Removing sockets from PCB

[jeff]

 Does anyone have tips for removing sockets soldered to PCBs? It's an octal socket with no pin 6.
 I imagine that's no problem for an octopus with seven soldering irons but how do you desolder all 8 pins at once with only two hands? 
Thanks
Jeff

[MakerDP]

I use a solder sucker and just go around the circle sucking up more solder each time. It takes a while but it gets done.

If you are going to or want to just replace the socket, it goes a lot faster. You can just snip the individual pins and take them out individually.

[DummyLoad]

shatter the socket with a large pair of dykes.


remove the pins one at a time. work from both sides of the board - heat one side - solder puller on the other. 


--pete

[eleventeen]

A solder sucker is a magnificent device....that is, unless you have a fancy desoldering station.


You just go around the socket, pin by pin, heat the joint, and suck it until there's very little solder left---until there is just the thinnest film remaining, where the joint is just "tinned". If the joint is very old, you may have to add just the slightest touch of new solder so that you get new flux which acts (in this case) as a wetting agent. Then, you nudge each individual pin a little bit with a small screwdriver until the individual joints crack, until you can see the pin move inside the hole in the PC board. It only has to move a teeny bit, just so you can see that the remaining joint is cracked. When you're done, the socket should just pull out or give way to a very slight prying action with small screwdriver from the opposite side. Work your way around it when prying it out. The key is to mechanically break the thinned-out solder joint before you try to remove the socket, be sure you can see the pin move when you nudge it.

[jeff]

Ok Thanks.
I've been going round n round with the solder sucker and no luck. The pins are pretty solidly set in the socket, meaning no wiggle in each individual pin. I've got it where it only looks tinned but it wont give it up. Guess I just keep at it.
 If it can be helped I really don't want to destroy the socket I just want to remove it, and either bend pins 3 and 5 outward, or drill a hole to isolate them from the board, then hardwire 3 to OT 5 to bias and grid.
The amp I'm working on is the infamous Marshall JCM2000 TSL100. It's known to have a bias drift due the fact the board leaks when hot and the bias starts to get more and more positive and run away. I've seen where people dremmel around the pin but I don't think I'm that steady and may do damage. If I could remove the socket then I could either drill a hole or bend the pins outward.

[eleventeen]

Maybe you could try gripping the pin (after sucking away as much solder as you can) with a needlenose pliers (but not the tiniest ones) as close as you can to the solder side of the board. Then tap the jaws of the pliers with something metal so you impart some degree of shock to the pin. The idea being again to break the remaining very thin solder film.


Could also try scoring the solder joint  with an exacto knife right all the way around where on the fillet formed between the solder pad and the pin. Maybe that should be step 1. You somehow have to crack that solder film, one way or another.

[DummyLoad]

reflow the pins with fresh solder  - apply heat to one side, suck the solder out on the other side. rework work with lead free stuff is the worst...


if the pins still won't come loose, then you risk pulling plate-thru and/or a trace or two... that's not good.


usually you end up shattering the socket then pulling the individual pins after you've ruined the board. one socket is cheaper then destroying the board.


--pete

[jeff]

Thanks for the advice guys. I had no luck and figured I do it like the repairs I've seen online and dremmel around the pin. I can't add link but if you're curious check out Dr Tube Marshall JCM2000 Stable Bias Mod.

I'm also considering dremmeling around pins 3 and connecting the OT directly to the pins to keep that voltage off the board too. Waddya think?

[sluckey]

This is not really going to help but I wanted you to know there are tools that make that socket removal easy. This is a Pace soldering/desoldering station. The grey handled iron uses a hollow tip that will fit over the socket pin. It also has a footswitch operated vacuum pump connected to the iron via that yellowed plastic tubing. You just put the tip over the socket pin and when the solder becomes liquid start shaking the iron to move the pin slightly. Simultaneously hit the footswitch to suck the solder out. Remove iron and the pin will be completely free. Even the thru-hole plating (if there is one) will be clean. Repeat for the other pins.

The socket pins are likely bent outward slightly such that you must compress them to fit in the holes. This provides spring tension and ensures a good mechanical contact to the pcb. IC pins are bent the same way and for the same purpose. It's almost impossible to remove either without board damage if you don't have a good desoldering station. That Pace (or similar) repair station is a good addition to any bench that will see pcb work.

[shooter]

I will 2nd the pace unit, I fixed alotta toasted boards in my Navy days n that tool was great!  Had all the bells n whistle's, dermal, solder, de-solder, magnifier.  The Navy wouldn't let me take it home when I got out!

[supro66]

I use a solder wick Radio shack carries it is just braided copper wire
I dip the wick in flux and put it over the spot I want and heat it up

[jeff]

That Pace station sounds cool...er...hot?...er...naw cool....yeah,it's cool.....but it is hot...you know what I mean.
I did try the wick but I didn't know about the fluxin' stuff. Aw flux! I already dremmeled the board.