When solder joints go bad in RF adaptors

[vxbinaca]

I bought a RetroBit RF adapter off eBay, figuring i could use my SNES now at home finally instead of just work (the TV I have is tiny and has no composite). Problem solved, right? Wrong.

I hook it up and am presented with heavy snow and a sound not unlike a dentist removing a cavity from your skull.

So I get curious and open the case, what do I find? Crystallized joints abound. Mostly on the caps but a few on the wires leading to the coaxial and RCA wires (each of these broke during my inspection necessitating I fix it on the spot, cleaning the joints and laying down silver solder and a heaping amount of flux). In fact it seems the only functional joints are on the legs holding the input coaxial socket to the PCB.

So now it looks like next week I have a new project, going in and redoing joints, pulling parts closer to the PCB and trimming the leads. I actually found a few instances of shorts so there may be component damage as well.

I mean I know these aren't rare but I'm not buying another and it gives me more to add to my next Mouser order. Plus I like the idea of reviving hardware myself instead of juking it.



I'd get pictures,. but the Canon SD1200 Racket Boy inspired me to order hasn't arrived yet.

[Riqz85]

I'd get pictures,. but the Cannon SD1200 Racket Boy inspired me to order hasn't arrived yet.

Probably cos it weighs too much

[vxbinaca]

Yeah I fixed that, thanks.

Edit:

I mean it was so bad then I opened this thing that some of the joints had the consistency of cake icing, which means it completely failed.