Advice needed re soldering iron for grandsons laptop repair please.

[jimox]

Hi, my grandson has broken the usb-c charging port on his Chromebook.Ive removed the main board and seen a video of people removing and replacing the broken charger port and would like to give it go myself.

I can get a replacement port from RS Components but my soldering iron is way too big and battered and I've not used it for years.So I need an iron, flux,solder, and cleaning braid etc (all from RS as well I suppose) but the choices are baffling to me.

Can anyone advise me on what power iron, tip size etc I would to try to replace the charger port please.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

15w, temperature controlled, with a very fine bit, would be my choice. See if you can get hold of some 60/40 multicore thin lead solder, it's easier to use than the modern stuff. It will likely be surface mount - in which I would forget the cleaning braid, just heat the solder and use an oiled pin, scraped through the solder, to prevent the solder reconnecting. If it is soldered through hole, snip the pins, remove the socket, then use a wooden cocktail stick and soldering iron, to clear the holes for the new component.

On less delicate PCB's, I have used a technique of melting the solder with the iron, quickly followed by rapping the PCB on a hard surface, which clears the solder.

Better to practice on an old scrap PCB first, to get the hang of it.

 

[jimox]

Harry, thanks very much for your quick reply but what's an "oiled pin" - a safety pin dipped in cooking oil ?

Cheers mate.

 

[mcprinter]

I sort of do this for a living but usually slightly larger stuff.
Is it surface mount or through-hole?
If surface mount, there are sometime pins you cannot get to with an iron. Would need a hot air system and solder paste.

I would try a local phone repair shop.
They should have the right kit to replace USB-C sockets

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Harry, thanks very much for your quick reply but what's an "oiled pin" - a safety pin dipped in cooking oil ?

Cheers mate.

Safety pin/needle or what ever suits, the oil prevent it sticking to the solder.

 

[Colin Brenton]

Any local business that 'does electronics' probably has a lab tech who would do a small job like this gladly in exchange for a case of beer - if you're in south Devon, I would