How to Repair a Desolder Pump

The desolder pump helps home improvement fans to remove solder from electrical wires or circuit boards (hence the name, desolder). There are 2 main types of desolder device, the hand pump, which uses air from a bulb to melt the solder, and mechanical pumps, which use power charges to remove the solder. If you have an aging desolder pump of any kind, then it may start to develop problems, or even break down completely. In order to fix these problems, you must first locate the problem, and then tackle it. Having some basic home improvement skills will help here, and why have a desoldering pump if you don't know how to use it, but following a few simple rules will help you to repair your desolder pump quickly and easily.

Step 1 - Check the Suction

If you are having problems with the suction part of a mechanical pump, then you will need to begin by checking the wiring. Most pumps work using a battery or small voltage wire, so check any cords, and the connections on the inside of the device. You can use an ohms meter to ensure that the current is working. Take your screwdriver, and remove the side of the pump. Laying the pieces side by side, use a point such as a pin, or a fine drill point, to remove any dirt from around the connections.

Step 2 - Clean the Nozzle

On both hand and mechanical pumps there will be a nozzle through which the air will flow to melt the solder. Take your cleaning point, and insert it into the nozzle. Solder can attach itself to the inside of the air tube, so be prepared to chip off a lot of melted metal. Push the pin down the vent of the pump, where the pump is joined to the nozzle, in order to ensure that there is nothing blocked there.

Step 3 - Remove the Pump

If you have a hand pump, you should be able to remove the bulb with ease, and replace it with another. If you have a mechanical pump, then this may be much more difficult to take off, and it can be a good idea to ask a professional to examine the pump for you. You can still make a few easy repairs, such as duct tape over a leak, or around the connection between pump and nozzle, but for the most part, your pump will have to be replaced at a mechanics, on order for it to be done safely.

Step 4 - Replace the Tip

The tip of the desolder pump is the part which is most often in contact with melting solder, and it can become blocked, and damaged, through this contact. Rather than chip away at this solder, you will be better off removing the tip of the tube completely, and replacing with another. Get a new tip from the manufacturer. Following your instruction manual, position the new tip, and seal it into the tube. This repair should ensure that your desolder pump works in the future.