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hey guys i know this is a total noob question
i broke the footswitch on my micro q tron and need to replace it
its soldered to a small pcb board, i can just unsolder it with braid and resolder the new one ?

can i use rosin core solder? or lead or no lead? lol

Yup use some solder braid to remove it, i'd practice on something else though first if you haven't soldered much to avoid damaging the PCB.

And i'd go with leaded rosin core if I were you, unleaded is bad for the enviroment, hard to use, needs more heat and doesn't last as long as it has a problem of whiskering, leaded is the way to go.

Scruffie wrote:Yup use some solder braid to remove it, i'd practice on something else though first if you haven't soldered much to avoid damaging the PCB.

And i'd go with leaded rosin core if I were you, unleaded is bad for the enviroment, hard to use, needs more heat and doesn't last as long as it has a problem of whiskering, leaded is the way to go.

Didn't know unleaded was bad for the environment. Might have to switch back after I google that. Leaded sure is cheaper.

A thing to note, a lot of modern circuit boards, including the ones in new EHX pedals aren't the best ever-- so be SUPER careful.

McSpunckle wrote:

Scruffie wrote:Yup use some solder braid to remove it, i'd practice on something else though first if you haven't soldered much to avoid damaging the PCB.

And i'd go with leaded rosin core if I were you, unleaded is bad for the enviroment, hard to use, needs more heat and doesn't last as long as it has a problem of whiskering, leaded is the way to go.

Didn't know unleaded was bad for the environment. Might have to switch back after I google that. Leaded sure is cheaper.

A thing to note, a lot of modern circuit boards, including the ones in new EHX pedals aren't the best ever-- so be SUPER careful.

i agree with the new ehx pedals comment havnt had the greatest luck with them lately. it turned up in the box broken haha

I have a switch problem on my SMMwH. I may send it in to get fixed. It looks like a bitch to desolder.

De-soldering the little daughter board on the 3PDT is easy providing you use some braid and don't keep on the same lug for too long. Just suck it all up moving around from lug to lug till its all gone then replace the switch and be sure you orientate it the correct way...ie; note what way the lugs are aligned before you remove it.

hey guys just unsolderd it took me a longgg time for some odd reason i think i actually melted the plastic and glued it stuck haha

eaither way got it off and soldered in the new one

theres like some brown bacon like greese stuff on the mini pcb board though any clue how to get rid of it

tuffteef wrote:hey guys just unsolderd it took me a longgg time for some odd reason i think i actually melted the plastic and glued it stuck haha

eaither way got it off and soldered in the new one

theres like some brown bacon like greese stuff on the mini pcb board though any clue how to get rid of it

I was just going to say don't use the braid, get a suction pump. Much better for this kind of thing.
Unleaded solder is not bad for the environment. Other way round. It is however a pain in the arse as it melts at a higher temp. Wouldn't be so bad if the plastic they used didn't melt at such a low temp as you've discovered...bakelite was better.
The grease is just flux. You can get this goop to remove it and brush it off, or use a toothbrush/qtip and a little isopropyl alcohol. Maybe a final rinse with dH2O, but I wouldn't bother.

sweet thanks dev
yeah the braid is a pain in the ass ill have to invest in the pump insted

Unleaded is bad for the enviroment because it has a limited life, after 10 years you get solder whiskers forming and they will form and then, you have to chuck that new flat screen TV of yours in the bin because it shorts and breaks, thus filling land fills and wasting where leaded would have kept going untill something else in that TV broke... and that's just one point but we wont go too far into that.

As for pump versus braid, I normally use a pump but they're not great for everything, on some PCBs they're entirely useless and if it was for just one switch... braid was just cheaper for a quick job but investing in a pump is probably a good idea, good you got it sorted though!