[A1200] Let's change those capacitors!

[Retrofan]

Originally Posted by Turran

... I found that holding a metal sewing needle with a plier and slighly pushing it into the hole, while melting the solder from the other side with the solder iron, the sewing needle would get pushed through a bit. I could then remove the solder iron and soon afterwards just pull the needle back out, leaving a perfect little hole since the solder does not adhere to it.

That's exactly what I do

[johnim]

or use a wooden toothpick

[Retrofan]

But you can't heat wood (and it's too big). With the needle you heat the point, you introduce it and you can heat the needle if you need, or you just turn it around.

[Supamax]

Hi Turran,
why did you replace even those SMD capacitors with non-SMD electrolytic ones?
Are SMD ones difficult to find?

[Turran]

I tried a toothpick first but it broke off and I was left with a hole full with wood =)

@Supamax, no, they are just easier to solder on.

[magnetic]

I can say this Warning: DO NOT Attempt to change caps unless:

1. Something fails (with vintage gear, dont fix it if it aint broken)

2. You are not 100% confident in your solder skills.

You may end up doing more damage than you attempt to repair.

[rampartsagain]

thats right get out of the kitchen if can´t hold too much heat .
this task as seen fotos here looks very easy but infact old solder point could be very dificult to unsolder even with a smd solder iron like mine

[FOL]

Scratch what I said, though you used Bi-polar for all.

The problem with using normal radial caps is you risk ripping print off if you accidently knock a cap.

[magnetic]

Originally Posted by rampartsagain

thats right get out of the kitchen if can´t hold too much heat .
this task as seen fotos here looks very easy but infact old solder point could be very dificult to unsolder even with a smd solder iron like mine

Muito Bem!

Thats right dont attempt it unless you are a solder tech, you are better off spending the $40 and send it to Amigakit for repair service and give FOL even more work to do!

[FOL]

Originally Posted by magnetic

Muito Bem!

Thats right dont attempt it unless you are a solder tech, you are better off spending the $40 and send it to Amigakit for repair service and give FOL even more work to do!

lol, I never stop, . In and out of work.

[rampartsagain]

hehe that is right magnetic it is a shame see a damaged amiga motherboard it is a killing inside me,and after all lets keep someone that are trully professionals even i damaged some older boards with dry solder points,it is a pain to put the iron there,i trust amiga kit in the few contacts i had i never had a complain ,they are some of the few stores we can trust

[magnetic]

Originally Posted by rampartsagain

hehe that is right magnetic it is a shame see a damaged amiga motherboard it is a killing inside me,and after all lets keep someone that are trully professionals even i damaged some older boards with dry solder points,it is a pain to put the iron there,i trust amiga kit in the few contacts i had i never had a complain ,they are some of the few stores we can trust

Rampart

Yeah, and what I really cant stand is sometimes on Amiga boards ppl tell noobs to start hacking at their boards (that are working fine btw) to change caps, "timing fixes" or whatever. (Like my favorite quote recently on EAB " I fixed my A1200 with a screwdriver" )They end up really screwing it up and sometimes even the good solder techs cant fix it!

I also find Amiga boards Overdiagnose amiga problems that causes noobs to mess things up even more.

@ FOL

Lulz! And we are grateful for your work.

[rampartsagain]

true true we don´t put a chinese solder iron of 30 watt on an amiga motherboard,at least some of us one time or another understood that by a pcb track that lifted ,or so
Even i have to resolder a chip base on amiga 500 plus because normal ones don´t get soldered beneath the socket i will have to replace mine for a rounded pin one