[Elecraft] Surface Mount IC Repairs was Re: K3 Serial Port Fixed!

[Pete Smith N4ZR]

Ir's always interesting to me that these components can withstand heat 
from a hot air gun that is high enough to melt solder, but I have done 
this often with a heat gun made for hobby stained glass work.  It's a 
lot cheaper than the professional rework units.

73, Pete N4ZR
Check out the Reverse Beacon Network at
http://reversebeacon.net,
blog at reversebeacon.blogspot.com.
For spots, please go to your favorite
ARC V6 or VE7CC DX cluster node.

On 12/19/2012 8:27 AM, Paul A. Thompson wrote:
> Thanks, Elecraft Reflector friends!  Thanks to MontyS, Matt Zilmer, and
> Howard Stephenson, I have the K3 serial port working once again!  Howard had
> me check the voltage on pin 8 of U1 on the KIO3 main board, and it was less
> than -5V (about 120 mV) with the serial cable plugged in.  This was the
> first clue.  The second was that the lettering on the package of the IC
> itself was discolored/faded in the center section of the IC, a sign that the
> chip had overheated at some point.  In any case, replacing the U1 serial I/O
> chip did the trick.  I had a friend with lots of experience at soldering and
> unsoldering surface mount ICs remove the bad chip, clean up the solder pads
> and tack down and then we soldered the pins of the new IC (.05" spacing, I
> believe) using a micro soldering pencil.  If anyone is interested, I'll find
> out and pass on the specifics of the heat gun we used for removal and the
> soldering station that did such a fine job with no damage to board or
> surrounding parts.  Thanks again, guys, and I should be back on the digital
> modes today with HRD!
>
>   
>
> Oh, and once I had the info on the part no. and got it ordered, it came 1st
> class mail from Elecraft within four working days. not bad.
>
>   
>
> 73, and Merry Christmas to All, and may your dreams include visions of sugar
> plums (2nd receiver board, 2 mtr xvtr, etc) dancing through your head.
>
>   
>
> Paul N5PT
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> Elecraft mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
>
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html
>