Unpopular opinion: don't use hot air for SMD removal near plastic connectors

Last week I was reworking a board from a 2018 Samsung TV over in my garage. I wanted to swap a blown capacitor but the nearby ribbon connector made me nervous so I stuck with a soldering iron instead of my usual hot air station. It took me like 10 extra minutes but I didn't melt anything. Meanwhile my buddy Dave swears by preheating the whole board and just blasting it. Has anyone else wrecked a connector with hot air and switched methods because of it?

2 comments

2 Comments

barbaraschmidt10d agoTop Commenter

Are people really melting connectors that often?

margaret9910d ago

Used to think it was user error, @barbaraschmidt, but those melted charger photos changed my mind completely.