Help! How to choose a proper desoldering pump?

[ali6x944]

Hi everyone,
Searching about desoldering gear lately and I came across this:
Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351203622157
Will it looks nice but I don't know if it going to work nice in the long run...
So I need recommendations on this subject.
Thanx a lot for all help.

[ali6x944]

Anyone?

[sainter]

Dave did a review of ZD985 Desoldering Station. Take a look:



But It's not cheap (not 20-40 Eur that I think you a looking to spend), and still it's very inexpensive in a scheme of things. Good brand desoldering gear goes for thousands of dollars.

[MosherIV]

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351203622157

I did a search and found a review on youtube for something exactly like that.

Not sure if it is this one :
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjMz_OplqDPAhUBmSwKHYpjB4MQtwIIYDAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpCECO5GuPkU&usg=AFQjCNGJsIcEdqmNCtihWGEg3cH-72fi-g

[KL27x]

You asked.

In the long run, you will be glad to have one of these:
http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/edsyn/desoldering/desoldering-hand-tools/soldapullt-iii-desoldering-hand-tool-pt109.htm?ref=gbase&gclid=CK7K9aKjoM8CFYRnfgodR6gPZA

In the meantime, carry on with your search for a better mousetrap. We have plenty more space in the landfills.

[MosherIV]

So I need recommendations on this subject.

Working with specialised tools leads to personal preferences, so each person is going to recommend their own personal favourites. So, bear this in mind.

My personal experience is that the RS green solder sucker has always been the best ones I have come across :
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/desoldering-guns-pumps/4794197/
The tips seem to last and you get good suction. Parts are always available from RS.
I just bought cheap ones to use at home, not as good as the RS ones 

I recently got one of these (because it was stupidly cheap - around £4.50 in an offer) :
http://uk.farnell.com/duratool/d01849/desoldering-iron-sucker-40w-uk/dp/2251950
I have only tried it out in some simple tests, so I do not have much practical experience with it yet.
It worked OK in the tests.

[julian1]

How much de-soldering do you need to do? If you move to/stay with SMT then a hot-air gun works well on any component. For through-hole, I get by with a spring-loaded solder sucker and wick.

[ali6x944]

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351203622157

I did a search and found a review on youtube for something exactly like that.

Not sure if it is this one :
https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=9&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjMz_OplqDPAhUBmSwKHYpjB4MQtwIIYDAI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DpCECO5GuPkU&usg=AFQjCNGJsIcEdqmNCtihWGEg3cH-72fi-g

It is... and it seems to be ok

[ali6x944]

How much de-soldering do you need to do? If you move to/stay with SMT then a hot-air gun works well on any component. For through-hole, I get by with a spring-loaded solder sucker and wick.

I'm doing both, I don't really go to pain in the #$& packages like qfn mostly doing soic and 0806 is by far the smallest I have desoldered without damaging the part, so yaeh all easy business.

[Jeff_Birt]

A couple of years ago I found a Pace rework station on EBay for about $500. It is a three channel base and came with four handles: soldering, de-soldering, small tweezers for resistors/caps/ect sized parts (hot air + tweezers), and a larger tweezer type handle for QFPs.

Only the soldering sponge had ever been wetted and the de-soldering iron was used briefly. I did have to replace the soldering handle after one year as the older heater type was no longer available. I bought a small selection of tips in addition to the ones that came with it and am still on the first tips I put in it. With the new soldering handle and tips I have about $650 in it which is not cheap but about 1/3 the cost of a new unit. Oh, I also had to repair the vacuum pump but that cost nothing.

If you look around and can get a good deal on a used professional rework station you will never be sorry.

[DimitriP]

If you look around and can get a good deal on a used professional rework station you will never be sorry.

I did exactly that. I got a used PACE station. ( Actually two, because I like backups).  The thought of replacing about 60 capacitors on 3 PC motherboards with solder wick or the manual pump just didn't seem like a sane thing to do !!!
As a bonus, it has a pronouncable name, it doesn't look like a canary that fell into a blue paint bucket and I can add any other tool as I need it.

 Oh... and you don't need ear protection when the vacump pump comes on either !!!
So yeah...what Jeff said .

[ali6x944]

A couple of years ago I found a Pace rework station on EBay for about $500. It is a three channel base and came with four handles: soldering, de-soldering, small tweezers for resistors/caps/ect sized parts (hot air + tweezers), and a larger tweezer type handle for QFPs.

Only the soldering sponge had ever been wetted and the de-soldering iron was used briefly. I did have to replace the soldering handle after one year as the older heater type was no longer available. I bought a small selection of tips in addition to the ones that came with it and am still on the first tips I put in it. With the new soldering handle and tips I have about $650 in it which is not cheap but about 1/3 the cost of a new unit. Oh, I also had to repair the vacuum pump but that cost nothing.

If you look around and can get a good deal on a used professional rework station you will never be sorry.

I searched on eBay and these things are amazing! Thay are of a high quality, but the price is just to high...
But are  good desoldering stations....

[ali6x944]

Know any cheaper & better desoldering pump?

[GreyWoolfe]

Know any cheaper & better desoldering pump?

Sainter gave you a hint.  I have one and it works well for what it is, which isn't a $2000 JBC.  Whatever you get, make sure you have some crap boards to practice on so you don't lift pads on good boards.

[ali6x944]

Do I go and purchase it? Or do u have any other recommendations that u might suggest?

Know any cheaper & better desoldering pump?

Sainter gave you a hint.  I have one and it works well for what it is, which isn't a $2000 JBC.  Whatever you get, make sure you have some crap boards to practice on so you don't lift pads on good boards.

Don't worry I have plenty of them 

[Lanaki]

Just an aside. www.memotronics.com has a ZD 985 desoldering gun like the one on Dave Jones youtube video. They have a refurbished unit with the same warranty as a new unit. The refurbished units usually come with a brand new gun. I have bought quite a few of these and never had a problem. The refurbished unit goes for $119.99 US. They also have all of the accessories including new guns.. Before I started buying these I had spent many hours in research. Even though Dave Jones did not think much of the quality I have used one of the ZD 985 models for eight hours a day for 2 weeks solid with no problems (had a ton of old power supplies to disassemble). I don't work for or have anything to do with Memotronics except as a end purchaser. I have now purchased about 10 of the refurbished units for friends and family with no problems. Aloha from Maui

[ali6x944]

Just an aside. www.memotronics.com has a ZD 985 desoldering gun like the one on Dave Jones youtube video. They have a refurbished unit with the same warranty as a new unit. The refurbished units usually come with a brand new gun. I have bought quite a few of these and never had a problem. The refurbished unit goes for $119.99 US. They also have all of the accessories including new guns.. Before I started buying these I had spent many hours in research. Even though Dave Jones did not think much of the quality I have used one of the ZD 985 models for eight hours a day for 2 weeks solid with no problems (had a ton of old power supplies to disassemble). I don't work for or have anything to do with Memotronics except as a end purchaser. I have now purchased about 10 of the refurbished units for friends and family with no problems. Aloha from Maui

Unfortunately thay are out of stock, but man the price is good