Old Steel core 50 or 60 Hz mains transformers are ALWAYS worth salvaging , as they can last for ever , and when used to make power supplies are a LOT simpler ( and more reliable ! ) than modern SMPS .. ( tried - n - tested ) ... DAVE™🛑
Yes, It depends on the winding quality and whether or not the plastic has cracked on the winding covers - nothing a few quick measurements etc. can't solve! You can usually tell a good find from a mile a way, those old Zebra transformers in microwaves are extra special - i'm still waiting for mom's old microwave to brak down so I can get the MOT lol (It's a "National" so probably not going to happen for a while I assume) Don't hate on the ole SMPS though, I've seen many fail; but i've also seen how they can work well - usually when over engineered! Most of what I designed recently revolves around getting a stable and efficient switching supply, using a minimal amount of components - but it has taken a full trip into analogue territory with the design of an OPAMP of sorts, and a voltage reference for it being two key elements... The aim is simple: bag of transistors --> Power Source (any)
Would not exactly call it hopeless, but on some boards with large planes of copper it might be - especially with the little 20W irons! And flux can help, especially on pre-ROHS boards but not in the above situations no. If the circuit board you are salvaging is capable of dissipating the heat as fast as your iron can deliver it, only additional heat will help. And leaded solder, because it lowers that melting point and makes everything 'flow' better...
I have a desoldering gun, but we're not interested in cleaning the board - this was a component harvesting exercise! I save my desoldering braids for the big stuff - no point burning through consumables trying to salvage random components; unless said components are the solid gold kind lol
ohh ok. everyone has different methods. understood. its a bit unique for me i guess or the jobs i try they use thicker flux or thicker compound that requires just shy of a 1,000,00 watt laser. lol
@@bradleylomas7525 Don't worry, It's just shitty solder. Like not even solder anymore, it's more of a tin weld of some kind on these new PCBs! Recall the heat gun, that was a board with high thermal mass AND lead-free solder - a few parts did get scorched...
Maybe - if you push them into each other; however I was gently rolling the solder blob between them to tin up... On the board however, lead free solder can be a bit tricky sometimes, requiring a light push to get through oxides etc. Which is why it's best to use old irons for through hole stuff, this technique is best for SMD though - and there should be no harm to the tips there :)
the double soldering iron thing, supa dope, thanks for the lesson :)
A friend of mine use to use a torch clean a board in seconds. The opposite side of course.
Hoping this channel produces more content. Love the subject matter.
There are releases planned very soon, there's just a few things left to sort out :)
Old Steel core 50 or 60 Hz mains transformers are ALWAYS worth salvaging , as they can last for ever , and when used to make power supplies are a LOT simpler ( and more reliable ! ) than modern SMPS .. ( tried - n - tested ) ... DAVE™🛑
Yes, It depends on the winding quality and whether or not the plastic has cracked on the winding covers - nothing a few quick measurements etc. can't solve!
You can usually tell a good find from a mile a way, those old Zebra transformers in microwaves are extra special - i'm still waiting for mom's old microwave to brak down so I can get the MOT lol (It's a "National" so probably not going to happen for a while I assume)
Don't hate on the ole SMPS though, I've seen many fail; but i've also seen how they can work well - usually when over engineered!
Most of what I designed recently revolves around getting a stable and efficient switching supply, using a minimal amount of components - but it has taken a full trip into analogue territory with the design of an OPAMP of sorts, and a voltage reference for it being two key elements... The aim is simple: bag of transistors --> Power Source (any)
I better store entire kit because it's easy to recognize on PCBs
Masterful
Its a pain in the arse when they use that lead free solder, I hate dealing with that crap even my solder gun cant deal with it very well.
You said Its hopeless to try with only 1 iron but it works with flux right?
Would not exactly call it hopeless, but on some boards with large planes of copper it might be - especially with the little 20W irons!
And flux can help, especially on pre-ROHS boards but not in the above situations no. If the circuit board you are salvaging is capable of dissipating the heat as fast as your iron can deliver it, only additional heat will help.
And leaded solder, because it lowers that melting point and makes everything 'flow' better...
you could just use braided copper wire wick and flux to remove old solder with a single solder gun
I have a desoldering gun, but we're not interested in cleaning the board - this was a component harvesting exercise!
I save my desoldering braids for the big stuff - no point burning through consumables trying to salvage random components; unless said components are the solid gold kind lol
ohh ok. everyone has different methods. understood. its a bit unique for me i guess or the jobs i try they use thicker flux or thicker compound that requires just shy of a 1,000,00 watt laser. lol
@@bradleylomas7525 Don't worry, It's just shitty solder. Like not even solder anymore, it's more of a tin weld of some kind on these new PCBs!
Recall the heat gun, that was a board with high thermal mass AND lead-free solder - a few parts did get scorched...
Exactly
tips won't last long, scratching them each other
Maybe - if you push them into each other; however I was gently rolling the solder blob between them to tin up...
On the board however, lead free solder can be a bit tricky sometimes, requiring a light push to get through oxides etc.
Which is why it's best to use old irons for through hole stuff, this technique is best for SMD though - and there should be no harm to the tips there :)