[Elecraft] General SMD Soldering Question

[Wyn Hughes]

This is distantly related to the mainstream of Q&A on this net.I intend to use my new K2 to drive a Icom IC-2KL amplifier. Please imagine for now, there is an intermediate amp between the K2 and the 2KL.

One of the twin PA boards on the 2KL ( a backup, I have 2 of them) is unfortunately, smoked. My immediate task is to solder a pair of 1KV Syfer  ceramic SMD 0.1 mfd caps between two troubled pcb tabs in the PA output coupliing stage, where the previous incumbents were vaporized, by previous owner. I think he/she ran it into a low R/high C load on 80 or 160.

This is a heavy solder job at least as heavy as the KPA100 (judging from the manual). I think I may need to solder extension tabs to the caps, which are about 5mm wide, to bridge a 10-15mm gap between the tabs on the PA board. Of course, I need to clean up all the carbon residu on the PA board and tidy up the tabs first.

How does one go about this task? Is a solder iron loke a Hakko 936 the best tool or should I use a hot air SMD soldering unit or even an oven? Should I use solder paste or ordinary 63/37 Kester 44? What temps shuld one use? I normally run the Kester 44 at 750F, as per the recommendation on their website.

Comments  much welcomed.

Wyn, VR2AX