Board Burned While Soildering Can I get Replacement

[vandermr]

Hi All,
This is the hardest soildering job I have ever done in my 35 years. It I got them connected but only motors 1 and 2 would spin during start up. Upon looking at the board it looks burn up and one of the pieces is melted by the holes and now has broken off.. Any chance anyone knows how I can buy just a replacement board as I really do not want my 150 dollars to go down the drain.

Thanks
Mike

[foosel]

Could you post a picture of the board? Maybe it's not as bad as you think it is.

[vandermr]

Any idea why it will not let me upload photos?

[vandermr]

I am getting this error "The image file you tried to attach is invalid."

[vandermr]

Hopefully this will work

photo one
https://docs.google.com/a/visionstudios ... 12VGM/edit

Photo two
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BxV2pv5 ... sp=sharing

I really appreciate your help, so want to get this working but seeing as one of the back things feel out and the holes from desodiers look like the metal is gone I think I need a new board

[foosel]

Ouch, that really looks kinda not good. And did you solder it on this side? You are actually supposed to put the wires through the holes and then solder it from the other side:



Do you still have the diode missing around M4? If so, and if you are able to solder it back on (in the correct direction), maybe that thing is still salvageable when soldered from the correct side (way easier as well since no diodes are getting in the way), but I guess one of the Bitcraze guys can take a more educated guess at this than me.

[vandermr]

Yea I soildered it from the back, even had to go buy a new iron with a better tip for it, but sadly the damage is and was done, its really a precision type thing. No way I can soilder back on the diode that is even smaller then the soiders on the wires so thats not an option and even if I did it looks melted. I really just need another board, if I can not get another board its a total loss and that stinks. Is there anything they can do to help, maybe just sell me another board versus a whole new kits since I have everything else? This is a really really hard soilder job but I think if I can get a replacement board I will take it to a professional welder that has professional soildering experience to get it done for me.

Any idea how I can contact Bitcraze directly to beg them to sell me another board?


Thanks for you help...very sad.......

Mike

[TheFrog4u]

Wow.. seems like you have used a way too big tip with way to much power. Actually the soldering of those thing are not too difficult, have you watched the assembly video, before? I mean I am a softwware engeneer, and do soldering very rarely (every few years), but didn't had much trouble. Just used a 10 € 15 watt soldering iron.

Bitcraze is actually considering to sell the board alone as spare part, but it has not been decided, yet.

[vandermr]

Well that does not really help me now does it? I will be looking for another platform then as if you do not sell the boards and this can not be fixed I see no reason to buy another one. I will let others know my experience and let them know you better be a pro soilder to even attempt this build and if you happen to slip even a centimeter you could risk totally bricking your project.

You should consider either making the motors "clip in" or you should certainly sell replacements if you expect such fine motor skill soildering and to be able to sell this to the masses.

[foosel]

Well that does not really help me now does it? I will be looking for another platform then as if you do not sell the boards and this can not be fixed I see no reason to buy another one. I will let others know my experience and let them know you better be a pro soilder to even attempt this build and if you happen to slip even a centimeter you could risk totally bricking your project.

Great, and while you are at it don't forget to tell them you didn't follow the assembly guide then and obviously used the wrong tools

Look, I understand that you are frustrated, but there's no need for that aggressive tone, especially not at someone who can't even do something about the fact that currently the board is not available as a spare part. The product page clearly states that "this kit requires soldering skills", so the fact that you HAD to solder something shouldn't have come as a surprise. And regarding the "being a pro at soldering" part, just FYI: I had little solder experience at this small sized components myself when I built my CF, but I read the instructions, watched the videos and made sure to have proper equipment (namely a soldering iron suited for electronics, not specified for welding copper pipes together) and proper light before I started working. Thanks to this it was done and fully functional in <15min.

That being out of the way: Do you still have the missing diode?