how to repair a pc board

[and1chewy]

so after resolving an earlier issue i had with grounding my stock radio. (infinity sound system) i have been able to diagnose what has went wrong with the radio (i think but pretty sure) i tore it down to pretty much bones and noticed after taking off the front panel that it appears that there is a break between points on the pc board. i tried testing for containuity between two points across what looks like a crack and get nothing. its right at the power button looks like someone pushed the power button hard enough that it broke the board and subsequently the conection that crosses it. So my question is does anyone know how to repair a board or know about where to get or if new ones are available?

 

[LiquidX]

Take a picture of the damaged section. You'll most likely need a "jumper" wire to bridge the gap.

Soldering iron, solder, fine tips, wire wick, rubbing alcohol, cotton swabs, jumper wire etc.

 

[and1chewy]

That was the idea that popped in my head this is just a whole new realm of experience for me and actually didnt know if it was possible. who do you get the green coating of to solder the bridge wire?

 

[DSM1G90]

..make your own, usin 26g insulated wire - done that many times to make a new trace.

Scrape off the green coating on the momboard to expose the copper trace, tin the trace on each side of the crack, tin the jumper wire ends, then just touch solder the wire to the tinned traces and you're done ...

OR, since it's close to the power switch, you can add this jumper wire between the switch and on the other side of the crack to make the complete circuit - forget about the jumper wire across the trace thing.

BUT .... some momboards are multilayered with traces hidden within, and even though you fix one trace, an inner trace could be broken, and if this is the case..go buy another unit.

Check all of this out before going into the venture. But, you'll prob be lucky since most radio's momboard are just single layered with traces on both sides making it easy to fix.

good luck-DSM

 

[2slow4now]

Yep thats the fix. ^^^^ Just make sure to not over heat the board. You could fry components with too much heat.

 

[DSM1G90]

25w iron with pencil tip does wonders w/45/45 thin tin/lead solder.

 

[and1chewy]

any idea where i can get a new finner point tip? i have a weller sp23l solering iron. probably not the greatest one in the world but its served my purposes for a couple years now. ive used it on cell phone boards but looking at this board i dont think my tip is gonna be fine enough.

 

[DSM1G90]

Weller's Sp23 - Maybe "Rat" (Radio) Shack might have them since they have their own line of iron and do carry generic at times.

Or, you could, if the tip is bit ratty, is to lathe it down to a finer point..

I used to put it on a drill and use a file to lathe the tip down to a nice point.

-DSM

 

[and1chewy]

interesting was to get things done . i successfully soldered i bigger piece of the board so going well so far. ill have to check radio shack tom.

 

[dsmdeliveryboy]

I use a Weller 25w fine tip for welding on pc boards or soldering my ECU, works great.

 

[and1chewy]

no tip at radio shack they only carry there own stuff...... soldered the connections with out it think the damage was worse than i thought. i got more than what i had before but still not working.

 

[DSM1G90]

..could be an inner trace crack that needs to be found, which one can't repair .. it's a new radio time ... sorry.

 

[and1chewy]

it is what it is radio was broke already as far as im concerned was a win win either i fixed it or didnt lose anything that wasnt already broke.

 

[2slow4now]

The good thing is you might be able to sell it for parts and get a few bucks out of it. If it looks nice. You know someone out here likes their stock radio and the buttons are all worn down. You never know.

 

[and1chewy]

haha or i may be looking for one for a couple bucks that might not work right and i can make one outta two . or are you implying that your one of those people who like a stock radio hahaha.