Soldering question......how do i disconnect this? (PIC)

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iamme

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
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Text

they are antenna leads from a mini-PCI Wifi card. i have a soldering iron.....would it be hard to get them off?

i'm know very little about soldering and i don't want to ruin the mini-PCI card.
 
L

littlebitstrouds

Senior member
Feb 17, 2003
410
0
76
Looking at it, I can't really tell how it's attached from this angle. BTW why are you taking them off, if you're attaching something else why not cut the wire and solder the new wire with shrink wrap.

You might get a cleaner and easier project. With my projects I've found, if possibe, to leave the machine solders because it's oh so hard to make clean and tight solders with our human hands.
 
A

ai42

Diamond Member
Jun 5, 2001
3,653
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I thought that the mini-pci cards used an MMCX antenna connector so they should just pop off without soldering.
 
iamme

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
let me take some more pics. i'm pretty sure they are soldered on.
 
iamme

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: Jeff7
Originally posted by: iamme
ok,

here's a close up: wifi_006.jpg

here's my laptop: wifi_004.jpg (there are already external antenna connectors there)

here's why i can't just pop in the new wifi card: wifi_003.jpg the antennas are hooked up to some huge boards.
Click to expand...

I think those big boards are the antennas.
Click to expand...

but, the antennas won't fit into the laptop, unless i take the whole thing apart, and try to find a place for the boards to fit.

the laptop already has external antennas set up along the LCD panel. i wanted to use the existing antenna with the mini-PCI card.
 
iamme

iamme

Lifer
Jul 21, 2001
21,058
3
0
Originally posted by: thorin
Do you have one of those kewl little spring loaded solder suckers?

Like this:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F004&product%5Fid=64%2D2098

If so then it's easy heat it up. Suck off the solder (incl the stuff in the joint where the crimped connection slides over the contact). Unplug the connection.

Thorin
Click to expand...

no, i don't have this :(

if i used a normal soldering iron, will i make a mess? any chance i will ruin the mini-PCI card?

 
S

sciencewhiz

Diamond Member
Jun 30, 2000
5,885
8
81
Yes, if use a soldering iron without a solder sucker, you will make a mess, and ruin the card. Even if you do it with a solder sucker, you may still ruin the board. Since you don't have a lot of soldering experience, you should either have someone else do it, or buy a couple of boards at radio shack to practice on.

What cards are you upgrading to and from? I hope they are the same frequency.
 
T

TTM77

Golden Member
Dec 21, 2002
1,280
0
0
this look simple.. just touch the soldering iron on the solder for awhile and the solder will melt and you just pull the wire out. Then re-melt the solder and put the new one you want in. I dont' think U even need to remove the solder. Just make sure U don't smear the solder too far from it's orignal spot b/c it might short something out.
 
jamautosound

jamautosound

Diamond Member
Oct 15, 2000
6,754
0
76
Originally posted by: TTM77
this look simple.. just touch the soldering iron on the solder for awhile and the solder will melt and you just pull the wire out. Then re-melt the solder and put the new one you want in. I dont' think U even need to remove the solder. Just make sure U don't smear the solder too far from it's orignal spot b/c it might short something out.
Click to expand...

I agree. Maybe even tilt the pci card a little downward just in case some solder gets onto the board, it'll just fall off the edge of the card. *Edit* Just realized that there were two of them, the inside one might be tricky for ya'.

I've done this with machine soldered electronics before. As long as you have a steady hand, and don't over heat it, you should be fine.

BTW, what type of soldering iron do you have? If it's a smaller pencil shaped one, it should be perfect.
 
T

Taligent

Member
Feb 24, 2000
34
0
0
The problem with reflowing solder is that the majority of the flux has long since burned off - not usually an issue for experienced electronics folks, but for this situation it'd be best to grab a roll of desoldering braid (the Radio Shack braid is fine). Solder suckers are great for large globs of solder, but braids are usually much better for component level work. Then use fresh solder for reattachment.

HTH,
Nikhil

Edit: Grammar....
 
T

thorin

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
7,573
0
0
Originally posted by: iamme
Originally posted by: thorin
Do you have one of those kewl little spring loaded solder suckers?

Like this:
http://www.radioshack.com/product.asp?catalog%5Fname=CTLG&category%5Fname=CTLG%5F011%5F009%5F007%5F004&product%5Fid=64%2D2098

If so then it's easy heat it up. Suck off the solder (incl the stuff in the joint where the crimped connection slides over the contact). Unplug the connection.

Thorin
Click to expand...

no, i don't have this :(

if i used a normal soldering iron, will i make a mess? any chance i will ruin the mini-PCI card?
Click to expand...
It's used along with your soldering iron, you heat the solder up with the iron then use the sucker to remove it while it's still hot (that way it can't cool and fowl things up on you). As suggested by someone else soldering braid will also work to absorb the extra solder that you wanna get rid of but may now pull it out of the joint between the crimped end on the wire and the contact it's over top of.

Thorin
 
D

dew042

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2000
2,934
0
76
the easiest and safest way is to cut the current wires from the card and then strip them a bit and solder it to you new leads. you won't risk damaging the board and you will have multiple tries if you mess up on the soldering job connecting the wires...

easy. :)

dew.
 
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