Hacking Killed a motherboard doing kamikaze method

[thebroodian]

I was working on a modchip installation - the system turned on after I finished grinding down to the dat0 point. I was having a very hard time getting solder to bind to the dat0 point, I was having to clean and retry, and clean and retry. Eventually, I had been working on it for quite a while to no avail, I tested the motherboard again and it won't turn on anymore. The only things that have come into contact with the board are my iron, low-temp solder, flux, alchohol, and solder mask. My best guess is that I somehow damaged something with the heat of my iron, but I don't know what? Has anybody else had this problem before?

 

[RyanTheArchivist]

I was working on a modchip installation - the system turned on after I finished grinding down to the dat0 point. I was having a very hard time getting solder to bind to the dat0 point, I was having to clean and retry, and clean and retry. Eventually, I had been working on it for quite a while to no avail, I tested the motherboard again and it won't turn on anymore. The only things that have come into contact with the board are my iron, low-temp solder, flux, alchohol, and solder mask. My best guess is that I somehow damaged something with the heat of my iron, but I don't know what? Has anybody else had this problem before?

We can't really assist without detailed screenshots.

 

[lightautodark]

I was working on a modchip installation - the system turned on after I finished grinding down to the dat0 point. I was having a very hard time getting solder to bind to the dat0 point, I was having to clean and retry, and clean and retry. Eventually, I had been working on it for quite a while to no avail, I tested the motherboard again and it won't turn on anymore. The only things that have come into contact with the board are my iron, low-temp solder, flux, alchohol, and solder mask. My best guess is that I somehow damaged something with the heat of my iron, but I don't know what? Has anybody else had this problem before?

Happened to me when I first started doing kamikaze. You accidentally cut the trace towards the circular point when you repeatedly apply solder and removing it. But it's easy fix though, just expose the thin trace and reconnect it.

For next time when doing kamikaze, you don't need the whole circular point, as long as there's enough contact to solder on you can stop grinding. Also it's actually easier to do kamikaze on the trace instead of the circular point. The "l" shape is much easier to solder onto.

Edif: as the tip of the solder has less surface area for heat transfer, when applying solder to the tiny kamikaze point, you need to turn up the temperature of your iron. For e.g normally soldering on all other point I use 280-300, on the kamikaze point I use 390 to 400 even. Otherwise the tip won't be hot enough.

 

[urherenow]

More heat? No. You should have watched sthetix’s video. The trick is to use a toothpick or needle to apply solder paste, then a simple heat gun to tin it.

 

[thebroodian]

We can't really assist without detailed screenshots.

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2024

Happened to me when I first started doing kamikaze. You accidentally cut the trace towards the circular point when you repeatedly apply solder and removing it. But it's easy fix though, just expose the thin trace and reconnect it.

For next time when doing kamikaze, you don't need the whole circular point, as long as there's enough contact to solder on you can stop grinding. Also it's actually easier to do kamikaze on the trace instead of the circular point. The "l" shape is much easier to solder onto.

Edif: as the tip of the solder has less surface area for heat transfer, when applying solder to the tiny kamikaze point, you need to turn up the temperature of your iron. For e.g normally soldering on all other point I use 280-300, on the kamikaze point I use 390 to 400 even. Otherwise the tip won't be hot enough.

Can you elaborate a little more about what trace I cut? I don't think I cut any trace, the diode reading on the point still reads normal.

Edit: nevermind, you were right. I revealed more of the trace, and repaired it, and tested. Switch came right to life!

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2024

Thanks to lightautodark

 

[lightautodark]

View attachment 467035

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2024

Can you elaborate a little more about what trace I cut? I don't think I cut any trace, the diode reading on the point still reads normal.

Edit: nevermind, you were right. I revealed more of the trace, and repaired it, and tested. Switch came right to life!

Post automatically merged: Oct 25, 2024

Thanks to lightautodark

Well done!

The diode value doesn't mean anything. Just use it as a rough guide but don't rely on it religiously. The diode value for layer 4 is also 0.4-0.9.

For your next kamikaze, don't grind for the circular point. Instead go for the "I' trace, it's much easier. Or just make the hole bigger so you can get your soldering iron in to have a bigger contact point.

Now you can finish off your mod!