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33
Mastering the Art of Soldering
5. Make sure that there are no solder bridges that could be causing short circuits, unless you
are working with fine pitch component. The pitch is so close on these pins, so just solder
each side and let it cool before proceeding on the next side. When they are all done, let the
whole component cool and use the solder wick to remove the excess solder on each side,
but leave enough solder to make a proper connection. Repeat the process if there are still
solder bridges.
If you remove too much of the solder, you may add more and may repeat the process. Make
sure to let the component cool on each side so it will not be damaged by the excessive heat.
Take as much as time with this process.
If the solder wick is stuck on the board,
don’t pull it with your finger
, just apply a little bit of
solder on it and when you see smoke, you can pull it out.
Removal of excess solder using a Solder Wick
6. Do a quick inspection using your loupe to see if there are any bridges left and check that
there is a good connection between the pins and the pad.
7. After a close inspection, clean the component using cotton buds dipped in isopropyl
alcohol.
The technique is called
Flow and Wick
where solder is allowed to flow across the pads and
the wick is used to clear off all the solder bridges. Because surface tension holds some of
