Damaged copper trace

groovybenny · August 09, 2011, 02:50:00 AM

Hey guys,

I've finished soldering up the pedal, but I'm pretty sure I've damaged the copper traces on the 'in' hole of the pcb =/
My multimeter does not have a continuity mode but I've been using resistance instead- the 'in' is the only hole not showing resistance, and it is not soldering properly, so I assume it is damaged.

Can this be repaired or is there a solution?

Is this pcb useless now?

If so, It's only really about $10 for pcb, and $1 of resistors/etc, and I can desolder all the pots/IC/jacks etc, so it's not a real loss.

Cheers

Yorick · August 09, 2011, 04:50:45 AM

You can try to fix it with some solder, or make a bridge with wire. I once fixed a cracked pcb with solder. Worked like a charm and was surprisingly strong!

rockhorst · August 09, 2011, 05:06:57 AM

Strip a longer piece from your input wire, put it through the hole and route it to the next connection. Solder in place. This will work, but I suggest you do it just before boxing the effect. Too much 'manhandling' might snap the wire at the hole.

wavley · August 09, 2011, 09:32:55 AM

If it is a pcb with solder mask you might have to take a knife and scrape it away on that trace to do this...

Quote from: rockhorst on August 09, 2011, 05:06:57 AM
Strip a longer piece from your input wire, put it through the hole and route it to the next connection. Solder in place. This will work, but I suggest you do it just before boxing the effect. Too much 'manhandling' might snap the wire at the hole.

Don't worry, we've all done it.

groovybenny · August 09, 2011, 10:07:46 AM

Okay guys I'm started to get frustrated :/

I haven't tried what you guys suggested yet but:

First I have another problem.

http://s901.photobucket.com/albums/ac211/bennypoos/?action=view&current=47c93c8c.jpg&evt=user_media_share

See where the resistor leads are pointing out- I had a resistor in there before that I could not get the multimeter to pick up no matter how I soldered it, so I replaced it. Now one side still will not get a response on the multimeter and the other will not soldered properly.

It's within the darker area so I don't know where it traces to.

:/

jdub · August 09, 2011, 07:12:38 PM

Any chance of taking a clearer shot? Pretty fuzzy... I think I can see the Martian pyramids, but not much else...

groovybenny · August 10, 2011, 10:41:50 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3D56a_l834

I made a video because I found it hard to get a clear photo- hope that helps

jdub · August 10, 2011, 11:41:54 AM

OK that's much better, but I'm still unclear as to what your question is. What circuit is this for? Do you have a schematic? What's it doing/not doing? What do you mean by "couldn't get the multimeter to pick up"? Glad to help but need some details...

groovybenny · August 10, 2011, 12:19:58 PM

It's a tubescreamer clone from germicon.com which is no longer a website, so I could't find the schematic.

Well for each other component, I used the multimeter to measure resistance which to my noob knowledge I found that if I touch the 9v hole on the pcb with one probe and I could probe components to tell if they are soldered correctly? Please tell me if that is not the correct way, I'm still learning.

The circuit is not working at all but I think that is because I wired the TRS jacks the opposite way- the jacks are different to the ones I could find in diagrams. Although I want to make sure each component on the pcb is working first, which brings me to the problem that the resistor in the video has a infinite resistance value when probed compared to each other component which showed their resistance, which shows that they are soldered correctly?

Thanks for helping a noob

groovybenny · August 11, 2011, 04:15:47 AM

No-One?

Okay I fixed the jack wirings, and now the footswitch turns the led off and on, but there is no audio

egasimus · August 11, 2011, 05:31:46 AM

Follow the signal path with an audio probe to see how far the signal gets before cutting off.

groovybenny · August 11, 2011, 05:43:20 AM

Alright I need to make an audio probe first- sorry I'm new to this, I'll get back to you. Thanks for the help

Edit: I don't have to right cap, or any caps at all actually. Guess debugging will be delayed.

egasimus · August 11, 2011, 06:22:43 AM

Meanwhile, you can measure the voltages at the pins of the IC, and post them here. They also can be a tell-tale sign if something's wrong.

groovybenny · August 11, 2011, 06:47:49 AM

One probe goes to a pin of the IC and the another goes to?

Yorick · August 11, 2011, 07:21:24 AM

It should go to earth.

groovybenny · August 11, 2011, 09:27:01 AM

I can't get any reading... probably doing something wrong though.

I actually bought this pcb off a pedal builder who soldered the socket and IC in before I bought it so it's not the soldering that's at fault.

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Damaged copper trace