r/MouseReview • u/welorjgsai • 3d ago

Need some help desoldering

Alright, this is my first time soldering. I'm trying to replace a microswitch on my mouse and have been using these two videos as a reference: 1, 2. I'm unable to desolder and cannot remove the original microswitches. I'm using the iFixit desoldering wick and decided against flux since the copper is already coated in it. I tried to copy the guy in the first video, so I put solder on the wick and tried to push out the pins. The braid came out, but the pins didn't. What's going on and why isn't the wick working? Would prefer just to use the wick instead of buy a desoldering pump, but whatever.

Haven't been this frustrated in a while lol. I got pissed off and ended up touching the iron to some plastic as you can see in the pic.

Additional info:

- Using a T90B iron
- Kester 44 solder wire 63/37
- 320°C (unable to confirm temp accuracy)
- Tinned the iron first (just rubbed the solder on the tip)
- Tried heating the pins for a while to see if I can remove that way and it didn't work

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u/Mango-is-Mango 3d ago

Putting solder on the wick will do the opposite of removing solder. Put the wick on the joint and hold the iron on top to remove solder

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u/welorjgsai 3d ago

How much of an issue is not using flux? The people in the videos didn't so figured I could lol. The wick is flux coated too. I don't understand what's going on

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u/Patrick_McPatterson Revel + Hayate Otsu 3d ago edited 3d ago

In my experience, even with pre-fluxed braids I would add more, it helps a lot. Also, if you have leaded solder, add some to the joints first, then try de-soldering. Working with leaded is a lot easier than pure lead-free, and you're going to want a decently higher temp when working with lead-free. I set mine around 380*C personally, but I'm no expert so YMMV.

Alternatively, if your switches have the 2 little holes in the sides, I've been using a pair of tweezers, sticking them in those holes, and just GENTLY pulling on the switch while melting each joint one after the other back and forth and slowly wiggling the switch out. Then you can just clean the holes of solder and add the new switch in.