Recycle old PCB components

*Updated
This instructables will show you how to recycle, by desoldering, all your old PCB's (Printed Circuit Board) components. You can find PCB in almost every electronic devices (DVD, computer, camera , toys...).All you have to do is to disassemble them, and desolder the components you want. So here is how to do step by step!

*This Instructable has been feature on Hack-a-Day and in The Best of Instructables book !

Step 1: Find things to disasemble

First you have to find electronics devices like DVD,VHS,Camera,Computer,Clock... that you don't use anymore or that you found in the garbage or that doesn't work anymore.Then remove all the screws and get out the PCB's.(Green plate with components solder to it)

Comments

[HippyNerd]

Thanks for posting this, I really wish more people, and business' would think this way.

Im going to have to try the torch idea, thats pretty awesome. I have done lots of soldering and repair work, and I hate solder wick, and suckers, but thats from a production perspective, from a recycling perspective they are ok.

Ive found that just adding solder, and shaking the component out works best for me. It does add a lot of heat, but its quick, which means lots of thermal shock, but (hopefully), not too much thermal overload. A solder pot is often what I like best, but dont personally own.

2 soldering irons, and a bit of solder will remove most components, throughhole, or SMT.

Sometimes SMT components are epoxied to the backside of boards, and you have to break the epoxy while heating all the leads on the component, I use dental tweezers, lots of solder, and a hot iron.

I've used hot air pretty extensively in repair, and its probably the most dangerous/easiest to mess up badly. When you use it right, hot air can make very nice looking solder, and make very difficult soldering easy.

Why havnt I seen anyone post using a hotplate to desolder?

[bears0]

 how do i get components off if they have 3 to 4 pins

[Patented]

I usualy remove component's lead one by one

[vadipp]

And this is when the solder pump gets *really* useful :)

[doitle]

I would highly recommend getting some desoldering braid as well. They sell it at Radioshack and it is some amazing stuff. Parts will literally fall out of the PCB with just a touch or two. It is a braided piece of copper that you put between the iron and the soldered pins of a component and the solder wicks away from the part onto the braid. I used to desolder like this with just some pliers and a iron and then I added the braid into the mix recently and you can strip an entire board, every component in such a small amount of time and so easily too. It is also good in cases where you have heat sensitive components because you do not need to keep reheating it over and over again as you free each pin.

[chestersgarage]

I do a lot of desoldering with a "solder sucker", which is a tool that has a plunger on a spring and a heat resistant nozzle tip.  You set it, place it over the lead as you heat it with the soldering iron and then SNAP! it sucks up the solder from the pin, leaving a bare pad and wire.   :)

Here is one example of the tool.
www.mouser.com/Search/include/LargeProductImage.aspx

[charlieb000]

i have heard that solder suckers can cause static (or static can be found on the tip) and this can damage mosfets. if you still want to use it then connect all the pins together before starting....

[chestersgarage]

I've heard that as well. The unit I linked above (OK industries DP-200) is ESD Safe though, so that's not a concern.

[soldering iron]

Your soldering iron with red handle (on picture above) looks excellent iron for removing most of through-hole components , but If you wish to remove some components from LCD TV or new gadgets such as iPod Touch, Kindle ebook reader or iPad you really need good soldering iron with small conical tip. For some temperature-sensitive components such as some ICs, diodes, MOSFETs, etc. I suggest using a temperature controlled soldering iron because too much heat can damage components.

[HarrisCreekCentral]

Hi This is an interesting article.  I have salvaged may  parts off of old boards.  I use a regular heat gun and it works great..

The only problem I have is I end up with a batch of parts with little 1/4 inch wires..   The next part I need requires a wire long enough to reach across a two or three hole span in a PC Board.

Has anybody found a neat way to extend those leads..

HLM.

[goggomobil]

This is a great Instructable!

I've pulled thousands of components from scrapped electronics. Everyone should keep in mind that components weren't meant to be pulled out of a PC board.

When you heat a lead enough to melt solder, you will likely destroy the part if you are pulling on the part itself and not the lead. If you can't do this because of a short lead, you have to push the lead through the board, but risk damaging the part with heat if you can't apply a heat sink. Electrolytic caps are easily damaged by pulling.

Remember that many components (especially semiconductors) are intended to withstand molten solder for only a second or two. SMD parts should be removed without heat if possible. I chisel them out with a small sharpened screwdriver.

Many parts are very specific to the circuit and others, like toroid cores, are not all alike. Toroids have different ferrite mixes and work over different bandwiths. Some will choke out all RF altogether. Ideally, having the schematic of the circuit explains the component's purpose and value.

Remember to check the pulled part with a tester to ensure it is what you think it is and it's still good. Axial resistors look identical to axial capacitors!

Most of all, wear safety glasses (a tiny blob of flying molten solder can permanently ruin your eye) and don't breathe that smoke!

[Patented]

I actually does.. I simply solder a metal lead taken from a paperclip ! unfold it, snip it and solder it to each of the component's lead. The only thing is that i'm not sure if it would work on a PCB, guess it would be to big in diameter

[ARJOON]

i use wires from network cables for rj 45 types it sticks very well to the components when extending the leads

[beehard44]

yeah, cat5 cable is a very neat source for wires

[ARJOON]

and also very cheap and found everywhere. i got mine from a neighbor dumping it. it was about 2metres long. so i got 16m of wire for use for a lifetime hahahhah

[HarrisCreekCentral]

Thanks,  Only fear if your soldering close to this join your first join will most likely come unsoldered..  Need a mini spot welder.

[Patented]

I didn't though of that.. maybe you could solve this by clipping sort of a heat sink to the lead so the conducted heat won't melt the first join.. i don't know

[beehard44]

i don't get why the majority of what i desolder is all capacitors.

[Computothought]

Thank you for this instructable. I am sure I am singing to the choir. I am just learning electronics, but now I see how stuff can be re-purposed it is like a gold mine. Stepper motor at sparkfun is 15 bucks. Old AT computer with 5.25 inch drive free! Same thing for old printers. I started to chunk a vcr, but no way it has a ton of goodies in it. One thing I have already pulled is the rf modulator. they sell for about 20 dollars retail. Bought two radios at a local thrift shop for 2 dollars. twenty dollars in parts I do not have to buy.

[zack247]

in step 6, i believe those three legged things are voltage regulators, transistors usually are like a half circle

[Adri3l]

There are different packages for transistor, like TO-3, TO-18, TO-39 etc. Some power transistors are cased in TO-220,just like some voltage regulators for better heat disipation. Not all transistors are packed in the TO-92 package.

[Patented]

Maybe, I didnt really pay attention to the components I took for the pic, but transistors can also be like the one on my pic in step 6 ( google image: Transitor)

[hjartland]

I may be way off, but are voltage regulators a variation of transistor? Which themselves are a variation of diodes, which are variations of ... of ... of ... ( BOOM ) There went my brain. :P

[agis68]

 Don't tell me you detsroyed that beautiful camera?....Oh no I Can't afford it. !!!:D
Now with the recycling program in Greece I visit always my local drug store and always i found amazing stuff in the recycle bins. Recently I found a genuine Japanese KONAMI horse game powered by 4 AAA batteries. And is like new and full operated. I Put it back in my museum stuff and believe i resisted hardly to rip it and take it out all of it's resistors...;)

[Patented]

That is cool ! Never thought of going in these such of place to get free things ! Its a great idea tho ! And FYI, no I didn't tear up that camera, it was only an example of what you could recycle !

[agis68]

 I feel more relief now!!!...You see I am 40 and i learned to respect these electronics. The kids now are boring all these stuff.

[Derin]

On step 8 4th pic you identified a part wrong. The resistor marked should be a diode. Resistors have no polarity and thus no line.

[Patented]

You are right, I looked to fast, Im going to change it right now.

Thank you !

[sharlston]

could i do this with lighter becuase i did but the pcb melted

[zack247]

thats because pcb's are generally made of a fiberglass of some sort, and a lighter doesn't focus the heat as well as a soldering iron does

[eyerobot]

I just have to say, That is a very pretty vise you have there.
Also this is a great instructible, Now I dont feel like such a hobo scrapping out everything I find in my apt community.
It's nice to know i'm not alone.

[kjkrum]

Most parts have a part number on them you can Google to identify them. Sometimes you can even find detailed datasheets -- especially useful with oddball ICs like the bipolar stepper motor controllers I salvaged from a flatbed scanner. =)

[Patented]

yeah I try with a component but it didnt work

[milsorgen]

 its a crap shoot at best but sometimes you can find gold that way

[neilg]

where do you get a vice like that? Neat

[Patented]

I get it at a tool shop,but its in Quebec!

[neilg]

Hey again. If you ever remember where you purchased the vice or who made it I would appreciate it if you would let me know by sending me an email to [e-mail] Thanks again for the article and your help

[mostly_harmless_marcus]

I've got a twin of that vise, got mine at "Fred Meyer's"... if you have those in your area... I'm in the PNW.

[yeagerxp]

I live in Toronto Canada, I got mine at Active Surplus, it is a store that sells almost anything

[threewheela]

 Nice! Where did u get that vice? I need one with a pivot like that.