+++++++++++++++ Date: Fri, 14 Sep 2001 09:10:26 -0500 From: lbailey at aep.com Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Installed 16-pin Connectors on Wrong Side of KAT2 New connectors on order & I'm going to give it a go myself......I'm going to read all of this one more time & formulate my plan. Thanks guys for all of the suggestions & encouragement....from all over the world!!! (Spain, NZ, Netherlands, etc.) ================================================ Hi Lynn = I did the same thing! I first removed the black plastic form in which the pins are held. Then turned the board upside down and fastened a weight on one pin at a time. When I applied the heat of the soldering iron to each pin, the pin dropped down very easily/ Excess solder can be removed from the pin holes either with solder wick or with a solder "Sucker"/ You can then order a replacement from Elecraft. It worked for me! 72 de Lamar, N3AT ================================================= >I don't want to damage the board, etc. You have your priorities correct. I would try a solder sucker and do as you suggest. Add some solder just before sucking it -- helps the heat transfer and makes it easer. Don't pull too much on the connector or you might lift a pad. If it gets too rough, I would sacrifice (cut) the connector into individual pins and remove one at a time. Order the replacement connectors for elecraft tomorrow. Best wishes, David nr1ss ================================================= Lynn, I am speaking partially out of turn here but this may fit. I accidentally solder a connector on the wrong side of the board on my K1. Got a message from (I think) Gary at Elecraft and he told me this. If you are careful, you can work the plastic "sleeve" for the connector off of the pins, slowly and steadily. This leaves you with a row of pins on the board but nothing to hold them together. Now you can de-solder one pin at a time and take it out of the board. Once you have done this, use a stainless steel needle to make a new hole in the board (open up the existing hole). I did this and it worked fine. Took me a while but it worked FB. Like I said, I don't know what kind of connector you are dealing with (I only have a K1 (so far!)). But if it is a single row like I described above, this trick should work. Good luck. Michael N4NMR Actually this might work for a double connector as well. DOn't know. Michael ==================================================== I did that with P-1 (20 pin). I heated one pin at one end and applied pressure to that pin pushing it out, a little, very little. Then I moved to the next pin and did the same thing. I then used a very small screwdriver as a pry bar to apply pressure between the board and pin. The next and the next, back and forth. 45 minutes later it was out. I then cleaned it up and installed it right. good luck ....... and take your time. myron .. K6RRU ===================================================== Lynn, What you can do is heat each soldered joint, take a pair of needle nose pliers and pull the pin out of not only the board, but the plastic connector itself. . Yes, you will be removing the pins from the plastic connector body in addition to removing them from the board. Start at the ends of the connectors and work toward the middle. After you pull 15 of the pins out, the 16th one will come out with the plastic body of the connector intact. Do it slowly, allowing the plastic to cool after each pin extraction. Chances are you will be able to put the pins back into the connector, but if the plastic is trashed, order two new male plugs. If you know someone with a desoldering station, a Pace or Hakko, have them do it for you. If you do reuse the original connector body, make sure that all the pins go in straight. 73, John, NP2B K1/426 (sold), K2/1645 (not for sale) ========================================= Did you actually install the plugs on the wrong side of the board, or did you just reverse the socket and the plug? If the latter, just leave it, no one will know that the plug and socket are reversed. If the former, you can remove the black plastic pin spacer by gently prying it up off the top of the pins. Then you can remove the pins individually. If you are lucky, you'll only break it in a couple of places leaving it usable for proper installation. (I pulled that maneuver on the K160RX). Dave K9DC ========================================== Hello Lynn...I installed a 16 pin IC backwards on my K2....I borrowed a professional desolder station to remove it....but then I bought a Radio Shack desoldering tool ($18.00 Cdn) and it does the job too without damaging the chip or the board.... ..72/73 - Bruce (VE5RC+VE5QRP) QRP-C#1 QRP-L#886 ARCI#9683 Zombie#272 A-1 Operator Club - 10/10# 944 - QRP Borg#1 - Whiner#10 - - VE5QRP SOC#11 - VE5RC SOC#12 - oo#148 - K2#2032 - "QRP! How sweet it is!" "I am da man wit "DAH" paddle!" =========================================== Remove the plastic that joint pins assembled and after unsolder the pins one by one, thats all Ferran alegret, EA3DLV =========================================== hi Lynn, you could try to cut loose a pin from the rest of the connector and then heat and remove it. This is the best option for removing ic's if you want to keep the pcb. If cutting the connectorbody puts to much strain on the pins - and the pcb-, try using the soldering iron to melt the body. 73' Leo. PE1OBG =========================================== Lynn: DON'T try to solder wick it! WAY much opportunity to lift lands. Here are two suggestions: 1) I have a HAKKO 808 desoldering gun which will allow me to remove all of the solder and (probably) have the plug FALL out of the PC board, IF you care to mail it to me. NO CHARGE for plug removal. 2) CAREFULLY(!!!) lift the plastic body of the pin holder completely OFF all of the pins and then individually heat/remove each pin. Using solder wick, carefully remove any remaining solder in the holes. THEN, reinstall the pins back into the plastic body and install on the correct side of the PC board. 73 - Tom Hammond N0SS ========================================== Hi Lynn, I see the method to remove the connectors has already been posted, and it *does* work that way! If it makes you feel any better......I did the same thing with the 20 pin female connector on the RF board of the K1 !!....the very first instruction on that section....I went and banged my head on the door post for a while, then went to see what I could do to fix it! I did much the same thing as you have been told....I prised the plastic body off the female assembly, and lifted each pin out seperately. I then put all the pins back in and soldered the thing back in the board on the correct side ....PHEW.... The K1 is still working, and I was somewhat more careful with the K2 when I built that!! The bruises on my head have dissapeared, and the ego has been restored to the point where this is my first confession of having done that!!!! We are not alone............ cheers.......Ron ZL1TW. ========================================= Lynn, Unsoldering 16 pins together is a difficult task - can be done, but likely not worth the effort. The heat from desoldering will likely soften and distort the plastic holding the pins in alignment anyway. The best thing to do is get new connectors from Elecraft Clip the plastic strip so you can remove the connector pins 1 at a time - then solder wick the holes to get all the solder out and ready to accept the new connectors. 73, Don W3FPR ========================================= Lynn, You can heat each pin one at a time, as you pull them out of both the plastic carrier and the PCB. A firm and steady pull should be used. You should be carefull to not bump the relays with the soldering iron, as that will cause them to fail if their plastic case is burned more than just a tiny bit, due to close internal clearances. It would be helpful to clamp the PCB in a small vise so you have two free hands. One you get the pins out, it should be fairly easy to clean the remaining solder out of the holes with a vacuum desoldering pump or Soder Wik (carefully) to accept new connectors. Scott will send you new 16-pin male connectors. - -- 73, Gary AB7MY ======================================= +++++++++++++++++