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Thread: Problems with Prizm 5.1

  1. #1

    Default Problems with Prizm 5.1

    So...

    I have soldered many times before on other projects but this was the first time on a small PCB. I watched a bunch of videos, including Shameem's Prizm video.

    Last night I tried to pre-tin the connections on my Prizm and I couldn't for the life of me get the solder to flow properly onto the negative terminal of the board. I couldn't get the solder to flow on the top so I thought I would try the bottom and I think that may have made it worse. =/

    I am SO embarrassed to post this, but I think I may have ruined my board. I think my problem was using a conical tip instead of a chisel tip. I have ordered a chisel tip for future use.

    Can anyone help me with this problem and let me know if I did, in fact, ruin my board? Pictures are attached.

    https://imgur.com/a/UdgIY0a

  2. #2

    Default

    Well on the top it looks like, you have too much solder on the pads. I would recommend turning up the heat on your soldering station and cleaning your tip (after each joint ideally).
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  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by Forgetful Jedi Knight View Post
    Well on the top it looks like, you have too much solder on the pads. I would recommend turning up the heat on your soldering station and cleaning your tip (after each joint ideally).
    Thanks for the feedback. I was concerned about putting too much heat. I will try and turn the heat up a bit and pull some of that solder off. I think I bridged those two terminals on the back so I need to get that solder off of there. I tried the braid but couldn't get the solder to flow. Maybe all my problems are cause my too low heat.

    I just hope I didn't throw all that money down the toilet.

  4. #4

    Default

    What temp do you have your station set to?
    TCSS MODERATOR
    All n00bs READ these first (PLEASE)!!!:
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    2. FJK’s “Down and Dirty” guide to Ohm’s Law

    "Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before... you want blindingly bright, super loud, running 1138 blinkies off of the cheapest sound card you can find AND you want all of it to run on a battery the size of a dime, and run for a very, VERY long time. That one cracks me up every time..."
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  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by Forgetful Jedi Knight View Post
    What temp do you have your station set to?
    I don't have a station that tells me the temp. I have a Weller WLC100 and I had it set on 3. Any idea how hot that is? I think I will try bumping it to 4 once I get the new tip I ordered in the mail.

  6. #6

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by G3-R6 View Post
    I don't have a station that tells me the temp. I have a Weller WLC100 and I had it set on 3. Any idea how hot that is? I think I will try bumping it to 4 once I get the new tip I ordered in the mail.
    I have no idea. You may want to figure that all out before you start soldering again.
    TCSS MODERATOR
    All n00bs READ these first (PLEASE)!!!:
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    "Yeah, yeah, I've heard it all before... you want blindingly bright, super loud, running 1138 blinkies off of the cheapest sound card you can find AND you want all of it to run on a battery the size of a dime, and run for a very, VERY long time. That one cracks me up every time..."
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  7. #7
    Owner of the Custom Saber shop Strydur's Avatar
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    Default

    You want a fine tip like this.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    With small diameter solder like this.. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1
    Tim
    The Custom Saber Shop

  8. #8

    Default

    A good soldering station cannot be under-estimated. These boards, while not the cost of a house can be fairly expensive. A good adjustable temperature soldering station, with a good iron, with a needle/pencil tip goes a long way to making your life easier, your solders cleaner and neater, and reduce the chance of you messing up a board with too much solder, bad joints, etc.

    Don't skimp on an iron, a good station is cheaper than a Prism.

    Tom

    "Mistakes are our greatest teacher."

  9. #9

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by G3-R6 View Post
    I don't have a station that tells me the temp. I have a Weller WLC100 and I had it set on 3. Any idea how hot that is? I think I will try bumping it to 4 once I get the new tip I ordered in the mail.
    You'd have to check the owners manual for that iron, they usually give a temp range that goes with those settings. But as its been said, it's best you get a really good soldering station with actual temperatures on the dial. So much easier.

  10. #10

    Default

    So, the problem has been solved. It was one of 3 things.

    Those 3 changes were:
    Increased the iron temp to 3.5ish
    Used a new screwdriver chisel tip instead of the conical ordered from Amazon
    Used new solder (This new solder was a much smaller diameter and seemed to flow SO much better than what I was using before. It came very highly rated on Amazon. Went from solid to liquid quickly allowing me to remove the iron from the surface fast)

    Using these 3 things I was able to use copper braid to remove the piles of solder on the board and then gently re-tin the pads with ease.

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