Printed Circuit Board Repair

[Dirtbuster1]

Does anyone know how to reair a PCB for the gage panel. I was tested with to much current and burned a spot. Can I solder this back without do further damage?

[big2bird]

Originally Posted by Dirtbuster1

Does anyone know how to reair a PCB for the gage panel. I was tested with to much current and burned a spot. Can I solder this back without do further damage?

You can jump it with a piece of wire and solder both sides. IF, you know how to solder properly.

[mrvette]

YES, but you need to be aware of how to handle PC work, and the iron to as not melt hell out of it....gotta have a HOT iron, at about 800f or so, and then get the jumper wire tinned before hand, support the backside of the circuit to keep it from shorting out, and then touch feed the solder to the iron and on to the BARE polished copper circuit trace very quickly....do NOT LINGER ON IT.....

helps greatly to have some experience, as it's a touchy feely type crap, kinda like nuclear welding....

now this maybe not working so great if it's in the area the plug in connects to the circuit sheet....

IMO, i'ts a crappy way to do the assy, but .....

[Dirtbuster1]

If it was a hard plastic type PCB I would not worry about the repair, but the see through plastic type does. I guess I could jumper a wire, but the space is less than 1/8 of an inch. I thought maybe just melting some solder between them. I might get a cold solder joint?

[big2bird]

Originally Posted by Dirtbuster1

If it was a hard plastic type PCB I would not worry about the repair, but the see through plastic type does. I guess I could jumper a wire, but the space is less than 1/8 of an inch. I thought maybe just melting some solder between them. I might get a cold solder joint?

I would use the jumper. To avoid a cold joint, use Eutectic solder.

[Dirtbuster1]

I hope that Radio Shack carries it. I not sure I could spell or pronounce that.

[big2bird]

Originally Posted by Dirtbuster1

I hope that Radio Shack carries it. I not sure I could spell or pronounce that.

Solder alloys go from solid to gel to liquid. Movement during the gel state causes cold joints. Eutectic goes directly from solid to liquid and back.
(U-tech-tick)

[TimAT]

Is that PC on a mylar sheet? the mylar will melt way before the solder does. If it's a standard PC board then a jumper is best.

[big2bird]

Originally Posted by TimAT

Is that PC on a mylar sheet? the mylar will melt way before the solder does. If it's a standard PC board then a jumper is best.

It's a plastic film. Gene has the right idea. It can be done. However, when I had my dash out it seperated and fell apart. I found a NOS GM board.

[Super_jim]

Originally Posted by Dirtbuster1

Does anyone know how to reair a PCB for the gage panel. I was tested with to much current and burned a spot. Can I solder this back without do further damage?

It may sound “Mickey-mouse” but I know it works.

Buy a bottle of window defroster repair. Like when the rear window defroster wire gets broke. Your just paint it on. No shit, the thicker you paint it on the more current it will carry. If you fuck up, nail polish remover will clean it off and you can try again.

[Dirtbuster1]

I think its mylar.

[NHvette]

Originally Posted by Super_jim

It may sound “Mickey-mouse” but I know it works.

Buy a bottle of window defroster repair. Like when the rear window defroster wire gets broke. Your just paint it on. No shit, the thicker you paint it on the more current it will carry. If you fuck up, nail polish remover will clean it off and you can try again.

This might work well if the area does not flex during install (cracking conductive paint).
If using this, I would suggest taking a thin piece of copper wire
and embedding it between coats of the (usually nickel based) paint.
Radio Shack (I believe) carries conductive paint.

I would suggest another material, but not as readily available to consumers.
We sometimes use a silver impregnated epoxy to electrically glue down
integrated circuits and heat sinks. If the conductive paint doesn't work out,
let me know ... I will try and find a small tube of epoxy that I can send.

[NHvette]

Here is alink to some nice conductive paint ... silver based.
http://www.semicro.org/index.asp?Pag...WPROD&ProdID=2

[Dirtbuster1]

Thats whats great about this place. Ask a question and get options. I check into whats avaiable and get this thing fixed.