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Activity Board power switch — Parallax Forums

Activity Board power switch

DrPopDrPop Posts: 227
in Propeller 1
Just curious if anyone has replaced the power switch on an Activity board? Wondering how hard it is to remove and re-solder. Over time, I've purchased 7 Activitybots for a club/class at my daughter's school and two of them have the little plastic tab on the power switch broken now.
Thanks for any ideas or tips if anyone's done this.

Comments

  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2017-10-07 01:30
    I've had to do this a couple times. Patience is a virtue here! Try melting the solder on each pin in rotation, along with using a gentle pulling force to lift the switch a little at each step. Once the switch has been lifted a little from the PCB, use side-cutters between the switch and PCB to free it. Then desolder and remove the leads one at a time. Finally, use a vacuum solder sucker to open the holes so the new switch can be inserted.

    Do you have replacement switches? DigiKey carries them.

    -Phil
  • DrPopDrPop Posts: 227
    Hi Phil, thanks for the great step by step! I hadn't sourced replacement switches yet, so thanks for letting me know where to get them as well. :)
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    Here's a link to the replacement switch:

    https://www.digikey.com/products/en?keywords=ckn9543-nd

    -Phil
  • GenetixGenetix Posts: 1,742
    DrPop,

    Try calling Parallax Tech Support for help with this.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,386
    I'm happy to replace these boards for you.

    Contact me at kgracey@parallax.com and we'll cross-ship a couple of PABs under an RMA number.

    Thanks,

    Ken Gracey
  • DrPopDrPop Posts: 227
    Hi Ken, I'm simply amazed at that level of customer service. There are no other words for it. I will gladly be in touch about the boards, that is extremely generous of you, but I don't think it's in any way Parallax's fault. The Activity Boards are solid and well built overall. It's just you know how kids are... :innocent:
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    DrPop,
    FWIW This is the way Parallax does business. That's why we love Parallax :)
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,975
    edited 2017-10-10 18:24
    Use cheap air rework station (see sparcfun). Heat carefully and remove slowly so you don't lift traces and pads. Best way I have found to minimize risk to the board.
  • RS_JimRS_Jim Posts: 1,753
    DrProp
    Just contact Ken and get them replaced, easypeasy and why we love Parallax!
    Jim
  • DrPopDrPop Posts: 227
    Thank you all, I will send a note to Ken, and I'll look at that air rework station as well for future projects.
  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    I don't have an air rework station, just the trusty solder sucker, and solder braid.
    Not only have I built tons of pcbs, including SMT 0402 and 0.5mm pitch ICs, but I don't damage boards either.

    If you are removing an old component, see if you can break it down without putting pressure on the pcb. Then you can remove a pin at a time. Helps to have some form of pcb vice so you can heat the solder on one side while pulling the pin on the other side with tiny pliers. Make sure there is plenty of solder on the pin so it heats quickly. Don't keep heat on the pcb any longer than absolutely necessary. Once the pins are out, solder and then suck the hole clean. Here is where the solder sucker on the opposite side helps, or solder braid on the same side as the iron.

    Small pliers and cutters are your friend, as is solder flux when resoldering.
  • frank freedmanfrank freedman Posts: 1,975
    edited 2017-10-13 05:51
    Before the cheap Auyuoi (that wants to think itself an ) air rework station, the method Cluso99 describes was my goto. My assumption was that if I suspected a chip enough to remove it, then do it, but cause no harm to the board. Dips were easy, cut each leg at the body and tweezers and soldering iron got the leg and sucker or good quality wick got the rest. Flat packs with leads not so easy, but with care doable. But with multilevel boards and heavy power and ground layers, I had to preheat the area to enable the pin to get hot enough to remove safely. Took a bit of heat for pushing for it, but the $8000usd saved on two multilayer boards took care of that. Of course, never could get them to spring for a zephtronics system. (Preheater, stand, hot air pencil, etc) just a bit more costly tHan the Auyuoi unit. There are some things that heating all connections at the same time is the best way to do it safely.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,386
    Hey DrPop- just making sure we got this issue addressed for you today. I usually pass it to our team and they take care of it, without checking back and seeing that we got it wrapped up.

    Ken Gracey
  • DrPopDrPop Posts: 227
    Thank you all for the repair tips, and special thanks to you, Mr. Gracey. Your team is incredibly efficient! Replacement boards on the way and a tracking number emailed within an hour of giving them my address.
    Hard to show in a forum post how impressed I am with this experience, but your customer care is real and has me looking forward to coming back for more bots and accessories in the future.
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