Bad Monkey Mod Help (Capacitor)

[bringitlow]

I am in the process of modding my bad monkey pedal ( swapping C11 to a 1uf) but am having issues removing the capacitor.

I am using a 15W iron and using a vacuum plunger- adding new solder, then using the plunger to remove it all as needed. i've gotten to the point to where I can see the bare terminal. However, the capacitor won't budge and I don't want to force it.

The leads are bent in such a way that they are flush with the borders of the terminal. I've un-bent them slightly using a screwdriver while the solder is molten hot, but even through the aforementioned soldering/ unsoldering process the capacitor still seems to be fully mounted to the board.

I read somewhere that you can heat one terminal and "walk" the capacitor out by slightly bending it on one side... However I tried this and it didn't work for me. Do I need to use a more powerful soldering iron?

Thanks in advance. Any advice would be appreciated!

[James Judson]

Who said you have to remove the old cap completely? Why not just clip the old cap leads and solder the new leads to them. Or clip the leads then remove them one at a time. Removing components can be tricky and I have a feeling your learning fast. Heating and reheating may damage the board so be prepared to repair traces with a piece of wire.

Ever try removing an IC chip. I always replace with a socket making changing IC's easier.

Hope my suggestions help as I'm at a disadvantage not being able to see your project.

Good luck.

[Crater]

A 15 watt iron is a bit small for what you're trying to do, a 25 or 30 watt would be better. Newer pedals are made with lead-free solder, and the lead-free melts at a higher temp than good ol' lead-tin solder. Make sure the tip is CLEAN - it should be a shiny silver color.

...adding new solder, then using the plunger to remove it all as needed.

This is completely confusing to me, if you're trying to remove something, why are you adding more solder? I presuming this is a leaded and not a surface-mount component. Apply heat, wait for the solder to liquefy - it should just take a few seconds - and using some needle nose pliers, yank the old cap's lead wire out of the hole. Repeat the procedure for the other cap lead. Don't heat the wire any longer than needed, excess heat can 'cook' the printed circuit board and cause the copper traces to lift off.

When the cap's out, use de-soldering braid or your solder sucker to clean up any excess solder left around the holes. Then solder in your new cap. A 1 uf cap is almost certainly polarized, so make sure it's installed with the correct orientation.

[bringitlow]

Thanks for the responses. I have experience wiring up guitar pickups and arcade controllers, but this is completely new to me. Luckily, it's a $40 pedal!

I added a little bit of solder because I read that was best practice when I researched the topic.

"It is very important to add a little bit of solder to the leads of the capacitor you are to remove, at the position where the lead meets the board. This will assist you in heating all the solder quickly and easily when you remove the capacitor." (from capacitorlab.com). This method does seem to help.

I will try a hotter iron and also the needle nose pliers... I was using tweezers without much success.

Thanks again!