My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

[Davisdog]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I bought a asus M2N68-AM PLUS. Using the old processor (AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+) and the two 1 gig sticks of DDR2 from the old system. The new PSU and mobo let me install three HD's I had laying around, so backups shouldn't be an issue anymore. After I figured out that there was a long leg from one of the components contacting the case, the rest of the install went pretty smooth. I did have to buy a new OS though. I got Windows 7 Home Premium. So far so good.

No chance to mess with the camera yet. I'm not home until tomorrow and I'll be sleeping all day, so maybe the next day.

[seanc]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

nVidia chipset on the old board.
What's the new board?

[Davisdog]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I'll try to get a decent picture of that cap a little latter today. Might be a bit of a chore though - I'm having camera issues that rival my computer issues.

[kc8adu]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

post a pic of the cap you had trouble getting out.
a torn via may or may not be critical.

[Davisdog]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I've got Vista Home Premium, but it's an OEM version that came with the PC. I can't get it to load at all, but when I go into the recovery options, the system does see my HD with all the files, but will only let me access drivers that are already on the system or on a disk.

[c_hegge]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Probably windows Vistrash/Visturd

[seanc]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

What OS are you running?

[Agent24]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Yeah if you change motherboard you will usually get into some problems because the hardware is so different and the drivers are all wrong.

Try safe mode, if you're lucky that might work, then, uninstall all irrelevant drivers and try normal mode again.

Other than that, might need to do a repair install of windows (but a full reinstall would be the best)

[Davisdog]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Howdy all,

Thanks for the advice and direction. Unfortunately it seems that my heavy hand and inexperience led to me destroying this mobo. That's not 100% yet, as I don't have a DMM to check it with, but I'm fairly certain.

As I couldn't do without a functioning desktop anymore, I purchased a new mobo (and a larger PSU.) Now, if I could only get the OS to load.......

Davisdog.

[momaka]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I have a cheap, no-name, run-of-the-mill, 830D. I've had it for over 10 years now. Still works great. Other than the leads breaking after 1 month like you mentioned, I've never had any other problems with it. Used it quite a few times to measure 110 and 240 VAC as well as 320 VDC in PSUs. No explosions.
And I can't tell you how many electronics I've been able to save with it.
So if the OP needs a multimeter just to test this motherboard only, then by all means a cheap [<$10] 830 will be fine (just make sure it works before you buy it ).
Like Agent24 said, a cheap multimeter is still better than no multimeter at all.

[kaboom]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I hear you on the test leads. Months you say? Usually one month, tops. It would indeed seem like yours is a better one.

Unless used for resistance or where there's no chance of high energy faults, those really bad ones with the jack board should be destroyed on sight. Accident prevention, ya know

That's exactly what I did to the one mentioned above. It may have been possible to fix, but the guy only paid 4 bucks for it. Not worth it.

-Paul

[Agent24]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

No I didn't do any modifications to it, the photos show how it came from the shop.

Sounds like the cheaper versions are pretty bad though!

Only bad thing with mine was that the test leads broke in months, can't remember details but I got much better ones from DSE which have been perfect ever since.

[kaboom]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

One of the nicest 830's I've seen.

An insulator between the battery and board.
Board is one piece!

I've outlined the board in your pic, showing where that stupid 'jack board' would normally be. It would only be held by solder!

Did you trim and resolder the leads for the transistor socket? The bad 830s would have those leads left as long as a quarter inch!

You may continue to use that, *carefully* of course

-Paul

[Agent24]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I would love to see pictures of the insides of this multimeter. I'm studying multimeters and like to learn more.

Sure, here they are.

[bigbeark]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

bigbeark,

I did test it outside of the case, sitting on cardboard. Same deal. I'm using a 30 watt pencil style iron, from Radio Shack. One of the legs of the problem cap had broken off inside the hole. I had a heck of a time getting it out. When I was done, the hole looked pretty nasty. I have already tried reflowing it, along with all the rest, but there was no change. I didn't mess with the other poly's at all.

I hate to say it, but I'm thinking you tore the via trying to get that "leg" out.
In my experience 30W is completely inadequate for motherboard work. 50W should be considered the minimum. I have one of those Radio Shack Irons and was able to remove a few caps but it wasn't really working very well. I spent the bucks and got a Hakko 936 solder station. They have come down in price from when I got mine, but that's what you need for this work. You need the 1/8 inch chisel-tip on that iron too.

When you are unsoldering those VRM caps, there are some big copper-rich traces inside the board that just suck up the heat and stop you from nelting the solder enough. Result: the leg sticks in the board and if you try to remove it you damage the board.

The only way a gutless iron is going to work is if you preheat the entire board in the oven first and frankly just get a good iron and save yourself the bother.

[retiredcaps]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Well it's several years old and it's been OK so far,

I would love to see pictures of the insides of this multimeter. I'm studying multimeters and like to learn more.

[Agent24]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Agent24, keep that 830 well away from 240V! Such behavior is right up there with little johnny sticking knives in outlets

Well it's several years old and it's been OK so far, used it many times on SMPS mains circuits and checking primary filter capacitors for charge etc, I don't see any reason to doubt its capability - im sure it would have gone up in smoke by now if it had any major issues.

But I do not deny that it's a cheap meter, and would certainly recommend something better if one can afford it.

(Say, something that can measure amps on AC for a start!)

[kaboom]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Reflow everything in the VRM and by the DIMM slots. Try to make the solder filets more cone shaped. It's real easy to have a short where the positive lead of a cap has too much solder on it, and that solder breaks through the solder mask and shorts to gnd plane.

I've been known to use a soldering gun for stubbon areas. With heavy tips and 'trigger modulating', I'm good, but there's still less thermal mass than a large iron. I've never damaged or delaminated a board doing that. Normally, I use a 60w temp controlled Weller and a very old American Beauty. Get in, get hot, and get out.

I would be doing someone a disservice if I told 'em to use a gun. I know just how far I can go with that. You don't want to practice on your first recap!

Agent24, keep that 830 well away from 240V! Such behavior is right up there with little johnny sticking knives in outlets

-Paul

[Agent24]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

Avoid anything that even looks like the generic 830B multimeter.

I just looked that up... and it looks just like what I have

Mine has been going for years, sure it's cheap, and probably quite nasty, but its infinitely more useful than no meter at all. Also I can connect it to the mains and it doesn't explode, so it must be doing something right

Then again, Dick Smith doesn't exactly sell total crap, so perhaps they got the version that actually goes through the QA department.

[retiredcaps]

Re: My first recap -FAIL! Please offer advice.

I would like some recommendations on affordable meters though.

Two recent threads on the subject of affordable meters ...

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...ht=entry+level

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...end+multimeter

Your best bet if you have patience and discipline is to buy one off ebay when it is mispriced. I have seen a few $150 multimeters from good brand names go for $20 to $25.

Avoid anything that even looks like the generic 830B multimeter.