My first... a cleaning induced failure...

channelmaniac

channelmaniac

Mr Neo Fix-it
15 Year Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Posts
4,275
A forum member sent me a 4 slot for repair with the description of "This problem occurred after I took the board out to clean it."

It was an interesting repair! If you can't read the screen because of a Video RAM Error message one of the things you can do is short the adjacent legs together to see what changes on the screen. This helps you determine which data line(s) are failing, but on this board they changed nothing on the screen.

10422092_10152657179894132_1926775258079618486_n.jpg


Turned my attention to the LSPC chip and immediately noticed some (8!) solder joints didn't look right and two pins were bent out of alignment. They lacked proper solder from the factory.

10750249_10152657180259132_1387996083400101833_o.jpg


A quick reflow of that side of the chip and a quick inspection of the rest of the chip legs on it and the other two big customs later... and it's fixed.

10679617_10152657180454132_4090968596231728984_o.jpg
 
L

LegoSlug

Over Top Auto Mechanic
Joined
Dec 10, 2012
Posts
864
Nice work! Looks like a clean repair and good eyes spotting those joints.
 
H

Halfabag

B. Jenet's Firstmate
Joined
Jun 4, 2011
Posts
422
You "techno bods" never cease to amaze me with your ninja like repair skills.

It's good to know there's people on these here forums who have the skills to keep our hobby going forever!

Great work indeed.
 
HeavyMachineGoob

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,848
That is one hell of a ninja repair job, congrats. I always love reading your repairs, channelmaniac. :)
 
ebinsugewa

ebinsugewa

Rosa's Tag-Team Partner
10 Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Posts
2,495
How in the hell do you solder that well? I have Parkinson's when I try to do something that fine.
 
channelmaniac

channelmaniac

Mr Neo Fix-it
15 Year Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Posts
4,275
You'd shit but I usually use a 1/8" or 3/16" chisel tip when doing those. :)

The trick is in using liquid flux to keep from bridging everything into a big mess. If you ever attend one of my repair parties I can show you the basics on reflow using a hot iron.
 
S

SNKorSWM

So Many Posts
No Time
For Games.
10 Year Member
Joined
Feb 5, 2010
Posts
15,152
He must have cleaned some solder off. XD
 
ebinsugewa

ebinsugewa

Rosa's Tag-Team Partner
10 Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Posts
2,495
channelmaniac said:
You'd shit but I usually use a 1/8" or 3/16" chisel tip when doing those. :)

The trick is in using liquid flux to keep from bridging everything into a big mess. If you ever attend one of my repair parties I can show you the basics on reflow using a hot iron.
Click to expand...

Video pls :eek:
 
GutsDozer

GutsDozer

Robot Master., Master Tasuke, Eat Your, Heart Out
10 Year Member
Secret Santa Veteran
Joined
Mar 5, 2013
Posts
5,424
That is surgeon level soldering. Good job.
 
H

Hodor

Cheng's Errand Boy
Joined
Nov 18, 2013
Posts
112
Fantastic job. Not only for determining what was the failure -you have eagle eyes, indeed- but for your soldering skills. This SMD legs are far from being an easy soldering matter and the risk of creating a mess is too high for someone who lacks the minimum knowledge (like me, unfortunately).
 
Last edited:
channelmaniac

channelmaniac

Mr Neo Fix-it
15 Year Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Posts
4,275
Oh, I have terrible eyes. It's time to get my glasses changed and my Varilux graduated lenses updated (no-line bifocals.)

I use a jeweler's loupe for close up inspection and making sure everything is good and not bridged, but it's easy to see the lack of solder without using the loupe. If you look at the first pic you'll see that off the tip of the foot of the leg is a little bit of solder that runs from the foot down to the board. It's missing from the legs that are missing the solder. You can spot that easily with just a quick glance at the chip because some of the legs will not look like the others. :)

Oh, and no videos. Sorry. I've dealt enough with a specific troll that I'll never post videos of arcade stuff on YouTube.
 
mikejmoffitt

mikejmoffitt

Mickey's Coach
Joined
Feb 6, 2014
Posts
578
channelmaniac said:
You'd shit but I usually use a 1/8" or 3/16" chisel tip when doing those. :)

The trick is in using liquid flux to keep from bridging everything into a big mess. If you ever attend one of my repair parties I can show you the basics on reflow using a hot iron.
Click to expand...

I just discovered flux the other week, and I can't believe I've been working without it for so long. A little flux on the edges of the package and re-flowing is a breeze with a standard iron tip. The chisel tip is definitely a much better tool for the job.
 
shadowkn55

shadowkn55

Genbu's Turtle Keeper
15 Year Member
Joined
Dec 9, 2006
Posts
2,386
channelmaniac said:
Oh, and no videos. Sorry. I've dealt enough with a specific troll that I'll never post videos of arcade stuff on YouTube.
Click to expand...

Don't let Drakon get to you. No matter what he says, you can't fix a bad solder joint with hot glue.
 
HeavyMachineGoob

HeavyMachineGoob

My poontang misses Lenn Yang's wang
10 Year Member
Joined
Apr 3, 2011
Posts
5,848
How can the king of soldering be upset by what some sweat shop china solderer with a hotglue gun says? Let your superiority be known and feared.
 
ebinsugewa

ebinsugewa

Rosa's Tag-Team Partner
10 Year Member
Joined
Jul 7, 2013
Posts
2,495
HeavyMachineGun said:
How can the king of soldering be upset by what some sweat shop china solderer with a hotglue gun says? Let your superiority be known and feared.
Click to expand...

This. Also just don't post it on YT? I ask because I think I might have to do something like this to a CPS A board soon and would rather not fuck it up.
 
T

thieslo

Geese's Thug
10 Year Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2011
Posts
285
channelmaniac said:
You'd shit but I usually use a 1/8" or 3/16" chisel tip when doing those. :)

The trick is in using liquid flux to keep from bridging everything into a big mess. If you ever attend one of my repair parties I can show you the basics on reflow using a hot iron.
Click to expand...

I am not joking when I say I have seriously considered flying out to Texas to attend one of your repair parties just to learn some better soldering skills :) Your soldering still amazes me.
 
channelmaniac

channelmaniac

Mr Neo Fix-it
15 Year Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Posts
4,275
thieslo said:
I am not joking when I say I have seriously considered flying out to Texas to attend one of your repair parties just to learn some better soldering skills :) Your soldering still amazes me.
Click to expand...

You guys are more than welcome to one of my repair parties! There aren't any hotels in the city I live in but Lewisville, TX, is next door and has some nice ones.
 
Bill Kilgore

Bill Kilgore

Sent Rot A Secret Santa.Didn't Get Banned.FOOKIN A
Joined
Jul 14, 2014
Posts
1,101
channelmaniac said:
You guys are more than welcome to one of my repair parties! There aren't any hotels in the city I live in but Lewisville, TX, is next door and has some nice ones.
Click to expand...

Yes, but what about us Euro thrash?
 
channelmaniac

channelmaniac

Mr Neo Fix-it
15 Year Member
Joined
Nov 29, 2005
Posts
4,275
I may be in Germany next month and Italy in early February.

Anyone want to drive over to where I'm at? You'll need to bring your soldering gear and some liquid flux along with scrap PC boards to reflow. :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top