Delsoldering RoHS

[Les Cargill[_4_]]

I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.

The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a
cheezy pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.

Any suggestions? Propane torch?

I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....


--
Les Cargill

[Don Pearce[_3_]]

On Sun, 15 Sep 2013 14:27:08 -0500, Les Cargill
> wrote:

>
>I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.
>
>The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a
>cheezy pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.
>
>Any suggestions? Propane torch?
>
>I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
>I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....

RoHS shouldn't stop you getting stuff apart. The wonder is that stuff
actually stays together in the first place. Get a decent soldering
iron - they aren't expensive. The right tip for any job is the largest
one you can bring to bear sensibly.

Solder it back together with rosin cored tin/lead solder the way
nature intended.

d

[Scott Dorsey]

Les Cargill > wrote:
>
>I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.
>
>The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a
>cheezy pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.

Use a temperature-controlled iron. Set it to 700F or 750F, no higher.
The temperature-controlled iron has feedback; the tip is always kept
at the proper temperature, no matter what. Without it, the temperature
drops as soon as you start putting heat into the joint unless you use an
oversized iron that starts out too hot to begin with.

Use a soldapulit to get all the RoHS solder off. Apply 63/37. Take
off the 63/37. Add more 63/37. Take it off a second time. Then
solder to the thing with 63/37.

>I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
>I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....

It's not that bad to work with the RoHS stuff with a temperature controlled
iron, but the hard part is that you can't tell if a connection is good or
not by eyeballing it.
--scott

--
"C'est un Nagra. C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

[Les Cargill[_4_]]

Don Pearce wrote:
> On Sun, 15 Sep 2013 14:27:08 -0500, Les Cargill
> > wrote:
>
>>
>> I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.
>>
>> The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a
>> cheezy pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.
>>
>> Any suggestions? Propane torch?
>>
>> I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
>> I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....
>
> RoHS shouldn't stop you getting stuff apart. The wonder is that stuff
> actually stays together in the first place. Get a decent soldering
> iron - they aren't expensive. The right tip for any job is the largest
> one you can bring to bear sensibly.
>

I have a crappy iron specifically because the only thing I intend to
ever solder are cables. :) It limits the summed damage potential if I
keep it that way.

> Solder it back together with rosin cored tin/lead solder the way
> nature intended.
>
> d
>

--
Les Cargill

[William Sommerwerck]

"Les Cargill" wrote in message ...

> I have a crappy iron specifically because the only thing I intend to ever
> solder are cables. :) It limits the summed damage potential if
> I keep it that way.

Les, my days of heavy soldering are over. But I still use my
temperature-controlled EDSYN, and have never regretted what it cost.
Regardless of how often you intend to use your iron, buy a decent
temperature-controlled one. You will not regret it.

[Les Cargill[_4_]]

Scott Dorsey wrote:
> Les Cargill > wrote:
>>
>> I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.
>>
>> The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a
>> cheezy pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.
>
> Use a temperature-controlled iron. Set it to 700F or 750F, no higher.
> The temperature-controlled iron has feedback; the tip is always kept
> at the proper temperature, no matter what. Without it, the temperature
> drops as soon as you start putting heat into the joint unless you use an
> oversized iron that starts out too hot to begin with.
>

As I told Don, having lousy soldering equipment keeps me from
building kits. It's a complicated thing related to domestic harmony.

I've already got a tub of stuff that's going out. I got a new
audio interface, and I don't need half my stuff any more. It already
looks way better in the music room.

> Use a soldapulit to get all the RoHS solder off. Apply 63/37. Take
> off the 63/37. Add more 63/37. Take it off a second time. Then
> solder to the thing with 63/37.
>

*&^@


>> I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
>> I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....
>
> It's not that bad to work with the RoHS stuff with a temperature controlled
> iron, but the hard part is that you can't tell if a connection is good or
> not by eyeballing it.
> --scott
>


If I manage to do this, it's going back with 63/37. I have no intention
of ever using RoHS on anything.

Know what? I think I 'me just gonna order some $20 20 footers online and
be done with it. Zzounds has 'em with Belden and the cheezy Neutrik
ends. Looks like the NC7MXX ends; those are fine. It's 22 AWG Belden.


--
Les Cargill

[geoff]

"Les Cargill" > wrote in message
...
>
> I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.
>
> The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a cheezy
> pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.
>
> Any suggestions? Propane torch?
>
> I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
> I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....
>

How about purchasing a decent soldering iron ?

geoff

[geoff]

"Don Pearce" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 15 Sep 2013 14:27:08 -0500, Les Cargill
> > wrote:
>
>>
>>I am trying to fix an XLR cable. It is apparently soldered with RoHS.
>>
>>The pins on the XLR end do not want to desolder. Yes, I am using a
>>cheezy pencil iron, but it's always been fine for this sort of thing.
>>
>>Any suggestions? Propane torch?
>>
>>I guess I can just trash the thing, or reuse it for something else, but
>>I'd just as soon at least reuse the XLR connectors. Grrr....
>
> RoHS shouldn't stop you getting stuff apart. The wonder is that stuff
> actually stays together in the first place. Get a decent soldering
> iron - they aren't expensive. The right tip for any job is the largest
> one you can bring to bear sensibly.
>
> Solder it back together with rosin cored tin/lead solder the way
> nature intended.

And whet the tip well and blob 'proper' solder onto the ROHS crap to aid
heat transfer to remove.

geoff

[geoff]

"Les Cargill" > wrote in message
...
> Don Pearce wrote:
>
> I have a crappy iron specifically because the only thing I intend to ever
> solder are cables. :) It limits the summed damage potential if I
> keep it that way.

How many cables do you have to needlessly waste before the iron is paid for
?

geoff

[Les Cargill[_4_]]

geoff wrote:
> "Les Cargill" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Don Pearce wrote:
>>
>> I have a crappy iron specifically because the only thing I intend to ever
>> solder are cables. :) It limits the summed damage potential if I
>> keep it that way.
>
> How many cables do you have to needlessly waste before the iron is paid for
> ?
>
> geoff
>
>

A half dozen. Which is my consumption for about ten years.

--
Les Cargill

[Peter Larsen[_3_]]

Les Cargill wrote:

> Know what? I think I 'me just gonna order some $20 20 footers online
> and be done with it.

And THAT is the huge environmental problem caused by ROHS that nobody seems
to have considered when implementing it.

Kind regards

Peter Larsen

[Les Cargill[_4_]]

Peter Larsen wrote:
> Les Cargill wrote:
>
>> Know what? I think I 'me just gonna order some $20 20 footers online
>> and be done with it.
>
> And THAT is the huge environmental problem caused by ROHS that nobody seems
> to have considered when implementing it.
>
> Kind regards
>
> Peter Larsen
>
>
>

That is the design goal of RoHS.

It's just a matter of when.

I bought XLR ends to put on the old cables, and the broken
ends will be put in a plastic container full of
broken/orphaned parts I cannibalize from.

--
Les Cargill