quick smt question

[CarlZ]

ok, i've got a peterson strobostomp over here thats has a bad cap on the board. Peterson said that its a factory defect and should just be removed. The note i got said to snip it with side cutters but it's sandwiched between two large elytics and without a ridiculously small set of cutters, there's no way in hell i can get a pair in there. So the question is if i can just hit the little bastard quickly with a low wattage iron and lift the part off without doing any damage to the board or trace.

Carl

[Enzo]

Traces are pretty much traces. These just don't have holes through them. Oh the traces are smaller, and perhaps the copper cladding a little thinner, but if you are not ham handed, that should work.

But think outside the box. How hard would it be to unsolder a large elytic or two to make room, then put them back?

There is a Behringer power amp board I run into now and then, and four large cement power resistors - the radial kind that stand up - glued together and exactly in the way of the heat sink screws. Suck them boys off the board in a few seconds and there I am. I can't imagine how else to get to the screws.

[dai h.]

if the PCB is the sort on mobos (through-hole plated, double sided) I would use a flathead screwdriver shape tip that is wide enough to span across the two electrolytic caps' leads. I've found they come out very easily if you use such a tip and touch both leads at the same time when unsoldering. Sorry if you're already aware of this.

[jrfrond]

Enzo is right in the fact that you need to be somewhat imaginative and clever in providing yourself access to components on densely packed PCB's. I'd remove the cap that's in the way first, then get at it with a long soldering tip.

[Enzo]

I recall my first encounter with some Mackie mixer, the input circuitry was UNDER an input jack. Had to pull an XLR from the board to change some small part.

I could almost hear it whisper, "Welcome to the world of smt, Enzo."

[CarlZ]

ok, went in with a 20w iron and the component came off surprisingly easy! Barely touched it and it virtually fell off. I'm really glad i don't have to replace any parts on this board.

And yes, this thing was whispering "welcome to the world of smt" as well.

-Carl