Re: a K2 thought
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I've had my K2 for several years now (#2268). Recently, my audio pot
developed the noisy condition so I decided to do the noisy pot mod. During the mod I discovered an unsoldered connection. Apparently there was enough contact with the plated-through hole to make the connection. And I used the component by component method of soldering. So even with the most careful of construction techniques you can occasionaly mess up. 72, Jim W4BQP _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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W4BQP reported:
>I've had my K2 for several years now (#2268). Recently, my audio pot >developed the noisy condition so I decided to do the noisy pot mod. >During the mod I discovered an unsoldered connection. Apparently there >was enough contact with the plated-through hole to make the connection. >And I used the component by component method of soldering. So even with >the most careful of construction techniques you can occasionaly mess up. Plated through holes connect traces on one side of the printed circuit board to those on the other side. As my K2 is of about the same vintage as yours, such reports of flaky plated through holes is of great concern, as the very same issue has been a problem with other equipment manufacturers. Problems with plated through holes is a serious PCB QC issue & is one no decent PCB vendor should let slip through. I doubt Elecraft does its own QC on incoming PCBs (other than visual). Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the dickie plated-through holes that you found? Based on your report, I am concerned my K2 is a time bomb waiting to happen. Thank you. 73, VR2BrettGraham _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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How can an unsoldered connection even remotely be considered a problem
with a plated-through hole? There are no reports of problems with plated-through holes in Elecraft boards. This is definitely not one, either. Please re-read W4BQPs comments again. On Mar 22, 2005, at 8:36 AM, VR2BrettGraham wrote: > W4BQP reported: > >> I've had my K2 for several years now (#2268). Recently, my audio pot >> developed the noisy condition so I decided to do the noisy pot mod. >> During the mod I discovered an unsoldered connection. Apparently >> there >> was enough contact with the plated-through hole to make the >> connection. >> And I used the component by component method of soldering. So even >> with >> the most careful of construction techniques you can occasionaly mess >> up. > > Plated through holes connect traces on one side of the printed > circuit board to those on the other side. > > As my K2 is of about the same vintage as yours, such reports of flaky > plated through holes is of great concern, as the very same issue has > been a problem with other equipment manufacturers. > > Problems with plated through holes is a serious PCB QC issue & is > one no decent PCB vendor should let slip through. I doubt Elecraft > does its own QC on incoming PCBs (other than visual). > > Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the dickie plated-through > holes that you found? > > Based on your report, I am concerned my K2 is a time bomb waiting > to happen. > > Thank you. > > 73, VR2BrettGraham > > _______________________________________________ > Elecraft mailing list > Post to: [hidden email] > You must be a subscriber to post to the list. > Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm > Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ --------------------- _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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W6FB queried:
>How can an unsoldered connection even remotely be considered a problem >with a plated-through hole? There are no reports of problems with >plated-through holes in Elecraft boards. This is definitely not one, >either. > >Please re-read W4BQPs comments again. About as much as magnetic fields induce phase noise. I figured somebody would bite - thank you. (apologies to K6SE ;^) 73, VR2BrettGraham _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by VR2BrettGraham
No problem with the plated-through holes. The problem was that I hadn't
soldered one connection and was unintentionally relying on the contact between the component lead and the plated-through hole for the electrical connection. It had worked OK up to that time, but one doesn't want to rely on such contacts for the long run. 72, Jim W4BQP VR2BrettGraham wrote: > W4BQP reported: > >> I've had my K2 for several years now (#2268). Recently, my audio pot >> developed the noisy condition so I decided to do the noisy pot mod. >> During the mod I discovered an unsoldered connection. Apparently there >> was enough contact with the plated-through hole to make the connection. >> And I used the component by component method of soldering. So even with >> the most careful of construction techniques you can occasionaly mess up. > > > Plated through holes connect traces on one side of the printed > circuit board to those on the other side. > > As my K2 is of about the same vintage as yours, such reports of flaky > plated through holes is of great concern, as the very same issue has > been a problem with other equipment manufacturers. > > Problems with plated through holes is a serious PCB QC issue & is > one no decent PCB vendor should let slip through. I doubt Elecraft > does its own QC on incoming PCBs (other than visual). > > Would you be so kind as to elaborate on the dickie plated-through > holes that you found? > > Based on your report, I am concerned my K2 is a time bomb waiting > to happen. > > Thank you. > > 73, VR2BrettGraham > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Jim Campbell wrote:
> No problem with the plated-through holes. The problem was that I hadn't > soldered one connection and was unintentionally relying on the contact A question concerning soldering: Should I fill whole hole with solder? After checking control board I found there are few connections which are not 100% filled with solder. However, all connections have been soldered. Another question: U9 (audio amplifier circuit) in control board seems to be installed a bit too high. There is very small gap between the circuit board and IC's bottom. Gap is less than 1 millimeter. Should I try to remove and re-place (and destroy) the IC or let it be as it is? First resistance checks were OK after viewing list archives. My cheap DMM was giving odd results at first (due to capacitors?). Most of the resistances were pretty high (megaohms). I couldn't get exact values. Some of them were said to be between some limits. There were all fine. Rolf Moberg OH6KXL (K2 #4759) _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Jim Campbell-7
In a message dated 22/03/05 19:49:39 GMT Standard Time, [hidden email] writes: U9 (audio amplifier circuit) in control board seems to be installed a bit too high. There is very small gap between the circuit board and IC's bottom. Gap is less than 1 millimeter. Should I try to remove and re-place (and destroy) the IC or let it be as it is? ------------------------------------------------------- My thoughts are if the device is close to being correct with something like an IC, is unless you have access to a good desoldering station or a Hakko 808 is to leave it alone. You could otherwise could make problems appear that do not exist now. All the better to solder items like IC in correctly in the first place. I hold the device firmly in place rather than bend the legs, then solder a joint on opposite ends of the device. Sometime takes three hands to do it, but normally possible. Check that the positioning is correct and correct if necessary. Only then complete the remaining joints. Probably other electronic equipment builders have their own favourite methods. The moral is: If it ain't broke don't fix it. Bob, G3VVT _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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