Rework Recommendations please.. Want to replace 1155 and similar CPU sockets

[dicky96]

Hi guys

I've watched a few videos on youtube regards replacement of 1155, 1156, 1366 and other faulty CPU sockets.  This is something I am definitely wanting to try.  I have the required experience but not the right equipment

Of the videos I have watched I saw successful socket replacement using a Gaoyou 850 hot air station plus preheater in one video and an Achi IR PRO SC in another,  I also saw one slightly amusing attempt using very cheap home built kit though that didn't work in the end, but he did manage to actually desolder and resolder the socket which suprised me somewhat.

OK, so I have no experience of either the Gauyou 850 or the Achi IR Pro SC and in fact there seem to be some rather dubious reviews of both tools - but they did the job just fine from what I have watched.

Would the Quick 861DW plus a preheater be up to the job?
Would IR be better? (I worry about the hot air disturbing the caps in the centre of the socket)

The Quick 861DW I can pick up for £259. obviously I also need a preheater but they are not too expensive.
The Achi IR Pro I can get used for £500 and new for about £700
Gauyou 850 about £330 shipped from USA.  Plus cost of a preheater

Both the Quick and the Achi are in budget, in fact i could buy both if there was any good reason to do that. 

Any other options that you could recommended south of £1000 would be acceptable.. I don't really want to spend more than that unless I could be persuaded there was very good reason (meaning I would likely get a better return from my investment by being able to handle a wider range of jobs (BGA, GPU etc), or get much better success rates)

I know I can get 1155 sockets cheaply of aliexpress - I havent researched the availability of others.



best regards
Rich

[sn4k3]

I never replaced a socket but did with big TV CPUs chips, so i can contribute with my experience and opinion. I also have The quick861 and preheater.

Would the Quick 861DW plus a preheater be up to the job:
Yes, it maybe need some tries to get you done but it will. You need to get everything on spot (Temperature, distance, airflow) all that will affect the job. Plastic must not melt or deform, so you need the perfect 3 variables to do it right. Airflow should be low to not push balls down/smash or short. Also you need a good nozzle to cath whole area. Go slow.

Would IR be better? (I worry about the hot air disturbing the caps in the centre of the socket):
IR would be better of course, you remove the airflow variable and have phases.
(I worry about the hot air disturbing the caps in the centre of the socket): Thats not a problem, if parts are welded they will not go anywhere, i use max airflow on quick sometimes to remove or weld leg ICs, nearby caps don't go anywhere, they move right and left when i move the handle but they never pop or jump from the weld place, anyway you don't want to go max airflow for BGA solder never! 40-50 is a good value for me. Distance will also count.

So both tools will do, IR need less pratice and will simplify the work. Otherwise quick will also do but maybe you need to ruin a socket or two to learn and master.
Quick is a must have for repair and rework. Invest in the tool you will use more often or the most profitable to you.

Also be carefull desoldering the old socket, big area, more bgas, you can rip out pads easy, make sure every ball is melt before lift, touch left and right whole socket must move then you know you can lift

[dicky96]

Hi Sn4k3
Thanks for the info

At the moment I have been using my 858D hot air station - but I only work on QFP like AS15 (you will know that from TV repair) and some QFN.  The largest I have replaced using the 858D was QFP160

I know the limitations of the 858D but for that sort of repair work I can do a very good job using it.  However I did on one occasion when desoldering a fairly small QFN, managed to disturb four or five 0402 caps in close proximity to the QFN and ended up with some of them diagonal between two pads or rotated 90 degrees.  As I had taken some photos before starting rework I was able to remove and replace the caps and got the job successfully done but it was a right PITA to be honest.  I only have illuminated bench magnifier to work and jewellers loupe for close inspection at the moment.  So I really don't want to be disturbing nearby passives again!!

If the IR is gonna be more reliable then the cost is within budget if that model is any good so I think I would go for that.  Plus it already has the preheater and stand.   

It's likely I would by the Quick 861DW anyway as I have had my eye on one for a while and it is handy for a lot of different work.

I still have to budget for a decent microscope but there is another thread on here at the moment i am following.  My total budget including the microscope was £2000 so it seems i am well within that.
Gonna move into a much larger workshop next month as soon as it is vacated, already done the deal on that, so need to decide by then.

Any other recommendations especially regards IR would be much appreciated.

Best regards
Rich

[dicky96]

Also - forgot to ask..... another thought....

The video using hot air I watched was this one

And the one using the AHCI IR Pro was this one

It occurs to me that using the IR it is much easier to see when the socket has unsoldered/soldered successfully.   Or is that more a difference in the techniques these guys are using rather than a byproduct of the equipment being used?

Rich

[sn4k3]

858D is fan driven while quick 861 is pump, that's why you mess with caps. Also smaller nozzles have more pressure and more potential to move caps. I use 8mm nozzle most of the time.
AS15 is a very easy to solder chip and also can be unsoldered with a iron with large tip and some amount of solder. BGA are much more difficult compared with leg chips.

IR machines have step profiles, you just select the profile and machine do a bunch of steps for des/soldering. If machine is calibrated and the profile is the correct one you just need to trust the machine and solder is like automated process. Profiles are often on datasheets of the part.
Some expensive machines have inspection and can see ball alignment, but that is out of your budget.

Examples of a profile:

http://www.centralcm.com/catalog/dsub-solder.php (Example - Lead Solder)

PB Free from atmel:

[dreamcat4]

These days (at least for the time being) I would recommend the BST-863 for a hot air station. However still looking for the right pre-heater / reflow station. So the recommendation for Achi IR Pro is a good one.

[dicky96]

Hi dreamcat4

Is there any particular reason you recommend the BST-863 over the Quick861DW?

I've not used either myself but a quick google finds one thread on here that pretty much says the Quick861 is the better choice for various reasons, https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/best-bst-863-hot-air-station/

Plus of course Louis Rossman's video blog and recommendation.

But as I say I have not used either, for the type work I have done so far my cheapo 858D has always done the job, over the last 2-3 years,  but I also know full well what it can not do 

I think I will go for the AHCI IR PRO for the work I have planned, in the absence of any advice not to  - and buy the Quick861DW anyway as a good allrounder hot air station.  Sure I will keep my 858D as well

Rich

[dreamcat4]

If you can afford the Quick then that is the better machine. However the BST-863 is a much more affordable price. And it's miles better than the 858D. So for most people, the BST-863 will be the best option. As then you can spend the money saved on other much needed tools. For example a proper oscilloscope or decent microscope. Bench linear power supply. Because a hot air station has to just blow how air that is at a self-consistent and repeatable regulated temperature. Which by comparison is a much lower bar of performance and is significantly easier for the product to obtain well. So it's relative quality is not nearly as critical as for those other devices. If the temperature is off that is OK, you will get used and adjust to it. Just so long as it's consistently off, and does not vary / fluctuate wildly between uses 

Mostly the Quick will give you just small-ish benefits, the better quality is not really what-you-would call a 'linear' scaling with the extra 2x of the $$$ you must be shelling out for getting it.

[dicky96]

I've spent hours reading more reading about this subject to make sure i get it right, as it is a considerable investment

The Achi IR Pro SC I was happy with the youtube videos I have seen demonstrating this machine and that was my first choice

Other models I have come across since then are the Scotle IR Pro SC (bit more money than the ACHI) and Scotle IR6000 (much cheaper)

Problem is some of the info I am reading is 3 years old.  Is there any definitive answer to my quandry?  Would any of these be up to the job re my opening post, and do any of the more expensive ones have sufficient advantages that are worth the extra cost

Are there other newer better BGA IR rework stations in this price range that I should be considering?   

The choice seems much harder to make based on recommendations (or the lack of them) than the Quick861DW was for hot air.

[dicky96]

I'm still looking around as it will be a few weeks before I have the money to invest in my new workshop

On my journeys around the internet I came across this one

Bauer Omega XD

Anyone have any experience of that one? it's about twice the price of the ACHI IR SC, or a bit more.  If i read it correctly that has interchangeable IR or Hot Air top heater, and IR or air bottom preheater

Is there any real advantage to have that vs the higher price?

best regards
Rich