I just did my first reflow.

[mockingbird]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

ROHS. More waste, less hazardous. Lead solder doesn't hold that much better. As I found by reballing my Gateway 30" LCD with lead solder, heat is most the problem.

Unleaded solder is brittle but
Leaded solder is too flexible...

The caveat of using unleaded solder remains...
When manufacturers skimp on the copper in the unleaded solder, it is not as good as leaded solder.

The question is, why force companies like Acer who want to profit off relatively well designed and inexpensive items to use a product which is far more expensive? They end up using inferior unleaded solder and their consumers suffer because of this.

That's why we should just stick to leaded solder.

[severach]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

Why are we not using lead solder again?

ROHS. More waste, less hazardous. Lead solder doesn't hold that much better. As I found by reballing my Gateway 30" LCD with lead solder, heat is most the problem.

The spec sheet says the chip can run at 175*C. Customers don't like fans. The product fails just after the warranty is up. There is no downside here.

[mockingbird]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

a reflow means you don't use any solder. you just heat the chip up, and get the solder already there a second chance, and usually the solder has no lead. but using flux can help

The question was rhetorical, he was not soliciting an answer.

[Uranium-235]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

a reflow means you don't use any solder. you just heat the chip up, and get the solder already there a second chance, and usually the solder has no lead. but using flux can help

[Mad_Professor]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

you would need some liquid flux, not the paste stuff

I can imagine, when the balls become detached from the solder, that the solder just remains partially solidified and the ball can be come easily detached from it. with flux, it would desolidify the solder completely and give it a better attachment to the ball

Why are we not using lead solder again?

[Uranium-235]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

you would need some liquid flux, not the paste stuff

I can imagine, when the balls become detached from the solder, that the solder just remains partially solidified and the ball can be come easily detached from it. with flux, it would desolidify the solder completely and give it a better attachment to the ball

[Mad_Professor]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

Makes sense. I'll get liquid flux next time if this thing stops working.

What I want to do now is fix the fan, it runs too low and heat builds up.

I was looking for mods to boost the fan but still have it regulated by the console.

Saw this on ebay.

http://cgi.ebay.com/PS3-INTERNAL-COO...item3cb549f3da

I'm wondering if I can make something similar to it but I don't have knowledge to make one unless I had help from badcaps members.

should I buy it, does it look safe? Can I make my own?

[mockingbird]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

I read that reflowing will only "take" properly if there's flux. I can't attest tot eh theory behind it but at the time that I read it, it made sense. What I read was that repeatedly reflowing without flux will cause the solder not to bond.

I've also been pondering an innovative way to spray liquid flux underneath a chip.

[Mad_Professor]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

Did you spray liquid flux underneath the chips before reflowing?

no.. I didn't think about that, plus I don't think I would be able to get it under the chips, they are pretty close to the board, so spraying may only get around edges of the chip and not reach the center.

I'm probably going to have to reflow again, seeing that reflow has a 50/50 chance of fixing it, this thing may only last for 2 days or 2 years if I'm lucky.

What does flux do to solder joints?

[mockingbird]

Re: I just did my first reflow.

Did you spray liquid flux underneath the chips before reflowing?

[Mad_Professor]

I just re-flowed a Playstation 3 with a wagner heatgun at 1,000 degree's Fahrenheit, and...

IT WORKS!!!!


What I did was preheat the board on the both sides with the heat gun for about a good two minutes moving in an erratic way. Then I focused on processors for about good 1 minute moving back and forth between the two, followed by letting it air cool for an hour.

Sad thing is this is not going to fix it. Considering that a friend gave it to me for free, I'm not complaining I'll probably won't use it alot because I never play any console games. Maybe the general netflix and blu-ray.


I just figured I would share my excitement with you guys.