Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

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Ozzy
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Ozzy »

Well it's late at night, and I will have a stab at your question,,,the chip quick method is new to me, I've being in the electronic industry since 1981. Soldering has one main point,,,HEAT Transfer to get the job done. As long as you can get the heat to flow the solder you should be good. Now, with an IC with 50 or 100+ pins and the the chip quick method, I have seen it in video but never in person, and I have a bit of concern (but not a show stopper, until I try it), getting a 100+ pin solder molten long enough on all side to remove the whole chip is new to me (unless by hot air). And I would think takes quite a bit of heat (minimum 75 watt, more like 100+ watt iron), BUT, maybe this new chip quick some how retains the heat long enough to keep all four sides solder liquid long enough to remove the chip, if so , totally cool and in the short run a lower cost. Since I have been around removing and replacing IC's for 3+ decades, the SMD hot air system is my choice, it can he had for ~$70 on ebay. I can change a 100 pin chip in under 1 minute. I look forward to others experience with chip quick, please provide feedback on chip quick experience.

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jbeebo »

Ozzy, FWIW I briefly explained how Chip Quick works in this post. You don't need a high power soldering iron, the Sn-Bi solder does retain heat long enough and has a very low solidus temp which gives the operator time to remove the chip.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

Guys, I'm preparing myself to replace the first atmega 128 with a second one. I think I might have killed the first somehow, so I don't want to take any chances and made myself a wrist strap.. here are a couple pictures.
I used some velcro and aluminium foil that comes already with glue on one side..
As I'm grounding myself to the mains earth connection, I used a 1 Mega ohm series resistor at the aligator connector.. would that work?

Thanks,

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Flaps 30 »

That should work fine. Is your soldering iron metal casing/bit also earthed?

I would also suggest some aluminium foil (Earthed) to work on and place tools and solder on.

The humidity levels around Germany seem ideal at this time to do static sensitive work.. Best of luck. :)
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by gohsthb »

I bought a wrist strap that has a 1 meg ohm resistor in it. It works just fine.
-Gohst

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

Yeah, just checked, soldering iron's tip is earthed..
Will follow advice and make a piece of cardboard with aluminium glued on it. then will also ground it through a 1 Mega Ohm resistor to the mains earth connection.. will then place all the tools, as well as the main board on it while working..

Must remember to remove the aluminium before powering the board :D

The chips I ordered this time come inside a plastic box with an anti-static warning sticker on it..

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by mbanzi »

Good luck João! Keep us updated, hopefully it just works for you this time.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

Thanks.. I'll try it tomorrow..
Thank you all..

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

Ok, I hope that this will help avoiding static ;) :P
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Flaps 30 »

Looks good.. Don't forget the earthed aluminium foil hat to keep brain static away from it all.. :)

Now just go for it... Unsolder that old M128. Use the higher temperature that worked for you last time, along with the biggest tip that you have.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

That's the thing, found a bigger flat tip.. so probably around 250ºC will work.. will see. if the solder doesn't mix and looks like a blob, then maybe increase the temperature a little...
No danger of brain static due to brain absence ;) :D
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by mhotar »

Hi All,
I removed Atmega with this tool made from wire.
DSCF0184.JPG
Not so nice method like ChipQuick, but works.

Does anyone tried to place Atmega128A instead of Atmega128-16AU.
I placed it to 9XR and I have some problems with UP/LEFT/DOWN/RIGHT buttons. They often reboots radio.
I had to solve this by placing 1k resistor in series with these switches.

Martin
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by gohsthb »

I put a '128A into mine, it works fine. I put mine on a 9x v2 board.
-Gohst

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

weird problem... Well, at least you made it work.... :S
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jbeebo »

@mhotar - clever! Wondering; did you set up current controller on that bare copper wire?

@jhsa - 250degC is probably too low to reach liquidus on the solder currently holding down your 128. You need to reach liquidus of both Sn-Bi (Chip Quick) solder and Sn-Pb (or SAC if lead free) so the Sn-Bi can blend and lower the solidus of the amalgam down to 140degC or less. I'd recommend starting at 290degC, and apply heat only until Sn-Pb is liquid, melt in the Sn-Bi and move the heat along to the next pins...
I really hope it works for you this time - I think you'll be an expert soon!
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

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I just want to make it work.. :)
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Ozzy »

I have not tried chip quick, I use hot air rework station, I can remove and replace a chip in 1 minute (any type besides BGA, chip quick can not do QFN and some others), and another minute to clean the flux off. Also there is nothing consumable, so you can do as many chips as you want. Of course it costs more up front. I am not trying to derail this thread, just offering another solution.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Portable-Hot-Ai ... 2572929a09

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMD-Digital-Hot ... 43b702fd7c

http://www.ebay.com/itm/8508D-Digital-H ... 460608427c
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Kilrah »

I'd have already purchased one of those if I could find one for 240V in the same price range. Never did so far :(

I've got a temperature and speed controlled hot air gun with a rather fine tip that already does a good work, but of course still not as good.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by JustinTime »

Kilrah, did you try ebay.de? Search 'heißluft lötstation'. They go for about EUR60 shipped.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Kilrah »

Oh yeah, for some reason they don't appear on ebay.com... I'll have a look, thanks!
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by ShowMaster »

I bought this last year and so far it's been good. I use the iron a lot and just getting into what I can do with the heat wand and tips. I have some bad SMD with Cpu's boards to practice on now.
It does work well for heat shrink tubing in small areas.
I could use some hot air soldering/desoldering how to's.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by MikeB »

I just had a reason to replace the STM32F205 on a Taranis(+) board. Same size as the AtMEGAs, but 100 instead of 64 pins!
I decided to go the chipquick route for this, worked fine, just needed to keep the chipquick hot all round for a while to get the solder to melt properly, but the dead chip came off well, and the pads all cleaned up fine.
New chip safely soldered in and all working!

I have to say another thank you to those who provided me with the stereo microscope. I don't think I would have tried the soldering back in without it. Those pins are on a VERY fine spacing.

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Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by ShowMaster »

I bought one after reading about yours. I used it last week to rework my favorite Casio solar watch setting pin. The plastic had cracked and the pin fell out. Some CA on the pin head as an applicator and I was good to go.
The pin angle had to be spot on.
Oh, I've also repaired selected 9x boards for botched jobs.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

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Hot air rework stations are now $25 :)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/858D-700W-Sold ... rk:31:pf:0
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

Cool, I still prefer chipquik, specially if I don't want the components damaged, or to blow other SMD components off the board by using the hot air :)

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Ozzy »

Something is wrong if your "blowing" other components off the board. I work with 28GHz data signals, we use 0201, 01005 and 008004 size parts (tiny mofo's) and they do not blow away when swapping the part next to them. Maybe turn the after burner off? :D
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by bob195558 »

AOYUE 968A+  Soldering Station 3-in-1<br />Soldering Iron    <br />Smoke Absorber<br />Hot Air Gun
AOYUE 968A+ Soldering Station 3-in-1
Soldering Iron
Smoke Absorber
Hot Air Gun


With my Aoyue INT 968A+ Soldering Station,
I have different size Hot Air Gun nozzles
and I can adjust the hot air flow and heat.
You may want to adjust these features on a junk board
before using it on the board you are repairing.

See here for some more info about replacing chips: (https://openrcforums.com/forum/viewtopi ... 120#p74105).
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by jhsa »

Still find chip quik way better and faster. and less chances of damaging the components, as the melting point is very low.. :)

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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by Ozzy »

Because of your lack of experience. :D :) :oops:

Witch if fine, we were just pointing out a alternative (and better imo) way. Believe me, been doing this since 1982, probably less than 1% of the electronics repair use chip quick method. Takes too long, costs too much (plus solder braid to wick up the mess), more mechanical stress.

There is more than one way to skin a cat, and quick chip is an option, initially it is less cost, witch is possibly its only benefit.
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Re: Desoldering The Atmega Chip Using Chip Quik

Post by bob195558 »

I use Chip Quick for those difficult soldering jobs like chip replacement. :D
The Chip Quick flux helps a lot too, its really good flux. :)
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