Desoldering Wire

Desoldering wire is used to remove solder from an elemental device or from patterns on a printed circuit board (PCB) from which surface-mounted devices such as BGA (ball grid array) have been removed.

Desoldering requires application of heat to the solder joint and removing the molten solder so that the joint may be separated. Desoldering may be required to replace a defective component, to alter an existing circuit, or to salvage components for re-use. Use of too high a temperature or heating for too long may damage components or destroy the bond between a printed circuit trace and the board substrate. Techniques are different for through-hole and surface-mounted components.