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Thread: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

  1. #1
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    Default soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    Bought a used garmin 327. I need to desolder and solder a new antenna cable on it. Any tips or ideas on getting the old coax off? There is a massive glob of solder on the BNC connector. I am concerned about melting all the plastic? I was thinking a pencil torch because I am not sure a regular soldering iron would get hot enough to heat the mass of this. Or will a regular soldering iron work? Any ideas/thoughts would be appreciated.

    IMG_4860.jpgIMG_4862.jpg

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    Senior Member Delta Whisky's Avatar
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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    Jerry - if it was soldered on without damaging the plastic; it should (might?) come off ok as well. (Notwithstanding incremental damage.) I'd use a 100/140 Watt pistol grip soldering iron though (the idea is to get in and out as fast as possible). The standard 25/40 Watt pencil iron - if it works - would take too much time.

    But - is the connector removable from the back-plate? If so, a new connector and a good soldering job putting on a new cable would be the cats meow!! Good luck.

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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    There is a snap ring so I bet it does come out. That would reduce the mass for sure.

    I looked around for a new connector. They seem to be hard to find.

  4. #4
    Senior Member 109JB's Avatar
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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    Not the connector usually seen in the wild. Try this. https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catal...n_11-17577.php
    John Brannen
    Morris, IL
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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    I googled around looking for something like this adapter. My cable has 2 nice factory crimped ends that will plug right into this and no soldering. I guess my computer hates me because I couldn't find it.

    Thanks

  6. #6
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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    Could you not use a Dremel tool with a cut off wheel and slowly shave off the bulk (mess). Wear safety glasses.
    It would then take less heat to melt the remaining solder
    Completed my Classic 4, May 2003. It had std wings. speedster tail.
    912 UL Rotax. Sold to a person in Spain.

    Completed a Skybolt December 2018

  7. #7
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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    That's a mess, I would trash the connector and replace it then there won't be any doubt about
    whether it was damaged or not. It should not be too difficult to find a new one. Any time you
    start trying to bandage something that carries RF you you end up with the potential for having
    some "mystery" problem down the road.

    I'm not familiar with that connector, but I would not be surprised it it was a crimp connector, and
    somebody soldered it (just a guess) instead of using the crimp sleeve.

    Soldering all that coax onto a connector like that would be asking for trouble, since you would need
    a lot of heat, and not messing up the insulation inside and outside of the coax, and the connector
    would be a real challenge.

    Jeff

  8. #8
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    Default Re: soldering/desoldering advice/tips

    I agree this connector is a mess. For fear of having problems in the future, and wasting time trying to desolder and not melt components, I went with the Delkin connector that John recommended. This is the way to go for anyone else in the same boat. A slick, easy to install adapter for $22.

    IMG_4878.jpg

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