Print

[cazper72]

Well,
    I'm worse at soldering than I used to be. I accidentally lifted the D0 pad on the backside of my xbox mobo. Since the traces are so damn small, I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to jump, or reconnect the trace. I was hoping someone may know of a different location I can jump the trace from, or any good suggestions. My first guess was to get a fine tip trace pen, but no one locally carries them. I would just jump the trace with a wire, my wire is thin, but not that thin.
    I appreciate any help.

Thanks
Caz

[Lugnut]

30 guage kynar wire, ( radio shack sells it)


2 ways of doing it, scrape the traces lightly on both sides of the pad until you see copper , put some flux on it then put a jumper across.

other way of doing it is, soldering a wire to the top d0,  and then on the bottom trace it eventually leads to another small via that you can solder the other end of the wire to.

next time make sure you use 30 guage kynar wire on that bottom pad, keep the wire parrallel to the surface of the mobo, after soldering it, tape or hot glue gun it down, any kind of stress pulls the pad right off. ( most people break the pad because the wire they use is too thick and strong enough to break the pad by just trying to move it)

[cazper72]

Thank you very much. =) I'll be hitting Radio Shack tomorrow. I hope I get it going again. Have you had very good luck with the mod chips that have the option to use a header pin setup?

[cazper72]

currently I have some non-flux solder. Think a 60/40 clear rosin-flux core solder would work well? I think possibly you're referring to a rosin paste flux?
Thanks again,
Caz

This post has been edited by cazper72: Feb 28 2004, 05:00 AM

[Lugnut]

yep comes in a small circular container

i usually use the non spill paste.

i think the part number on mine is 64-022

without it i have a hard time getting solder to stick to traces that are real tiny,

i apply it generously but i try not to smear it over anything else that has open copper/solder joints so i dont start bridging connections by accident.


for solder i use the radio shack .032 diamter light duty 60/40 rosin-core
part # 64-005

This post has been edited by Lugnut: Feb 28 2004, 01:03 PM

[cazper72]

I picked up a 15W radio shack soldering iron this weekend. They were all out of flux, but I also picked up some 30 AWG Kynar wire. Good lord! I attempted to jump the D0 trace on the backside of the motherboard to both end points. My soldering iron started acting up and isn't getting good thermal transfer to the tip. The tip doesn't seem to be loose, but I'll re-seat it tomorrow.
    I actually managed to get a good solder, but I couldn't get the second point, even scraped, due to the soldering iron acting up. I tin'd the tip of the iron, so I'm not sure what's up with that. I may try putting some flux in the original location of the pad and apply some solder, which has been reccomended to me. What do you think?
    I'm determined to add that mod chip now, after this nightmare. If I would've had the correct tools initially, I could've avoided all of this. My frontside D0 point is still good, I just gave up early after learning about the rear D0 point.
    There is a guy who locally installs mod-chips. He may do repairs as well. If I can't get this fixed with patience and some flux paste, I'll be giving him a call to install the modchip and jump/reconnect the trace for me.
  Thanks again for the detailed information. I really do appreciate it.

    I so wish I had a soldering station with micro tips for the iron. And I would especially LOVE a decent electronics magnifying glass/ light combo, the type I used to use in college. Those traces are so dang small..

This post has been edited by cazper72: Mar 2 2004, 04:17 AM

[Lugnut]

which side of the trace did you get a good solder to? if its the side that doesnt go to the top d0, then you can simply run the wire up to the top d0 and solder it there, and that would fix the trace.

[cazper72]

I was able to get a good solder to the rightside via (think it's a via) after the lifted pad. I may just run jump from the front D0 if a little flux in the old pad area doesn't correct my issue. Otherwise, I'll be trying to jump both end points on the rear and have a local person do the mod chip to the rear for D0.  

[cazper72]

I was able to get a good solder to the rightside rear D0 via (think it's a via) after the lifted pad. I may just run jump from the front D0 if a little flux in the old pad area doesn't correct my issue. Otherwise, I'll be trying to jump both end points on the rear and have a local person do the mod chip to the front for D0.

This post has been edited by cazper72: Mar 2 2004, 04:23 PM

[cazper72]

Well,
    All 5 local Radio Shacks were out of flux paste. I finally found "Iowa Radio Supply." That radio supply store has so much more for electronics than Radio Shack, and it's less expensive. I picked up a nice size container of Rosin Flux Paste for $3.95US vs. smaller tin from Radio Shack for $5.99US.
    I also got some retired/damaged electronics from work to practice soldering for a bit, until I feel more secure with working on my xbox repair job. Thanks again for following this thread.

[A@ron]

Oh youre in Iowa, If you are near Iowa City I have flux paste and all sorts of stuff... if I knew ya were in Iowa I could have saved you some trouble.

A@ron

[cazper72]

Yup, I'm in Cedar Rapids actually. You happen to do repair for failed xbox mod attempts? I really want to get my xbox running again. I have an applex V mod-chip (2 wire install) and need rear D0 trace jumped from the front of the board or jumped on the rear of the board (lifted pad.) I haven't checked the rear traces for continuity yet, so possibly one more jump. I am really reserved about working on my xbox board any more, as I don't want to cause additional issues.
   How's your 1.3 Mobo, HDD + IDE cable part stock?

This post has been edited by cazper72: Mar 3 2004, 07:17 PM

[A@ron]

YGEmail and I put my cell number at the bottom, call me we will get ya fixed up as best I can.

A@ron