Looking for a little advice

[oddjob]

I picked up a billet box clone in a trade. It's a great looking little device but I've run into trouble with it pretty much straight away.

When I fire the button it just stays stuck on. At first it would keep firing and I'd press it again and it would stop. Now it just continues to fire after releasing it so I have to pull the batteries to make it stop.

Obviously I can't use it like this so after having a dig around online if decided to try and change the button myself.

Picked up one of these - Silver Tactile Switch With Spherical Actuator to go back in.

As the last time I used a soldering iron was in high school I was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers on getting the old one out and the new one in without messing the whole thing up. I'll need to buy myself a soldering iron also so is there anything specific I should be buying?



The button is on the right hand side of the board on the first pic.

Any advice is greatly appreciated as if really like to get this running smoothly.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Miss Pepper]

sparkyjuice Seedy ^^ thank you

 

[sparkyjuice]

You are going to need a decent fine tip iron some flux core electronics solder and a solder sucker or desolder braid (prefer solder sucker myself)
Tin iron then heat joint and quickly suck solder off each joint in turn looks like tabs are bent over so you'll have to straighten them when solder is off when out replace switch and apply heat to leg/pcb and apply solder heat the joint not the solder and try to keep the amount of time holding the iron to the board as short as poss or you may lift a track oddjob
And vertex is nice by the way



Sent from (who cares) using Planet of the Vapes

 

[oddjob]

Thanks man, I'm a little nervous but going to give it a shot I think. Would you say this would be a good enough iron? Draper 71415 Soldering Iron Kit:Amazon.co.ukIY & Tools
And this solder sucker Silverline 633609 Metal Solder Sucker 185mm:Amazon.co.ukIY & Tools

Glad you enjoy the vertex. I found it very good for flavour.

 

[video61]

Thanks man, I'm a little nervous but going to give it a shot I think. Would you say this would be a good enough iron? Draper 71415 Soldering Iron Kit:Amazon.co.ukIY & Tools
And this solder sucker Silverline 633609 Metal Solder Sucker 185mm:Amazon.co.ukIY & Tools

Glad you enjoy the vertex. I found it very good for flavour.

Yep they will do fine Mate (Put solder on the new tip first then you can start ; ) all solder points should be tinned including the switch first hope this makes sense.have fun.

 

[oddjob]

Nice one! just been watching a few vids on YT and think I can handle it. Just one question.

Tinned? Could someone explain that?

 

[video61]

Nice one! just been watching a few vids on YT and think I can handle it. Just one question.

Tinned? Could someone explain that?

Just put solder on the parts first ie the legs on the switch ; )

 

[twoeyedbob]

might be worth considering a gas powered soldering iron....
ime most mains powered iron's without separate power supplies tend to be very slow to heat up and sometimes struggle with bigger jobs.
This is more for future stuff you may encounter...
It should do this job no probs at all.
I've got one in the house ,and always use my wee gas one as it's just alot handier..more versatile..and hotter..oh and it's also got a wee blowtorch attachment which i use regularly...wasnt especially dear either..

Just my tuppence worth

 

[oddjob]

Thanks for the responses guys it's very appreciated. Without seeing my problem I realise it might be hard to diagnose, but would anyone know why it might be doing this? Do you think swapping the button out will fix it? It's weird because it fires continuously until I take the battery out then when I put the battery back in, its not firing.

With regarding removing the old switch, I think I'll be ok. I'm gonna find something broken in the house that I can practice on first.

The only thing I'm still a bit uncertain on (please forgive me for not understanding and my incorrect terminology) is tinning the new switch.

I take the old one out, have the new one and heat the legs and dab solder on to each one. I then instal the switch onto the board, heat legs and solder again. Am I right in saying that?

Again sorry for the questions and being a complete novice but I just want it right in my head how to do this.

Thanks for your reply re the gas soldering iron but I really hope this is the only time I have to do this! Anything more heavy duty and I'll be paying someone who knows what they're up to!!

Thanks again.

 

[phtumshk]

tinning the switch, basically you want solder on the switch legs prior to putting it in the board.
just a coating not a blob or you wont get it through the board .
then solder in as previous posts.