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Just realized I've been using way too much flux on surface mount work
I was fixing a Nintendo Switch board last week (you know, the common charging port issue) and my bench was getting sticky. My coworker Mark walked by and said, 'Whoa, you're making a syrup factory over there.' I looked it up and realized I was using about 4 times the amount I actually needed. I switched to just a tiny dot for each pad and my reflow results are way cleaner now. Has anyone else found a good rule of thumb for how much is actually enough?
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sam175mo ago
Wait, FOUR times too much? That's wild, I can't even picture the mess. My rule is just enough to barely cover the pad before it melts, it should almost disappear. Your coworker calling it a syrup factory is too real, that sticky residue is the worst to clean up.
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rileyellis5mo ago
That syrup factory line is too good. Sam17, your rule is close but flux should actually be fully gone after reflow, not just before it melts. If you see any leftover shiny stuff, that's active flux residue and it can cause corrosion over time. I aim for just a haze on the pad, like you breathed on a cold window.
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