Topic: Desperately Need Help! (Read 197 times)

TonyF11 · « **on:** February 21, 2007, 10:15:00 AM »

Re-Check the install. If the soldering you have done is not up to scratch as you say then its 99% surely down to a bad install.

xxMiGzxx · « **Reply #1 on:** February 21, 2007, 04:24:00 PM »

yeah i had a feeling that might be the case cheers for the quick reply ill redo it tonight

also the solder im using is kinda thick and tended to stick to the iron alot which made it sorta hard to do does that always happen or would thinner solder work better?

xxMiGzxx · « **Reply #2 on:** February 21, 2007, 10:03:00 PM »

alrighty scratch that last post i got someone who could actuly use a soldering iron to redo my solders ive checked everything still same problem though is it possible ive screwed the motherboard? coz it seems kinda stuffed...

Sandren · « **Reply #3 on:** February 22, 2007, 01:51:00 AM »

What voltage did your soldering iron have?

Sandren · « **Reply #4 on:** February 22, 2007, 05:45:00 AM »

Wow, 240v is way to high for the xbox mb. I was afraid that my 30v soldering iron was too hot for my xbox when I soldered it.
Can you still boot to the ms dashboard?

FallsInc · « **Reply #5 on:** February 22, 2007, 05:56:00 AM »

240 is the voltage that the iron runs on. not the wattage that it gives off. thats an 80 watt iron. take a pic of the board, close as possible without blurring, and including the entire area.

what does the solder say on the side of the reel?

Sandren · « **Reply #6 on:** February 22, 2007, 06:06:00 AM »

oh sorry, I've got a bit messed up

thx FallsInc
Although 80w still seemes to hot for me.

TonyF11 · « **Reply #7 on:** February 22, 2007, 08:34:00 AM »

QUOTE(xxMiGzxx @ Feb 22 2007, 11:29 AM)

240v 80w 50hz, the motherboard got a little burnt in the process as well i think i might just need a new box...

80W WAY TO BIG!! . A 15W is the best. 30W is the biggest you may get away with without damage. I would not like to see the damage a the 80W iron as made to xbox motherboard and its surface mount components.

Please people read to find out what you need before starting a modchip install. There`s loads of info within these forums so that the above never needs to happen. 80 WATT!!

Sandren · « **Reply #8 on:** February 22, 2007, 11:03:00 AM »

it is not recommended to affect the the xbox mb with anything higher than 30W . 'nuff said
If xxmigzxx can take pics of the mb then we'll see if he has hurt the motherboard or not.

Chancer · « **Reply #9 on:** February 22, 2007, 02:45:00 PM »

QUOTE

30W is the biggest you may get away with without damage.

QUOTE

it is not recommended to affect the the xbox mb with anything higher than 30W

Old wives tale or urban legend if you prefer.
A 15 watt is not the best either. If you get a cheap 15watt some of them don't have enough power to burn the carpet let alone melt solder correctly
IPB Image

Note the wattage.
Higher wattage = solder melts quicker flows correctly. work time is reduced to seconds.
Lower wattage = holding soldering iron on longer to try get correct solder flow. Risk of board damage because of the time taken on the work piece. Risk of ripping a trace as the solder does not stay molten long enough when withdrawing the soldering iron

Allegro1 · « **Reply #10 on:** February 22, 2007, 02:58:00 PM »

Excellent post Chancer.
My first "real" soldering station was a Weller WTCPN. I still have it and it still works fine.
It listed for $100, but I got it through an educational discount at school for about $75 in 1981. They are still fetching about $40-$50 on ebay.

nuf sed

TonyF11 · « **Reply #11 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:06:00 AM »

ANTEC C15 2430V 15WATT (4 years old). Never let me down and more than hot enough for xbox installs and all other electronic/surface mount pcb soldering work. Suppose experience with a soldering iron as a lot to do with it.
Practice makes Perfect and all that.

Sandren · « **Reply #12 on:** February 23, 2007, 12:11:00 AM »

QUOTE(Chancer @ Feb 22 2007, 10:52 PM)

Higher wattage = solder melts quicker flows correctly. work time is reduced to seconds.

I suppose you're right , but if you do a misstake(or if you have very shaking hands) the consequenses are usually worse than if you used <30W, right?

I used 30W when I soldered my chip (I've only modded one xbox

) and the solder melted very quickly.

And if what I have read is correct then 80W is too high for the mb.

But of course you can succesfully solder the chip with a high wattage soldering iron.

Correct me if i'm wrong, I want to learn.

Chancer · « **Reply #13 on:** February 24, 2007, 12:07:00 PM »

QUOTE

I suppose you're right , but if you do a misstake(or if you have very shaking hands) the consequenses are usually worse than if you used <30W, right?

Not really. Why should they be? If you slip or have shaky hands the power of the soldering is of little consequence as you could damage components with either. People usually go out buy a cheap soldering with a very low power. They then find they do damage because they are having to hold the iron on the joint for such a long time.
80 watts is very high but again it all depends on the tip size as well. i could chip an Xbox with a 100 watt weller gun but I am used to soldering. It does not mean to say i would advise using that high a wattage.

QUOTE

ANTEC C15 2430V 15WATT (4 years old).

4 years? Don't you use it very often? I had an Antec XS 30 and it lasted one day the handle part where the element goes in melted

... mind you the stations and irons are switched on at 7.30 am and not turned off until evening. I go through an element for the Weller every 3 months. Same with one of the Pace rework irons. The tips last about 2 weeks on average. They do get some hammer of course.
While on the subject I have 3 of these
IPB Image

so cheap at £20 . I thought they would be crap but they are a bargain. Spare iron is £3 yes £3
I use them for all sorts of jobs and have even installed the 164 pin Flat Pack Micros in the Sony FE2 chassis TV sets with one of these.

TonyF11 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 24, 2007, 02:07:00 PM »

As for the usage of my soldering iron the answer is yes I do use with regularity and long term use. When you have a tool which you have confidence in you tend to make an effort to look after it. I must admit I do change the tips quite regularly as work demands.

Author Topic: Desperately Need Help! (Read 197 times)