RE Plating PCB Fingers, a caveman can do it

[_The Doctor__]

Over the years I keep telling folks with issues how easy it is to fix pads/fingers that are flaky or damaged on their card edge connectors, cartridges, pcbs, etc.

 

as you have seen I post all kinds of chemical fun to re plate or electroplate almost everything, even zinc shielding. I don't like paint for it. that's for sure.

 

so here is a quick and messy video showing anybody can do it, though he could have done a better job... you can find plenty of better videos doing it using similar approaches, I chose this one for the extremely simple kit involved...

 

post up some of your favorite kits, links prices, and videos.

now fix up those carts, eci-pbi adapters, pcb's, contacts, and other card edge monstrosities!

Edited August 12, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[_The Doctor__]

After you have done the de-oxit and abrasive dance, most of us don't want to have to do it again and again...  if it was severe or you went a little too far and are dealing with diminished results. You can fix it.

Even if you found carts with bad corrosion on the fingers etc... you can clean them up and make them like new.

I like to clean getting every last drop up and hit it with a hot air gun to get a perfectly smooth surface if I had to apply solder... then go to town with the plating... You can see yourself in the mirror

 

I'd love to see what your favorites are, where to find them, and how much...  post em up!

Edited August 12, 2019 by _The Doctor__

[toddtmw]

So, is this better than blowing on the connector? ?

[+Stephen]

You want to be REAL damn careful when tinning any card edge connectors like that, as it's super easy to go too thick, then you blow out the fingers on the connector.  Not all things automatically snap back tight ?

[Kyle22]

Has anyone tried anything like this on Mitsumi mylars?

 

[_The Doctor__]

I'd think it would erase the traces....

[candle]

this is what we call flash gold in the industry, not hard gold used for pcb edge fingers

it's good enough for membrane keyboard, but if one belives it will do any good on edge connector that is put and removed often, one is heavely mistaken

besides

if that solder excess would be removed, you would have copper on this surface, and it would be flat

what i see there is solder smeared all over the pads being "repaired"

 

[Mclaneinc]

Is there any reason the guy in the second video polished the solder (I'm sure there was some left) off instead of using solder wick to just lift it off?

 

I also noticed that as he was polishing the solder there wear tiny bits of it shooting about the circuit board, not what I'd call a good move..

 

Maybe there were divots but it didn't look like a clean repair..

Edited August 13, 2019 by Mclaneinc

[_The Doctor__]

yes which is why I pointed out to remove every last drop of solder. I posted the example video of the guy as a quick example.

 

Bottom line, if enough of the pad is still there you can perform this repair in conjunction with what is left of that pad, it lasts just fine. In fact it works wonderfully and restores full contact curing resistance and capacitance issues clearing up those connection issues (yes no more blowing on carts and having the cart sometimes crash during game play)

 

Certainly helped out in the ECI PBI department

 

I also have asked for folks to post their favorite or better methods with where, how much, and videos.

 

When there isn't anything short of pulling the pad, epoxying a new one and repairing the connecting trace, I'm all for a better, cost effective, and working fix if someone can present one...  as I stated I finish mine off with a heat gun. It gives a nice finish, perhaps it even toughens it up a slight bit.

Edited August 13, 2019 by _The Doctor__