Re-capping my board

[Talldog]

Hello all. My 1985 Amek Tac Scorpion board is getting a little squirrely and could use a re-cap. It gets almost daily use lately. Ethan sent me some new ics to try and they helped one problem but other channels do strange things like intermittant signals, intermittant hum/noise.

Here's the question: I don't know ANYTHING about how to do it. Shit, I don't even know what all of the caps look like. I'm very handy though and a quick study. I've never soldered on a pcb before either. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Probably a lot to ask but................

 

[ethyrvalve]

I'd highly recommend getting a tech over and doing one channel... watch him like a hawk and ask questions.

For a big job like recapping a whole board, a hakko vacuum desoldering gun would be a nice luxury. it could help prevent you from lifting traces.

also, what kind of iron do you have? if it's too weak you'll have to leave it on the pcb for quite some time to get the solder to flow;that can be a bit risky. I'd recommend a something akin to a Weller 50watt variable temperature station.

Also make sure you have one of these kinds of tip cleaners: http://www.amazon.com/Hakko-Cleaner-599B-02-Non-Corrosive-Needed/dp/B000PDQORU/ref=pd_sim_hi_1
you don't want to always have to wet sponge the tip, that'll reduce the tip temperature and really slow you down.

check out the make magazine blog, they have a nice collection of videos on soldering: http://blog.makezine.com/

good luck

 

[Talldog]

Thanks for the info! There is a guy here in cleveland who will make house calls. I'll see if he's available.

 

[dementedchord]

only the electrolytics get changed... they are the ones that look like little cans... as to the intermittents... those are pretty much invariably connection problems... caps/diodes/transisters never partialy short... resistors never kinda open...