How To Solder PLCC Surface Mount Socket

[bostonman]

I have a 44-pin PLCC surface mount IC socket that I soldered. Initially I thought just being careful would allow me to solder it, however, I quickly learned that no matter what, I would melt the plastic bottom due to shaky hands.

YouTube videos show to cut out the bottom and wondering if this is the normal practice (I don't have any professionally soldered IC sockets to see whether the plastic is cut out)?

I should have looked on YouTube first, but figured: I can't use hot air because I'll melt the socket, and the only way to solder it is to get in there with a steady hand.

[Whales]

Have you ever tried solder paste and an electric skillet?  The paste can be applied quite messily (it sucks itself onto the pads once it melts using surface tension).  I find it super handy.

Another option might be to use hot air from below the board instead of on top?

[rich t]

If you have a surface mount socket, it should be able to handle reflow temperatures and times.

How hot is the iron you are using, and what kind of solder?

For an example, see: https://www.mouser.com/datasheet/2/571/Catalog-1103708.pdf

Which says:

Solderability J-STD-002A, Test A, 245°C, 5 s solder alloy SnAg3.8Cu0.7
Resistance to soldering heat J-STD-0020C, 260°C, 20 s

Either a toaster oven or hot plate and some lower temperature paste may be your friend here.

I reflow in a toaster oven at a peak of 220C and my Chip Quik SMDLTLFP melts at 138C.

You can build your own toaster oven here: https://rtestardi.github.io/usbte/toaster.pdf

[shabaz]

The few times I've done that (prototyping, not production!), I've snipped out the inner plastic, and then used a normal soldering iron + wire solder. Worked fine.

If it's for a customer, I think I'd trial it out the way @Whales and @rich t mention, i.e. paste and reflow in some manner, but I've never had to do it for a customer.

[bostonman]

I had the iron at about 600 degrees F and had issues with the solder flowing onto the pins (it kept bubbling on the iron tip).

The issue was not having a steady hand and melting the plastic, however, I didn't realize the plastic could take a reflow oven (which would make sense since these are soldered in factories).

I have a new Ninja oven that someone gave me with the purpose of converting to a reflow oven. I'll have to research converting this to a reflow oven, but think it may be challenging since it's a bit modern with a digital control panel.

[Whales]

Modding that oven sounds complicated.  If you can buy an electric skillet with a flat bottom (preferably not ribbed) from a nearby store for cheap then it might be worth trying, if it doesn't work for you then no big loss.

[rich t]

It's definitely easier to use the old style of oven that you can set to turn on with AC power, and just switch the AC power with a solid-state relay -- that's what I did for mine at that link.

But if you can get to the control board, the power circuit should be easy to follow and possibly you can hotwire it?

I use a K-type thermocouple and a simple op-amp, all at that link.

You can definitely get lower temperature solder -- especially if you are willing to use lead.

Anything with silver will be good -- I have used this in the past:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08W174CKL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The solder I am currently using was discontinued by the manufacturer. :-(

But you need flux as well -- I use this (don't forget to clean with water):

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0089ERAY8/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1