Newbie first build mistake, Aion kit - step one, failed

[dannymfntanner]

Hey all, first post and new to this community. I know very little about what I'm doing, but really trying to learn.

I purchased the AION Solstice full kit (Marshall Shredmaster clone).

I started organized and ready to go and got to step 1, the resistors. I someone in my idiocy, thought all the resistors were identical and did the entire first step wrong.
I learned my lesson and need to slow down and read more carefully.

From here, I would like to just start from scratch. I can order another board for cheap, but the resistors, I'm not sure how to source since they are provided in the kit and have different values.
Attached an image of the layout and resistors. Thanks for the help in advance!

[idy]

Welcome. Everyone has tossed one into the "fail pail."

The resistors either have the value printed on them (unusual, but some kits use these red resistors with print) or a color stripe code. Look up "resistor color code." It's a rainbow, plus black and brown at one end and gray and white at the other

But colors are hard to read. Is that orange or red? White or Grey? So you need a multimeter, and you measure the Rs before putting them in the board.

The meter is a must have. I have received orders with neatly labeled baggies, that were off by a factor to 10 because the human at the shop misread a color band.

You might do well to get as resistor kit. Not much money and enough of the common values to get started.

If we are going to talk sources we need to know what country you are in, or at least what continent.

[dannymfntanner]

This is great advice and appreciate the encouragement!

These resistors did have a super small value on them which I could barely read when I realized my mistake. They are solid red (no bands on them. (see pic of the board)

I'm in the midwest in the US if that's helpful. A kit is probably a good idea like you said because I would like to get more into this, that is if I can finish actually finish a project.

[antonis]

You can order a 1/4W metal film resistors E12 kit..
(R3 is a E24 value but you can easily replace it with a 10k one with no practically audible gain loss..)

[Dormammu]

did the entire first step wrong.

It is not entirely clear what is done wrong and what is the problem?

[idy]

You can probably remove them. Nothing to lose trying.
Amazon is full of kits. make sure they have the values you need.
I get parts through Tayda. The big places have lots of specialized parts, surface mount etc, easy to get something crazy.

[ElectricDruid]

Ok, so if all those are in the wrong places, it looks like you've got your next practice session: desoldering practice!

You might find that you can push one end of the resistor out of the board with the tip of the soldering iron. Once one end is clear, you can more easily do the other end. Sometimes you have to work back and forth a bit until you get it out. If it's really tricky, one useful trick is to destroy the resistor by snipping it half with strong wirecutters. Then the two little broken end caps are fairly easy to remove. Small pliers are sometimes helpful to grab things and pull them out once the solder is hot, but you have to work quickly and only get one shot each time because touching cold pliers to anything cools it down really fast.

Once you've got all the resistors off the board, you'll probably find you've got blobs of solder blocking some of the holes. That's where you need a desoldering pump. You heat the solder with the iron, then quickly suck it out with the pump while it's still liquid.

Of course, you *could* just buy a new PCB, but you might as well give it a try to rescue the old one, and even if you don't manage, you'll have improved some skills that will come in handy later on. And with a bit of luck, you *will* manage, and you'll be back to the beginning of step one again, except now armed with more experience and practice and some new resistors!

[Dormammu]

You might find that you can push one end of the resistor out of the board with the tip of the soldering iron. Once one end is clear, you can more easily do the other end. Sometimes you have to work back and forth a bit until you get it out.

Once you've got all the resistors off the board, you'll probably find you've got blobs of solder blocking some of the holes. That's where you need a desoldering pump. You heat the solder with the iron, then quickly suck it out with the pump while it's still liquid.

When I was in training, we were given old PCBs for desoldering as practice.
Without any desoldering pumps. It was also part of the task to save the parts. Manage with a piece of steel wire with a small hook at the end.

[andy-h-h]

You can probably remove them. Nothing to lose trying.
Amazon is full of kits. make sure they have the values you need.
I get parts through Tayda. The big places have lots of specialized parts, surface mount etc, easy to get something crazy.

Careful when buying bulk resistor kits, as the cheap ones are often unlabelled - you have to read the colour codes marked on the resistors, which is painful.

Tayda is great, and even local electronics stores are fine for grabbing a few parts to finish a build.  You'll pay more per part at your local, but save on postage.

On the upside, you did find your mistake and ask for help before you got too deep into the build.  So that's a plus.   

[dannymfntanner]

Thanks all for the help. Being new to this world is a little scary. I send this post this morning and got a lot of good suggestions and ideas!

I think I'm going to try to salvage the board and buy the resisters a la cart somewhere reputable. I really appreciate the help!

[antonis]

I think I'm going to try to salvage the board and buy the resisters a la cart somewhere reputable.

Unless you use a 150W (or bigger) soldering iron, desoldered resistors could be used again (after proper measurement, of course..)

[ElectricDruid]

Unless you use a 150W (or bigger) soldering iron, desoldered resistors could be used again (after proper measurement, of course..)

They *could*, but I've always found that more of a pain in the backside than it is worth. Resistors cost pennies, so it's easier to use new ones than struggle with the old ones. It's the sort of thing I did when I was a poor kid trying to stretch my pocket money as far as I could, though.

[Phend]

For our education,  what are these red resistors?
I prefer the brown 4 band, with a color chart or "rhyme" you can determine the value.
The blue 5 band resistors are hard to read and have thinner leads. Cheap.
But I always check each with an inexpensive meter.
Get a dmm, digital multi meter, at Amazon or even down the street at tractor supply harbor freight home depot menards maybe ace.
30 dollars or less


.

[antonis]

Resistors cost pennies, so it's easier to use new ones than struggle with the old ones. It's the sort of thing I did when I was a poor kid trying to stretch my pocket money as far as I could, though.

And now that you're weathly man you do use MosFets as small-signal resistors, don't you..?? 

[ElectricDruid]

Resistors cost pennies, so it's easier to use new ones than struggle with the old ones. It's the sort of thing I did when I was a poor kid trying to stretch my pocket money as far as I could, though.

And now that you're weathly man you do use MosFets as small-signal resistors, don't you..?? 

Only if they've got gold-plated leads! 

[amptramp]

It is possible to get the resistors off the board by desoldering them but there is a risk of damaging the traces on the board.  If it is important to preserve the board, cut the resistors at the board and desolder the leads separately.

Get a pack of bulk resistors but check that it has all the values you need in the quantities you need and check that it has either colour codes or the values printed on them.  If you have a local electronic parts store, just give them the list of resistors and let them make up a kit of resistors.

When you bend the leads for a resistor, bend them away from the writing on them so you can read the value once they are installed.  Resistors with colour bands are ideal because you can read them no matter which direction they are bent.  Capacitors (which would be the next thing to install after resistors) usually have writing on them although some of those are colour coded as well.

Don't let mistakes deter you from learning electronics - it has a learning curve but it is worthwhile once you get to a certain level of expertise.

[Phend]

This helps, (no red resistors though, good luck with those)

[duck_arse]

fist of all, STOP, whatever it is you are doing. also welcome. the odds of every one of the resistors being in the wrong place is small, but I'm not a mathematician. get your multimeter, check the value of the resistor on the board against the layout/parts list before you try removing any. there is no point in cutting out parts if they are in the right place.

and for mine, there is less point in trying to either save the wrong-placed resistors or learning desolder on this board. as Druid says, [measure the resistor value to confirm it is wrong and then ....] cut the guts of the resistor in half. heat one lead while pulling the busted body, and it will be a much easier better result.

[pacealot]

And now that you're weathly man you do use MosFets as small-signal resistors, don't you..?? 

...or as clipping diodes?  (ducks for cover, runs away)

[antonis]

And now that you're weathly man you do use MosFets as small-signal resistors, don't you..?? 

...or as clipping diodes?  (ducks for cover, runs away)

Nahhh.. So very customary..!!!