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FrozenGate by Avery

LPC-815 LOC Harvesting Problems

its dead easy to remove a diode from that style heat sink, i use a hacksaw.

been doing it this way for many years and have done a good 100 diodes. works every time.

make a good cut into the heat sink then use a flat blade screw driver. put it into the cut and twist this will break the heat sink in half
 





It's quite easy to get the diode out of the heatsink but you have to be careful. Being careful actually makes it a bit hard. At least for me :P
 
Ok, so in the process, I pushed the pins flat. I was able to straighten then back without incident, so I am hoping that its still ok. What I did was take two needle nose pliers and run them along the narrow sides, parallel with the grooves. What I did was set the handles facing opposite ways and twisting them both up and presto. It popped out.
 
I use a Dremel to open the heatsink. Make a cut on both side of the sink and twist it with a plier. Before the cut put some tape on the front side so that dust and particles can't hit the diode.

dremel500.jpg


04_dremel.jpg
 
I was getting so mad that I couldn't open the heatsink, that I ALMOST smashed it with an ax...
 
Hehe.. using an axe would require great finesse :D

I still prefer the twisting method. It may not be the fastest, but it gets easier with experience.
 
Benm said:
That, and the problem of metal dust making its way into the diode. I'd rather use side cutters than a file to make a break in the heatsink if required.
Click to expand...

I never had a problem with the metal dust, although i did always prefer those closed face heat sinks for that "just in case" scenario.
I used the same method on those as i did with the others, i just had to file that front part as well. If the sides are already cut you should be able to warp it enough by twisting it in opposite directions with two pliers and make the diode come out.
 
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When Harvesting this diode, I was paranoid I would cough or somehow get a spec of dust on it. As soon as I got it out, I pushed it in some foam and in an anti static bag. Im still really nervous for the 12 diode. Ahhh!!!! :)
 
Blord said:
I use a Dremel to open the heatsink. Make a cut on both side of the sink and twist it with a plier. Before the cut put some tape on the front side so that dust and particles can't hit the diode.
Click to expand...

:beer: My method as well right down to tape on the window.

its quite easy. I was able to extract the LOC and the IR in less than 10 min. Just use the dremel to weaken the case and then I just peeled the heat sink off toward the face of the diode. Then just pluck out the diode.
 
The double needle-nosed vice grip solution works quite nicely here IMHO. Grip, Grip, Twist!
 
I never had much luck with two needlenoses. They always seemed prone to slipping and mashing the pins or something.

I use two big locking pliers that can apply a bit of crush action to the two non-scored edges of the heatsink to encourage it to break in half. Then it just pulls apart.
 
I dremel into it till it almost touches the diode, in two places, which weakens the heatsink immensely. Two pliers will then twist it apart easily.
 
Solder blob I also use a dremel and have never damaged a diode, but I go slow and check often. For anyone having troubles Moh has a thread with a video of extraction from the heatsink using a file.
 
Extracted an LPC today by making some slight cuts down the sides with a saw and then twisting the heat sink with a pair of pliers, it came out pretty easy. Also had a little bit of tape over the heat sink opening so I didn’t get any saving on the diode.
 
MMM, ya, these are a bitch. I tried filing mine, didnt work. Filed more, didnt work. Filed to the point I ground a good bit into the diode, worked with lots of twisting. Stuck it in an aixiz, it seemed loose, but w/e. Was cranking up current to 136ma, and then it died. I was like WTF. It wasnt hot or anything. Maybe I touched the inside of it when it fell out when I was twisting the heatsink?

Well, If possible, I want to avoid this again. These diodes are also long, open can. They are rated 250mw CW. Could these be the same as LOC?
www.rayfoss.com
 
Oh yeah!! These LOC reds are a real beast. The heatsink is so small, you can barely get a tool on them. If you don't get a good grasp onto what little there is, chances are, your pliers slide off and remove just a little bit more making it worse yet to get a hold of. The best thing I've found is to hold them snug with just your hand, and dremel a weak spot into two sides, then it will fall out with minimum twisting. Last night I got one out with a small jewelers screw driver after dremeling it down to where a small pin head screw driver was able to pry the sink off. But never mess with the diode side, always from the pin side!

There was also a small round plastic film that came off that I never saw before. Now it looks just like any other diode with the little plastic window. I wonder what it was. Later, the Blob.
 
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