Dummy Solder Question

Danguin did a real good job of putting some solder between the three prongs on my diode to keep it safe. I've done all the research and gotten the supplies to solder wires on to the prongs very quickly so I don't toast the diode, but what about removing the grounding blob? do I just heat it and wick it away? or should I remove it mechanically with jewelers snips? I'm not doing it right this moment, just trying to think it out in my head and account for everything.

i had a blob on mine too. i just heated till it melted, then used a desoldering pump thing. i think you can also use it to solder the pins to the wires.

Solder wick, I prefer it over a pump. While pressing the wick to the solder, You heat the wick with your iron & as soon as the solder gets hot enough its sucked into the wick.
Trying to snip the solder off could stress your pins enough to break.
Use new solder for you wires.
Link> http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/how-solder-properly-28001.html

While wearing a greounded ESD ground strap on your wrist...
hold the LD with the pins facing the Floor..
Pre-tin your Iron and touch the shorting solder blob with the
Iron just long enogh to melt it... then remove your iron downwards.
Gravity should remove the blob..

If that does not work for you... when the solder is melted... just
give the LD a flick of the wrist to throw the solder off the pins...
Be careful not to flick the solder onto things you want to keep or
other people...

Jerry

Thats my way of going about these things. Preferably insert the diode into an aixiz module first for heatsinking. Then pre-tin the iron so it as some flux and melt the blob of solder. Once molten just tap it firmly sideways onto the edge of your working table (or whatever) and the solder flies off, leaving nicely tinned pins in the process if lucky. Flicking it off works too, but its harder to control where the excess solder ends, and the sudden bump on a table edge really helps to dislodge all the solder.

I would advise to have the diode heatsinked when doing this, either by installation in a module or a good grip with pliers or such. Otherwise you might heat it up and cause damage, considering these diodes are rather small...

Good to know when i get my diode

Benm said:

Thats my way of going about these things. Preferably insert the diode into an aixiz module first for heatsinking. Then pre-tin the iron so it as some flux and melt the blob of solder. Once molten just tap it firmly sideways onto the edge of your working table (or whatever) and the solder flies off, leaving nicely tinned pins in the process if lucky. Flicking it off works too, but its harder to control where the excess solder ends, and the sudden bump on a table edge really helps to dislodge all the solder.

I would advise to have the diode heatsinked when doing this, either by installation in a module or a good grip with pliers or such. Otherwise you might heat it up and cause damage, considering these diodes are rather small...

Click to expand...

I agree... that is a good idea...
I strongly disagree to banging an optical device against anything...

I also disagree to hold a 5.6mm LD by Pliers.... depending on how
you hold the LD... too much force could break the output window
or dislodge it..

Jerry