I recently received an affordable boutique pedal from Russia that began to malfunction within an hour of arrival. The builder has been extra helpful and provided a photo indicating the affected 3pdt switch solder joints, and a "screwdriver test" that he recommended seemed to confirm everything. His English is far better than my Russian, so communication has been mutually understood for the most part.
At this point, the pedal only allows a faint signal with 60 cycle hum to pass when bypassed and operates normally when engaged. This issue happens after the pedal is first engaged and then bypassed after not receiving power for prolonged periods and then persists indefinitely. The bypassed signal passes normally if I rest a screwdriver between wires connected to the second lug from the left and bottom rightmost lug of the 3pdt switch while simultaneously creating a contact point between related metal tabs on the interior of the switches.
Per the builder, two solder joints need to either be retouched or replaced. I'm not certain if this would need to happen on both ends of each wire or only at the switch.
I'm thinking the cost of a basic soldering iron kit will be less than return postage to Siberia, so I plan to take on this project in the near future (unless a trustworthy ILFer in the US with soldering chops is able to affordably assist within a reasonable timeframe). I have never soldered anything before and did some Googling, which answered some questions and raised others.
A $20 soldering iron kit on Amazon appears to heat up to 450° F and includes replacement tips, solder, wire, and a solder sucker. How would I know when the iron is the appropriate temperature for this job, and how long would it need to rest on joints to melt solder? Also, tips for avoiding damage of other components would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance for all replies.