PCB connectors - how to unplug?

[bmoraru]

i am working on a Denon DCD-1500AE and wish to take out the audio board that's connected to the transport by several ribbons such as in the attached image - how should i unplug them? first of all, i don't know if the bottom brown connector is soldered to the ribbon cable, or to the pcb? or maybe this is not the detachable end of the ribbon?

Thanks a lot!!!

[DF96]

A photo that is in focus would help!

It looks like the bright blue part is attached to the ribbon cable, and the blue-grey part is attached to the board. To separate, just pull steadily with a very slight rocking motion. Do not pull the ribbon, pull the connector. Do not rock too much, as this can bend pins or put a strain on soldered joints. It should get easier as it comes out, so pull less hard. The aim is to get it to come out straight, and under control. Have a look at the pins afterwards, just to check that none of them are bent. A minor bend at this stage can turn into a major bend or a broken pin when you put it back.

When putting it back, try to ensure that the pins line up with the holes. You should be able to feel this. Then push it in. If possible, support the board from behind so you don't flex it too much.

[bmoraru]

This is a more accurate picture of the connector, it’s basically one connector and 1 ribbon cable – would the connector be attached to the cable, or does the cable simply insert into the connector which is connected to the board?

[AndrewT]

I'll only guessing but that connector looks like it could be soldered to the PCB.
It (maybe) acts as a converter from stranded to pins.

[theAnonymous1]

I agree that it looks like they should just pull out of those edge conectors.

Use both hands and grab the thicker bluish part of the ribbon cables and pull up (carefully).

[bmoraru]

thanks a lot!!

[wakibaki]

It's very hard to tell, even with the better photograph. They seem to be FPC or FFC rather than ribbon cables. They usually just have the copper exposed on one side with maybe a plastic support bonded to the other side and they push into a very tight fitting edge connector socket.

Grasp them as close as possible to the connector with both hands with your thumbs against the connector and your fingers behind and supporting the cable and make a determined effort to separate the cable from the connector by squeezing the cable between your fingers and thumbs and applying a pulling force to it by rolling your fingers and thumbs toward the connector.

This should allow you to apply a measured force to the assembly and hopefully stop short of breaking anything if they are NOT designed to separate. A small amount of differential movement (wiggling) may help.

w

Judging from your post, you've got them out while I was writing

[theAnonymous1]

Originally Posted by wakibaki

They seem to be FPC or FFC rather than ribbon cables.

Thanks for that; I just called them ribbon cables because I had no clue of what they were really called. I've dealt with smaller versions plenty of times but still didn't know what their technical name was.

[bmoraru]

Originally Posted by wakibaki

It's very hard to tell, even with the better photograph. They seem to be FPC or FFC rather than ribbon cables. They usually just have the copper exposed on one side with maybe a plastic support bonded to the other side and they push into a very tight fitting edge connector socket.

indeed they seem to be FFC with a blueish support bonded to the back, and they seem to have no lever that keeps them in place (they seen really thin). gently pulling by the blueish support should work...