How to Remove Parts From a Printed Circuit Board

Use de-soldering wick to remove solder.

Some chips on printed circuits plug into their own sockets, making removal quite simple. But removing most parts from a printed circuit board almost always means removing solder. De-soldering wick, a flux-impregnated, braided copper mesh that comes on a spool, cleans solder off of connections by absorbing the solder by capillary action. Components installed on the same side of the board connect to small cups called "blind vias" and to the opposite side to "through-hole" connections. De-soldering wick cleans solder out of either type.

Things You'll Need

• Soldering iron
• De-soldering wick
• Needle-nosed pliers
• Tweezers

Instructions

1. 

   Opposite side components solder to "through-hole" connections.

   Lay the de-soldering wick flat against the solder joint you want to remove. You can cover all the pins along one side of a chip. For blind vias, place the wick against the pins and the vias on the component side of the board. For through-hole connections, place the wick flat against the circuit board connections on the opposite side of the board.

2. 

   Same side components solder to "blind vias."

   Press your heated soldering iron against the de-soldering wick. Watch the wick closely as solder seeps onto it. It saturates quickly and will not absorb any more solder once saturated. Keep applying heat and fresh de-soldering wick to the joint until all solder comes off.

3. Jiggle the leads on the component gently with tweezers or needle-nosed pliers (depending on the size of the leads) to break them loose. The de-soldering wick removes almost all of the solder, but component leads tend to stick slightly.

4. Use the tweezers or needle-nosed pliers on the pins to straighten the leads on the connections that go through the through-hole connections.

5. Lift the component off of the board with the tweezers, needle-nosed pliers or your fingers.

Tips & Warnings

• De-soldering wick comes in various sizes. To avoid overheating components, use a size that covers only the connections without touching against the components.

• De-soldering wick fills up fast. Have plenty on hand.

• Be careful not to overheat components or the circuit board. Too much heat may cause the traces to lift off. Use a heat-controlled soldering iron to be safe.

References

• George Schreyer: Wiring Tools

Resources

• Colin O'Flynn: Low Cost SMD Soldering Guide