Soldering: How and Where to start?

[Mugicha]

Hey Everyone,

The only thing holding me back from setting up the reset wire on my CPS2 multi, is the fact that I don't know how to solder So I was hoping to get some tips from the gurus here about what I need to get started at it. What do I need to look for as far as equipment, solder, wires etc. and of course tips on what to do.


thx in advance!

 

[aoiddr]

Use leaded solder as it heats faster and is just all around better (just make sure you wash your hands after using):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005T8MXQ2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00

You need to use Flux, so get a flux pen:
http://www.amazon.com/MG-Chemicals-...=UTF8&qid=1439918895&sr=8-2&keywords=flux+pen

To get the flux off after the job is done, just use Isotrophal Alcohol (the stuff you find on the first aid aisle of a store).


Maybe someone can recommend a good soldering iron.


The important thing about the reset wire is that you need to strip the ends, twist the wire, flux those ends, apply solder to them, and then flux them again. Then you need to flux the spots you're going to install them on the boards. Once you're ready, put a little bit of solder on your tip, and then do the job. Put the wire down, the the soldering iron down, it'll fuse...and you're done. Just make sure you use flux. Flux is the secret to getting the solder to flow correctly.


(You should practice your skills a little first before doing your actual board, though. If you don't have any dead boards to practice on, then buy a children's kit. You can learn a few of the basics then.
http://www.amazon.com/Elenco-AmeriK...qid=1439918836&sr=8-15&keywords=soldering+kit )

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

I was HORRIBLE at soldering just a few years ago. I could barely solder two wires together properly.

My first surface mount soldering was when I first soldered a SH-2 into a cps3 cart. And I did that without flux because I didn't know what it was. It was by the grace of God that the first SH-2 CPS3 cart even booted...

So I watched a TON of youtube videos on soldering. There are so many different techniques and I sorta borrowed from everyone a bit to get my own style that works. I consider myself VERY good at soldering now. I have been watching BGA soldering videos and I think I will delve into that soon and give it a go.

But as aoiddr just mentioned above, Flux is VERY important as well as keeping your tips clean and tinned (covered with solder). For a minor job like the reset wire any iron from Radio Shack will get the job done but if you will do ANY soldering in the future you can buy a Aouyue iron or workstation from eBay cheap. I've used one for years and it does great. If I was repairing things daily I might upgrade to a Pace or Hakko system.

For your reset wire go on eBay and buy some longer female to female dupont wires and cut one in half. Then strip a small area from the wire end and tin it with some solder. Put some flux on the pad you will solder to then put some solder on the tip of your iron and touch the pad. It should stick to the pad easily because of the flux. Then add more flux to the pad and solder the end of the wire to the pad by just lightly touching the wire tip and solder pad at the same time with the iron. It should connect immediately.

Just be careful not to touch anything around it. If you get solder on the ARM it will be a bitch to clean up. But after this is complete you can just plug in the dupont connector to the necessary pin to enable reset. And unplug it if you ever need to disassemble the unit.

Of course if you have problems you can just drive to New Bern and have me do it for you.

 

[Mugicha]

Thx for the tips Aoi and Mits!, I was hesitant to post this thread since it felt like some mad noobish crap, but given the skill of so many members here, I thought it would be the right place to ask.

Of course if you have problems you can just drive to New Bern and have me do it for you.

I truly do appreciate that man, and all you've helped me with before. It's great to know I can always drop in on you for help, but for the simpler things, I'd like to attempt them on my own so I don't end up completely reliant on you. It's time to for me to graduate from complete noob

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

I truly do appreciate that man, and all you've helped me with before. It's great to know I can always drop in on you for help, but for the simpler things, I'd like to attempt them on my own so I don't end up completely reliant on you. It's time to for me to graduate from complete noob

Well you can learn by watching.

And soldering is a skill you learn. I can't tell you how many things I have repaired from people messing up their solder work. I get a ton of dead b-boards where they say "I don't understand. I just changed the battery three months ago." And when I get it the battery is loose because the solder didn't stick. Changing a CPS2 battery is the simplest pcb work you can do but so many cannot do it properly.

 

[Mr T Guru]

one of the key things with hand soldering is let the 'component' melt the solder, not the soldering iron.
in other words, heat the PCB+component together then touch the solder to the component and the solder will flow and the joint will be solid and guaranteed not dry. If you touch the solder to the components as you heat it and the solder doesn't melt the components are not hot enough. if you touch the solder to the iron and it melts there's no guarantee the solder will stick to the components. that is one of the main reasons why there are dry joints.... not enough heat and the solder didn't flow.

another tip is if you have to use both hands put a blob of solder on the iron to apply to the board/components. this is normally a bad thing to do because the flux inside the core of the solder will dry out immediately and the solder doesn't flow. you can fix that by putting flux on the components/PCB where you are soldering. so you get the solder to the right place without a free hand and it flows well too.

when in doubt heat it a bit longer than you might think it needs. components can withstand 300+ degrees for at least a minute so adding a few extra seconds to a soldering job isn't going to affect the part but will probably make the joint better.

as Mitsu says, watch videos on youtube, there are 1000's.

 

[Mr T Guru]

oh, and when you get really good you can re-build something that was totally eaten away by battery acid and was pronounced dead by 5 other people and make it work again

 

[buzzmx]

Above is great advice (I wish I had been given it when I started)

YouTube can be a bit hit and miss with tuts; some people talk BS for 20min and then tell you basics or wrong things

One that helped me when I started was PACE Basic Soldering Lessons and PACE Rework and Repair.

It may be the soothing voice of Paul Anthony or the fact that it has diagrams and a clear structure to it.

I have a few Soldering irons but my favorite at the moment is:
CT-932


http://www.chipdip.ru/en/video/id000259608/ (Who thought the video on the web sight was a good idea??? funny though)

I changed its tip to a 'chisel type' end as it gives more surface area to transfer heat.

Things like solder and clamps are personal preference buy smaller amounts and find the one for you.

You need to use Flux, so get a flux pen

↑ The Flux peg is mightier then the sword (and really useful)

If you have any questions about this info don't hesitate to drop us a line

 

[Mr T Guru]

the chisel ends are for big beefy electrical work on house wiring or tin plate soldering etc.
for electronics you should use a round pointed tip about 1-2mm diameter at the tip.
like the one shown here at the very top left....

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

Tips can be a preference too. I personally use the tip fourth down on the left. I can solder 3 or 4 pins of an SH-2 at a time and is easier to use the drag method on certain components without bending tiny pins accidentally.

 

[Mr T Guru]

its more about technique I think
I use the one top left for *everything* including re-attaching the big purple QFP304 graphics chip and the SHARC chip on Sega Model 2A/B/C video board

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

How do you go about setting down a QFP like that? I'm interested to know the steps you use to prepare your pcb and ultimately lay it down and solder it.

 

[Mr T Guru]

there's not much prep involved. just clean all the pads on the board so there's no solder then...
1. apply flux to pcb
2. position chip
3. tack it down
4. solder the pins

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

there's not much prep involved. just clean all the pads on the board so there's no solder then...
1. apply flux to pcb
2. position chip
3. tack it down
4. solder the pins

By tack it down you mean solder down the corners, right? And I guess since you use the fine tip its just one pin at a time?

 

[Mr T Guru]

no, tack it down means put some solder somewhere on the corners so it stays in position
1 pin isnt enough the chip can move and the pin will be pulled off or the pad can be damaged
the amount doesnt matter, usually I just put a blob at the end of each side ( and it crosses maybe 5-10 pins
when applying the blob put a bit of downward pressure on the chip
blob opposite corners
the first blob holds it only roughly. the 2nd blob on the opposite corner positions it.
before applying the 2nd blob position the chip *perfectly*
put blobs on the other corners then use drag-soldering to finish it off.
like I said it's all about technique

 

[l_oliveira]

Once you get experience you will be able to do repairs like this one: (I did this in 2013)

That's a 2 slot MVS LSPC2 chip, the line sprite generator.

Repaired traces

"New" chip placed. (not new because the chip came from a scrap but the system worked afterwards)

The trick is lay a single wire from a conductor wire flat through the broken traces. That will re-stablish the electrical connections.

 

[Mr T Guru]

The trick is lay a single wire from a conductor wire flat through the broken traces. That will re-stablish the electrical connections.

yeah that's basically what I did with my neogeo repair above. multi-strand wire is great stuff when you take just one and lay it on the board to replace a track

 

[Mitsurugi-w]

no, tack it down means put some solder somewhere on the corners so it stays in position
1 pin isnt enough the chip can move and the pin will be pulled off or the pad can be damaged
the amount doesnt matter, usually I just put a blob at the end of each side ( and it crosses maybe 5-10 pins
when applying the blob put a bit of downward pressure on the chip
blob opposite corners
the first blob holds it only roughly. the 2nd blob on the opposite corner positions it.
before applying the 2nd blob position the chip *perfectly*
put blobs on the other corners then use drag-soldering to finish it off.
like I said it's all about technique

That's what I meant by the corners. So we use the same technique just different tips.

 

[l_oliveira]

The trick is lay a single wire from a conductor wire flat through the broken traces. That will re-stablish the electrical connections.

yeah that's basically what I did with my neogeo repair above. multi-strand wire is great stuff when you take just one and lay it on the board to replace a track

But repair traces under the chips using that method are a notch up on the difficulty gauge, right?

 

[Mr T Guru]

well, difficult not sure, certainly more work... remove chip, patch traces, put chip back.
I've done that too a few times. but sure, yes your board work is much better than the average guy