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De-Soldering APM2 pin headers - HELP!

Posted by Gil Rosenthal on November 12, 2012 at 6:38am

Hi,

Just got my new Octo frame in from SteadiDrones - Yeah!

... and discovered I need to replace the Top-Side pin headers

on my APM2 with the Right Angled version.

The web was distressingly short of any video guides on the matter,

and I'm weary of destroying the board.

Any pointers as to what I can do?

Thanks -

Gil

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Replies

  • Gil Rosenthal November 14, 2012 at 7:30am

    Thanks all for your input!

    Well, while I/m tempted to do the pin-by-pin methods,

    I'll use the patience system ...
    and just increase the height of the dome until some nice

    job offer pays for a new APM 2.5 :-)

    Gil

  • Craig Fraser November 12, 2012 at 12:11pm

    Actually, Robert discreetly provided the best most practical way to do this when the parts you're removing can be sacrificed. Just about any pro would do it that way too. I'll explain it a little more blatantly, you will almost certainly have success.

    It would be foolish to try doing this and to preserve the relatively cheap headers at possibly the expense of the APM board. What you do is cut off most of the pins on the top side, leaving just enough to be able to grab with needle-nose pliers (test on one pin first); the idea is to minimize the amount of metal. Heat up the shortened pin with medium to high heat (I'd use 700-800 degrees F) and pull it completely out of the board and the plastic header strip: easy. Take your time, but it goes pretty quickly.

  • Gil Rosenthal November 12, 2012 at 8:03am

    Hi Guys -

    Thanks for the input! Considering the options, well...

    1. Get a pro to do it, still at risk with the board

    2. Add/Change spacers to the SteadiDrones dome to increase the clearance for the connectors - cheap, no risk, looks bad

    3. Sell the ol' APM2.0 and buy a new APM2.5 with (uninstalled) angled pins - lose some $$$, no risk

    :-)

    Gil

  • Admin
    Thomas J Coyle III November 12, 2012 at 7:37am

    @ Gil,

    If you want to keep from destroying your APM board then you need to find someone with a vacuum solder sucker. I would not even try a manual one as they are really not that effect and are difficult to use properly without a lot of experience.

    Just a thought.

    Regards,

    TCIII

  • Rob_Lefebvre November 12, 2012 at 7:04am

    Oh boy...  If you don't have much soldering experience (and I'm assuming since you asked this question you don't), this is actually fairly tricky.  It's far harder to remove those pins than it is to install them.  I have a fair amount of experience, and I still struggle to do this cleanly.  I can only suggest you seek out somebody to help you.

    It's somewhat trivial for somebody who knows what they're doing, but really easy to seriously screw up the board if you are inexperienced.

    I hesitate to even give instructions in this case.

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