Carefully scrape the top protective layer from over the broken traces only and back from the break point by as short a distance as you feel you can reasonably solder to, but no more than 1/8" on each side of the break.
An X-Acto knife is a good choice for this if you do not have a favorite scraping tool.
An X-Acto knife is a good choice for this if you do not have a favorite scraping tool.
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Carefully "tin" the exposed copper traces on both sided of the break.
You may get a bridge of solder connecting two or more parallel traces. Do not attempt to remove any solder bridges' you may get between the traces, with any method other than solder wick or you will only cause yourself grief.
Place the wick on the solder bridge, then heat the wick with your soldering iron (use a low wattage <25 watt iron and a small tip) to draw up the excess solder.
You may get a bridge of solder connecting two or more parallel traces. Do not attempt to remove any solder bridges' you may get between the traces, with any method other than solder wick or you will only cause yourself grief.
Place the wick on the solder bridge, then heat the wick with your soldering iron (use a low wattage <25 watt iron and a small tip) to draw up the excess solder.
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Now comes the tricky part. Locate the finest gauge of solid copper wire that will fit within each trace and strip back the insulation. The best tool for this is a sharp pair of flush cutters.
Carefully close them on the insulation just enough to score it on both sides, then turn the wire 90 degrees and make a second set of scores. Now close the cutters gently into a pair of scores and draw it towards the end of the wire. The insulation should come off, leaving bare wire behind. It takes a delicate touch, but once learned it will save you much time.
Strip a length of wire long enough to do several traces, and then tin the wire.
Carefully close them on the insulation just enough to score it on both sides, then turn the wire 90 degrees and make a second set of scores. Now close the cutters gently into a pair of scores and draw it towards the end of the wire. The insulation should come off, leaving bare wire behind. It takes a delicate touch, but once learned it will save you much time.
Strip a length of wire long enough to do several traces, and then tin the wire.
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Lay the wire along a trace with the end going no further than the uncovered portion of the trace. Touch the iron to the end of the wire briefly to tack it into place. Now move to the other side of the break, and carefully solder the wire to the trace. Unless you are already a master at soldering, this will take patience. Stick with it.
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When you are satisfied that the wire has been wetted to the trace and does not contact any adjacent traces, place the tip of your X-Acto blade on the wire at the point where the solder joint ends and GENTLY press just hard enough to score the wire. Now wiggle the wire and it will soon break free of the now repaired trace.
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After you are done, and have made continuity checks to insure there are no solder bridges between adjacent traces, it would be a good idea to place a layer of flexible adhesive/sealant over the repair area. RTV silicone is a choice, and so is hot melt glue in a pinch.
I hope this helps you out.
I hope this helps you out.
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Indeed that is tricking, i've had simiiliar problems. But for anyone else needing to so such a repair. I suggest using the wire that comes out of those cheap earbud headphones. they have a very flexible wire conductor. its coated with some layer to keep it non-conductive. Just tin at ends and attach at points needed to connect.
isnt it just possible to soldier normal wire to the PCB where the flex cable normally plugs into the socket thing? Just to reconnect the trazks on the flex that are broken?
I did this with the flex on a mini tv i was playing with, infact i got rid of the flex all together and cause i totally messed it up and just soldiered about 12 wires instead of the flex
sorry about my bad use of words, i dont know what these things are called
I did this with the flex on a mini tv i was playing with, infact i got rid of the flex all together and cause i totally messed it up and just soldiered about 12 wires instead of the flex
sorry about my bad use of words, i dont know what these things are called
im not sure how small your flat flex cable conections are but i just found this thread on diyprojectorcompany forums and this guy has soldered on normal wires, check out the pic here, its def poss >>
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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