there are any residual solder in the via hole, which takes even longer to remove the component. Is it possible that the 360 degrees of heat might damage the parts while they are being heated during this procedure? So far, all of the components I've unplugged from the circuits have performed correctly out of the circuit. I'm going to try desoldering the faulty components one at a time to figure out where the faults are in the circuit. I anticipate I will need to desolder several more components to investigate, and I am concerned that desoldering may also damage these components. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!
Unfortunately, desoldering each component and testing if they're good is not the way to go. Fixing it that way is extremely unlikely.
You've gone straight to the stage of memorizing how power supplies operate and then learning and employing fault-finding skills.
If you can't discover a data sheet for the specific component, look for a data sheet for similar components. For example, the maximum soldering temperature is frequently given on the manufacturer's datasheets. If one isn't available, try one from another manufacturer.
If you follow good techniques, desoldering and soldering through-hole components should not cause any difficulties. However, surface mount components generally have more stringent soldering demands than through-hole counterparts.
If you spend more than six hours soldering a power supply PCB, it's best to scrap it.
P.S. Check my guides
Thanks, Tom!