How To Get a broken LED Leg out of a PCB hole?

[Format _C:]

So I noticed the Power LED was not lighting up on my router(WRT54G V2) so I opened it up and sure enough the LED was broken off inside. So do you have any tips on how to get the broken leads out? I managed to free one hole but the other one is stuck on there pretty good. I have solder copper wick and that did not seem to work I just want to solder a new LED on a nice red one (red is my favorite color)
Here are some pictures of the PCB yes I suck at soldering and I tryed touching the led leads to the solder pads and it lights up a nice red Thanks

 

[Mister X]

Hold the board in one hand and the soldering iron in the other....heat up the solder joint and when the solder flows quickly bang it on the table.
Solder and lead goes flying.
It works every time.



Method two is a little more safety conscious.

They even sell them at Radio Shack.
It's called a solder sucker.

 

[agent420]

If it's a through hole joint (goes completely through the board), you might also try heating up the pad and using a piece of wire or the leg off another spare component to push it through.

 

[Deleted member 133315]

You can try using a pin, heat up the solder, and then push the pin threw, then leave the solder to cool, then wiggle the pin out, you then should have a hole, once you have did that, you can pick the tiny bits of solder that is left off.

or better still, heat up the solder then get a straw and suck the melted solder up, but not too far and you should achieve roughly the same effect.

There are things you can buy to suck up the heated solder, but i think it would be a waste for such a tiny job.

 

[thewhiteguy]

As an alternative to banging it on something after heating the solder, I usually just blow on it really hard.

 

[Mohonri]

That's interesting that it won't come out. For me, usually the little metal bit sticks to the melted solder and comes right out.

 

[Whatsisname]

get a desoldering pump

 

[Anomaly95]

Why not just solder the new LED to the top pads and not worry about removing the old leg?

 

[Whatsisname]

because it would be flimsy and shitty.

If you are going to do something, do it right.

Why not just solder the new LED to the top pads and not worry about removing the old leg?

 

[MD_Willington]

Use a stainless pick or object to push it, sewing needles are nickel coated in most cases, they will stick to the solder, stainless will not.

or

Get some copper braid and remove as much of the solder as possible, then heat up whats left and shove the pick through the hole. Use a fine tip on the iron.

 

[Anomaly95]

because it would be flimsy and shitty.

If you are going to do something, do it right.

But if it works and no one else sees it (enclosed in a case), then what does it matter?

 

[Format _C:]

I got one hole cleared and I solderd the other one on top on the leg of the old LED it's looks ugly but it works. I used de solder braid to clean up all of the excess solder and that leg was really stuck int here although I have not tried a sewing needle yet though I will try that if I change the internet LED If I can get a blue LED to Work

Now to replace the flashing internet LED with a blue LED but I don't Think the router supplys enough voltage for a blue LED is any way around this problem?

 

[Whatsisname]

But if it works and no one else sees it (enclosed in a case), then what does it matter?

 

[Format _C:]

OK Whatsisname I get you point it's going to fail soon espacily in my router because it gets so hot in there from all of the chips and the voltage regulator. So I will do it right but I need my question answered about the blue LED how can I get a blue led to work for the internet light

 

[Arcygenical]

I realy don't think soldering a LED on top of another LED leg is going to cause a problem.

As for the blue LED problem... I would use a basic transistor as a switch.

http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_3/chpt_4/2.html

 

[lopoetve]

But if it works and no one else sees it (enclosed in a case), then what does it matter?

because every time you look at it, you'll know it's not right and it'll drive you nuts.

 

[Falls Included]

if you want to send it to me, i will do it for ya for free, lol

i have lots of LEDs that i dont really prefer to have, and spare time also in such quantities...

i gots lots of heat, and ref's on xbox-scene.com, if thats a concern

but, if i do it, and you have the router in your bedroom, i make no garuntees about you being able to sleep at night.

 

[Anomaly95]

And a structural collapse has what to do with this thread? If he solders to the top pads is his roof going to cave in? Is his house going to burn down? Is it going to kill babies?

Format _C: More than likely a blue LED will work. I swapped out the 3 LEDs in my WAP11 with no problem. They were a bit bright though. If you don't want that, you might want to add a series resistor to reduce the brightness.

 

[Falls Included]

look at what he quoted...

But if it works and no one else sees it (enclosed in a case), then what does it matter?

he means that whats happens when people let shit slide cause it works at the time, but its not done right.

 

[Whatsisname]

That is an example of what happens when you do something retarded and think that noones going to care because "it works fine" instead of doing it the right way. If someone does one thing half assed, why wouldn't they do something else half assed as well.

And a structural collapse has what to do with this thread? If he solders to the top pads is his roof going to cave in? Is his house going to burn down? Is it going to kill babies?

Format _C: More than likely a blue LED will work. I swapped out the 3 LEDs in my WAP11 with no problem. They were a bit bright though. If you don't want that, you might want to add a series resistor to reduce the brightness.

 

[Rix2357]

Just try the blue led. If it works it works, if not then worry about putting in a transistor. I've replaced a lot of cases that had red ones with blue ones. They were even too bright so I had to put a hefty resistor in it's place to dim the blue leds a lot and I've also had to sand the tops down so that they wouldn't be like a darm spot light at night.

Oh yeah, and I don't think you HAVE to get the old led out. As long as it works and if you push it around some and it feels firm, I don't think you really need to worry about not putting the LED through the hole. I've done volt modding on motherboards and I've had to solder skinny wire onto the legs of IC's. As long as the solder flows around the joint well enough, it was good to go. I also put some hot melt glue on the wires to prevent them from yanking on the joint for good measure.

 

[gee]

That is an example of what happens when you do something retarded and think that noones going to care because "it works fine" instead of doing it the right way. If someone does one thing half assed, why wouldn't they do something else half assed as well.

stop trolling.

Soldering a LED directly to pads works fine. As long as the mechanical strength is there (eg, there's a decent blob of solder that penetrates the via) the LED will stay in place. I hope you never take a cellphone, A/V receiver or something similar apart because you'll probably see the exact same thing done; "surface mounting" through-hole parts such as LEDs is very commonplace.

You're an engineer, aren't you? perhaps it's time you realized that (1) engineering is based on comprimise, and (2) engineering designs are based on specification - and in this case, I don't see a "LED must remain illuminated 50,000 hours" in the thread.

If the reputation of the company you work for and/or your own reputation is on the line, and espsecially if life/death is a factor (with your bridge, medical equipment, etc) then yes, you can't do half-assed work. But you're offended by a person 'improperly' putting a blue LED in a router? fuck off.