A customer told me I was "burning through" capacitors with my iron because I was using a 60W instead of 25W and now I only use the low wattage on old boards.

Since I swapped to a 25W Weller for vintage gear, I haven't lifted a single trace or killed a cap in the last 40 repairs, has anyone else seen a difference swapping wattages for delicate stuff?

2 comments

2 Comments

emery87929d ago

Does the lower heat really stop pad damage or is it just slower soldering?

angela4329d ago

Oh man, lower heat is the way to go if you ask me... I learned that the hard way after lifting a pad on a pretty nice board and just sat there staring at it like an idiot. It's not just slower soldering, lower heat gives you more time to react before you cook something. When you crank the iron up too high, you're basically tap dancing on the pad with a tiny blowtorch and hoping nothing melts off. I've definitely been there with my shaky trucker hands thinking faster would be better and nope, just ended up with a mess. Take it from someone who's messed up plenty, slow and low beats fast and sorry every time.