SSOP28 Bodge Wire - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 04:02:45 pm
content: Hey guys,I was attempting to solder a SSOP28 IC to a home etched PCB this afternoon. While tacking down one of the corners, I accidentally bridged two of the pins. After using some solder wick to remove the bridge, the copper going to the second pin lifted off the board. I managed to solder the rest of pins good enough. Please see the image below. The piece of copper in front of the first and second pins is the part that lifted off the board. It should be a trace going straight to the second pin.Hereis a link to a higher resolution image.My first thought for fixing this was a bodge wire, but the thinnest wire I have is around 1.5 pins wide. How else could I go about repairing this?

author: Performa01
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 04:11:28 pm
content: There won't be too many alternatives to a bodge wire, I'm afraid.You sure have some stranded wires in your drawer? Take one of them and pull one single wire out of the bundle ...

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 05:06:27 pm
content: The stranded wire is a great idea. Thank you

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 07:27:18 pm
content: The wire strands worked great! I ended up twisting 3 or 4 of the strands together though. Thank you Performa01Here's a pic for anyone interested:Hereis a link to a higher resolution image.

author: Performa01
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 09:16:10 am
content: This one worked out pretty well, didn't it? Good job!

author: HighInBC
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 18, 2015, 07:10:31 pm
content: Bitshift thanks for the post. I am impressed with that repair job, I will have to try that if I am ever in a situation like that.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2015, 01:15:41 am
content: Great repair job! That said, next time, instead of solder wick, just use a chisel tip (or a drag soldering tip if you have one) and drag off the solder bridge — no wick needed!

author: SteveLy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2015, 03:25:29 am
content: That's some top quality bodge right there! Well done!

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 19, 2015, 03:31:54 am
content: Yes, very nice! And a great idea to use the individual strands from some stranded wire... I might not have thought of that myself.Here's my very first try at replacing a "large" surface mount chip, some years ago. It's a motor controller from a Celestron CGEM telescope mount. I had to replace some entire traces, as you can see, using #30 wire-wrap wire. I did use the "Chip-Quick" stuff to get the old one off. Probably still used too much heat since traces lifted, etc.But it works! Still using it in my mount, although I have a complete replacement new board in the drawer, waiting for the next big failure....

author: wagon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2015, 11:17:21 pm
content: I find a couple of plain copper (not tinned) strands work the best. I have repaired dozens of boards in this way over the years. I've also ground away the plastic casings of IC's and attached a wire directly to the leadframe, then sealed it with a drop of epoxy. When you have nothing to lose.....