shevalier wrote on 2025-07-30, 09:08:

Sorry for butting in. WHY don't you just break the chip with nippers/pliers and then desolder the pins one by one?

Because look at the first photo i posted in this thread. There is no access to the pins and this chip is insanely hard to break without messing up everything around it. I feel like i had no choice.

multiplebaboons wrote on 2025-07-30, 09:33:

shevalier wrote on 2025-07-30, 09:08:

Sorry for butting in. WHY don't you just break the chip with nippers/pliers and then desolder the pins one by one?

Because look at the first photo i posted in this thread. There is no access to the pins.

Break the chip package.
Just bite off the corners with pliers, then the edges.
You rip off the cover with a screwdriver and take out the battery.
Then you gnaw out the remains of the IC.
It looks creepy in the process, yes.
But if the priority is to preserve the printed circuit board rather than the chip, then mechanical removal is always a priority.

PS
If only a few contacts are not desolder, insert a flat-head screwdriver under the chip.
Heat them one by one with a soldering iron, gently turning the screwdriver.
This will deform the printed circuit board a little, but it will not affect anything.

Better than that.
Low melt solder.

It's magic for removals.
It doesn't just melt at a low temp, it stays in the malleable plastic state much longer allowing an easy removal.
It is also much easier to wick out once you've got the chip out.

No need to destroy anything with the right tools.

Additionally, it wouldn't hurt to bend a piece of solid wire into a deep u-shape that can touch all the pins on both sides.
Then you only have to heat that wire in a couple of points, and both rows melt as one.

myne wrote on 2025-07-30, 11:28:

No need to destroy anything with the right tools.

yep, It would be best to use an infrared rework station or a vacuum station for desoldering.
But the RTC is dead anyway and it would be a shame to lose the motherboard.

Low melt is plenty. No need to go too nuts.

If after looking at the pics the consensus is still low-melt solder, I can order that.

shevalier wrote on 2025-07-30, 12:00:

myne wrote on 2025-07-30, 11:28:

No need to destroy anything with the right tools.

But the RTC is dead anyway and it would be a shame to lose the motherboard.

The plan was to fix the chip, I got the sockets , batteries, battery holders etc. 😉 I actually don't see how i could damage the chip if I very gently tried to pry with a screwdriver like you suggested. I am almost positive that all but two pins are free.

I wish I had responded earlier. I use an "Engineer" hand solder sucker to remove these. I have never had luck with anything else, including braid or power suckers. It is imperative that it is kept cleaned out of solder inside and, after cleaning, the inside walls need to be kept lubricated.

myne wrote on 2025-07-30, 11:28:

Additionally, it wouldn't hurt to bend a piece of solid wire into a deep u-shape that can touch all the pins on both sides.
Then you only have to heat that wire in a couple of points, and both rows melt as one.

I've seen this on youtube and I don't think my skill level will permit this. The wire will probably just fall off...

jakethompson1 wrote on 2025-07-30, 20:10:

I wish I had responded earlier. I use an "Engineer" hand solder sucker to remove these. I have never had luck with anything else, including braid or power suckers. It is imperative that it is kept cleaned out of solder inside and, after cleaning, the inside walls need to be kept lubricated.

This is what I used, seems like a knockoff of your tool and it was very useful, I only used the wick on a few pins: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFTGBV79

multiplebaboons wrote on 2025-07-30, 20:16:

jakethompson1 wrote on 2025-07-30, 20:10:

I wish I had responded earlier. I use an "Engineer" hand solder sucker to remove these. I have never had luck with anything else, including braid or power suckers. It is imperative that it is kept cleaned out of solder inside and, after cleaning, the inside walls need to be kept lubricated.

This is what I used, seems like a knockoff of your tool and it was very useful, I only used the wick on a few pins: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CFTGBV79

I'm confident it can still be repaired. Here is one I did using that tool that isn't pretty on the underside (possibly applied too much heat) but works perfectly after putting a socket in.

Also: if you haven't already run into this, you can add fresh solder to the pins that won't wiggle, then melt it and use the tool again. Fresh solder will flow better. You should be able to try a handful of times before you damage the via.

By the way, the DS12C887A+ is still made and in the US, you can buy a legitimate one from DigiKey or Mouser for $13.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/152857370714?_skw=lo … %3ABFBMnNHw2Ytm

myne wrote on 2025-07-30, 23:16:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/152857370714?_skw=lo … %3ABFBMnNHw2Ytm

I just got 37 Pb 63 Sb from Micro Center, maybe that will work.

https://www.microcenter.com/product/659408/sr … er-paste-053-oz

myne wrote on 2025-07-31, 01:03:

https://www.microcenter.com/product/659408/sr … er-paste-053-oz

I am officially an idiot, because that thing was right in front of me and I bought something else. No matter. After reflowing those two pins once again and finally realizing that my $6.99 iron is garbage (I hoped it'd be good for one use) and then very carefully prying the chip, it boinked out in a snap. Here I only cleaned the flux a bit. Any thoughts on whether I need to mess with the traces, or do i just go ahead and solder in the socket?

It's unlikely you did more then scratch the coating off.
They weren't that delicate back then.
Multimeter will confirm.

myne wrote on 2025-07-31, 02:20:

Multimeter will confirm.

Which is yet again something i don't own... A good one would be over a hundred bucks, no?

You don't need a good one.
Hell, for this an led, battery and 2 wires would do.

multiplebaboons wrote on 2025-07-30, 20:09:

The plan was to fix the chip, I got the sockets , batteries, battery holders etc. 😉 I actually don't see how i could damage the chip if I very gently tried to pry with a screwdriver like you suggested. I am almost positive that all but two pins are free.

nwX287

Why are you so fixated on this Dallas?
For $20, they sell replacement modules everywhere, along with the battery and socket.

When choosing between a motherboard and a IC, it's worth sacrificing the IC.

P.S. If Dallas doesn't come back to life, you can easily find links to nwX287 yourself.

shevalier wrote on 2025-07-31, 05:05:

multiplebaboons wrote on 2025-07-30, 20:09:

Why are you so fixated on this Dallas?

Not anymore. 😉 Once it became clear that things weren't going exactly according to plan, I essentially followed your advice -- it just so happened that I was much closer than I thought and the rtc chip came off right away.