Recommendaution for Hot Air Rework station for removing GPU

[Cobalt60]

Id like to purchase a Hot Air Rework station for the purpose of removing / re-installing Graphics Processing Units. I am looking for recommendations on features I should be looking for, supported temperatures, etc. As well as recommend brands / models, and brands / models to be avoided.

Ive used Hakko, Weller, and Pace solder stations, so I am satisfied with what I have used as far as those brands, and assume their Hot Air Rework stations would be good as well.

Thanks

-Chris

 

[Cobalt60]

Well, went for an Aoyue 852A. 500W, has built in vacuum pick up tool, microprocessor controlled, digital display, has fancy lighted floating ball display for airflow, and comes with 4 tips. And, it only cost $140.

 

[Sceadwian]

That's cheap for a hot air rework station, I'll have to keep that in mind. I'm using a heat gun for desoldering, but that's only wattage controlled, having true temperature control would be so nice. I remember how much easier a temperature controlled soldering iron was to use compared to a generic wattage controlled one, I imagine the same (wow that's great) feeling would apply.

 

[dknguyen]

having true temperature control would be so nice.

Having more money in your wallet is also nice!

 

[Sceadwian]

Yeah, considering the heat gun cost me 20 bucks it's 1500watts and works great for desoldering and general non electronics heat work as well, a bit more practice and I think I could solder with it.

 

[Cobalt60]

Not my videos, but here is an Aoyue 852A in action:

852 Demo Part 1
852 Demo Part 2
852 Temperature

 

[imix500]

We have one of those at work. No complaints from the tech that reworks all the smd stuff. Also does heat shrink tubing like a champ!

 

[Diver300]

I've got one of those. It came from Ebay, branded CSI825A++.

It works very well and it's the only way I can remove ICs that have thermal pads on the bottom. I also use it to lift big SM components like inductors, or to move 44 pin SM ICs.

A couple of days ago I used it to realign a 44 pin PIC that had one row of pins overlapping onto the adjacent ones.

 

[Cobalt60]

Well, if theres one tip I can give to new Aoyue owners, it is:

REMOVE THE SCREW FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE UNIT AS STATED HALF WAY THROUGH THE INSTRUCTIONS.

I was like, man this thing is loud and noisy. Manual states that damage can occur by running it while this screw is still in place. Well, I dont think mine is damaged. I removed a BGA chip with it with the screw still in. Anyway, after removing the screw, it is so much quieter and well cant wait to use it again.

Though now I find myself wanting new nozzles, up to $20 each. And, kinda want a preheating station.

-Chris

 

[Sceadwian]

Pre-heating station == toaster oven with a convention fan.

 

[Gigaah]

i can't provide much help on your selection. lol I have however desolder/reflowed GPU's on xbox 360s with a variable temp black and decker heat gun. I used a large electric griddle for preheating and underheat. Pretty ghetto..but with practive it worked

 

[Cobalt60]

Once I get the technique down, my first project will be reflowing an Xbox 360. Today, I removed a RAM chip at 360 degrees C. Tried at 320 degrees with no luck. Does anyone know if 360 degrees is too much for this purpose?

Gigaah, do you flux the GPU first?

 

[Gigaah]

I did flux the gpu first. I always attemped to flux under the chip and reflow it in place first. its a lot less hassle and towards the end of me fixing the units I was only making 25$ a each and time is money. When I started I made a solid 70$ each.
I finally stopped because the cost of buying a load broken units had not dropped along with the big price slash in new xboxes.

I've fixed and resold well in excess of 200 xbox 360s in the past. I don't recall the temp I used I just know the temp and durration needed is pretty close to the temperature that will destroy the chips. Once you reflow them you REALLY need to get rid of the xclamps and modify the airflow. Put a divider in the fanshroud using cardboad to make one fan for the cpu and one for the gpu. Otherwise most of the airflow ends up over the cpu. and from the part of the shroud that directs air over the gpu sink put a piece of paperboard that covers about 1/2 of the heatsink fins on top and overlaps onto the shroud so it makes sure the airflow goes over those fins.

 

[Cobalt60]

Oh Im well ahead of it on providing additional cooling. Before I even started professionally repairing electronics, I was over-clocking PPC modules for Macintosh computers. Over-clocking required updated cooling, and with the help of another individual, I achieved a 733MHz -> 933 MHz over-clock on a 7450 PPC CPU (approximately 1 generation behind the PPC used in Xbox 360s). And also, indeed, the stock x-clamps are pretty lame. There doesnt seem to be a consensus on a single way to do the X-clamp mod; so I devised my own way, which unfortunately still needs tweaking, though my way could work as-is.

Anyway, I really bought this 360 to repair and then use. Im not trying to make a business out of 360s, though I wouldnt mind repairing a couple other than the one I have.

$25 each aint too bad for you. I am professionally repairing electronics which cost on average about $1000, and Im only getting paid about $15 to $20 per unit.