[revolink24]

Does anyone have any ideas for desoldering a PCB mounted potentiometer? I really need to desolder the potentiometer in the SSMH PCB, but my solder sucker just isn't doing it. It's really frustrating not being able to use it right now.

 

[tamu]

try solder wick + some flux
 
edit: http://www.diyaudio.com/forums/construction-tips/167028-any-tricks-desoldering-using-cheapo-solder-sucker.html

 

[Juaquin]

Yeah pots are a big problem because it's near impossible to get all the solder off all the pins. You could try using a big blob on each side (connecting all the pins) so they all melt together and it pops off, but be careful not to overheat the pot or the board; it would be very easy to do damage like that.

 

[JamesL]

ChipQuik.  
I've used that stuff to desolder rk27's in no time at all, and two of those pins were connected to really large ground planes mind you

 

[revolink24]

Unfortunately the pot is through-hole and that seems to be SMT only, unless it somehow works on through hole...

 

[tamu]

Can you post some pictures please? Maybe the builder cut the pins short.. 
there is another way. its a bit dangerous but if your careful enough you might get the pot out;
 
so you need to slowly force the pot off the board while heating the pads. put a small flat screwdriver under the pot and slowly pull it off. you have to be very careful but if you can make it work then sweet! you need to make sure you dont force it too much and do it for each corner one by one

 

[JamesL]

Quote:

Unfortunately the pot is through-hole and that seems to be SMT only, unless it somehow works on through hole...

Its advertised for SMT's and works well for that, but I've used it plenty of times for through-hole components as well.  I've used it to desolder opamp sockets, resistor networks, potentiometers, and other 2-leaded components as well.
 
 
 

 

[slowpogo]

I have used this method to remove some IC's, but it should work with through-hole components too.  Find some thick resistor lead or bare solid wire, cut an inch or so and butt it up against the 'front' 3-pin row on the pot so it's touching all three pins.  Make sure it's making physical contact with all three pins, even if it means (temporarily) soldering the lead to the pins as if you mean it to be permanent.
 
Then, melt solder liberally at each of the pins, and melt more solder along the resistor lead, allowing you to "connect" all three pins with one blob of solder.  Turn up your iron really hot, heat the long blob of solder with one hand, and with the other hand pull on the pot's shaft so you pull/rotate the pot off the board and out of that row of holes.  Then repeat on the back row of 3 pins, and pull the pot completely off the board.
 
This is kind of the poor man's chip-quik... The only thing is, I was removing damaged components, so I didn't care what happened to them - this method will probably fry anything you use it on, but if you just want to get it off and toss it in the trash, it works fine.

 

[cyberspyder]

Quote:

Can you post some pictures please? Maybe the builder cut the pins short.. 
there is another way. its a bit dangerous but if your careful enough you might get the pot out;
 
so you need to slowly force the pot off the board while heating the pads. put a small flat screwdriver under the pot and slowly pull it off. you have to be very careful but if you can make it work then sweet! you need to make sure you dont force it too much and do it for each corner one by one

This is what I do as well especially on diodes with perfectly fitting leads, as the sucker or wick doesn't suck enough of it away.

 

[revolink24]

This potentiometer is completely trash, so the only thing I care about is the PCB and other components on the board. Its hard to do corners one by one with 6 pins unless I can heat all the pins up at the same time as slowpogo said. The other issue is that the pads on the SSMH for the pot are tiny. Thanks for the suggestions guys, I'll try them and see what happens. I just dont want to pull off any pads....

 

[cyberspyder]

If the pot is trash, use a pair of pliers and crush it, then trim the leads and use a solder wick to suck the solder as well as the shortened leads. Should come right out.

 

[Pars]

^ I agree. When desoldering something, you always want to protect the most valuable portion, which is usually the board. Trash the board and you might be toast. Pulling individual component leads out is usually pretty easy.