easy way to remove a cree from a star

Lynx_Arc · Mar 2, 2009

I was reading in the forum how to remove cree LEDs from stars and people were using hot plates and frying pans and I got to thinking... too much of a mess to have to fire up a stove and wait after cleaning a pan so i came up with an easier idea. I took a pair of large vice grips and used them to hold the star so I could see the whole back side of it. I put the pliers on a board and used a propane blow torch to heat the back of it and tapped it till the emitter fell off. Took about 20 seconds I think.
Hope this works for you also.

saabluster · Mar 2, 2009

Lynx_Arc said:
I was reading in the forum how to remove cree LEDs from stars and people were using hot plates and frying pans and I got to thinking... too much of a mess to have to fire up a stove and wait after cleaning a pan so i came up with an easier idea. I took a pair of large vice grips and used them to hold the star so I could see the whole back side of it. I put the pliers on a board and used a propane blow torch to heat the back of it and tapped it till the emitter fell off. Took about 20 seconds I think.
Hope this works for you also.

Yes you can do that, and I have, but you run a risk of damaging the LED that way.

Lynx_Arc · Mar 2, 2009

saabluster said:
Yes you can do that, and I have, but you run a risk of damaging the LED that way.

yeah I thought of that.... hence the tapping so it comes off as soon as the solder melts, probably a good idea to tap it on the side and have something ready to pop it off if there is adhesive holding it a little.

olrac · Mar 2, 2009

Lynx_Arc said:
yeah I thought of that.... hence the tapping so it comes off as soon as the solder melts, probably a good idea to tap it on the side and have something ready to pop it off if there is adhesive holding it a little.

I think what saabluster is also refering to is that if there is moisture in the dome it could come off (steam flashing). That is why a low heat bake prior to high heat is recommended.

Lynx_Arc · Mar 2, 2009

olrac said:
I think what saabluster is also refering to is that if there is moisture in the dome it could come off (steam flashing). That is why a low heat bake prior to high heat is recommended.

Tis possible but when I bumped mine off the star as it had slid down off the solder pads and it fell off I touched it and it wasn't hot to the touch. I am thinking the solder used for attaching these is lower temp than normal solder used for soldering irons.

f22shift · Mar 3, 2009

i like the use a tea lite which someone suggested here. works great but leaves some soot on the back of the star holder.

CampingLED · Mar 3, 2009

My gas soldering iron has heat blowing nossle for heat shrink. I held the Cree with long nose pliers and heated the star from the bottom. Gave it an occasional shake until it came loose.

EngrPaul · Mar 3, 2009

A "third hand" works for me along with a standard soldering iron. Place the heating element of the iron (where the tip screws into) directly under the star. Slide Cree off with tweezers. Have a soft place for it to land.

kramer5150 · Mar 3, 2009

I think theres some youtube footage of someone using an iron. Just empty the little water tank and heat it up. Never tried it before though.

I would think a heat gun would work just as well as a torch.

:thumbsup:

EngrPaul · Mar 3, 2009

The fun way to remove the emitter, if it still works, is to hook up power to it (i.e. a lithium ion battery). It will get hot enough to melt the solder. You will be blind and not be able to see the solder melt, but it will happen. :grin2:

Edit: This assumes you are salvaging the star, not the emitter :ohgeez:

Illum · Mar 3, 2009

take a short copper or aluminum bar, level the cree star on one end, and heat the other.

tweezers and oven mittens on the CREE and remove it when the flux flows. then drop it on a chilled CPU heatsink you have nearby

Advice for propane torch users: Its not necessarily the heat killing the LED but more of the hot gases invisibly surrounding the torch end that singes the LED when it comes near it.

Lynx_Arc · Mar 4, 2009

I made sure and held the torch far back so it didn't heat up as fast and the heat didn't wrap around to the front of the star.

easy way to remove a cree from a star

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