fixing my speakers, electronics - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

noahfor · 04-30-2004, 12:58 PM

I know nothing about electronics, but I want to fix my computer speakers. They were expensive and the warranty has run out. The problem with them is they just don't turn on. I opened them up, and checked all the soldering and it was still intact, but I noticed that the board everything is soldered to was cracked in half. It's not completely separated but there is a fracture line running accross the width of the board. Is there any way I can fix it without buying new parts? Like can I use solder to connect the little foil pieces on the bottom that are separated by the crack? Is the foil(actually I don't know what it is) on the bottom surface off the board, or is it embedded? Thanks.

shakran · 04-30-2004, 01:33 PM

it's done. It's dead. Time for new speakers.

noahfor · 04-30-2004, 02:22 PM

Damn you Tabatha!

WarWagon · 05-02-2004, 01:15 AM

You can, but its extremely difficult and time consuming to do, and probably not worth the effort.

shakran · 05-02-2004, 04:19 AM

I don't think he can. He'd need a new circuit board, and finding one would be next to impossible. Even if you managed to finangle one from the manufacturer, they'd probably charge you almost as much as you paid for the speakers themselves.

Soldering the "foil pieces" together won't work - it'll change the resistance, which will alter the way the board processes the signals. And that's assuming you can manage to get 'em soldered together in the first place - something that I highly doubt you'll be able to do with any accuracy.

kazoo · 05-02-2004, 09:13 AM

I'll assume from the third post that kitty knocked the speaker(s) over?

All is not lost. Doubting that the board is epoxy coated, the foils should be able to receive repair. First, remove the board and stabilize the two halves with respect to one another. Ordinary 5 minute epoxy or superglue should suffice-place it along the crack on the component side, and on any wide areas of the foil side, but don't get epoxy on the foils. Once it cures, if you have a steady hand, bridge the breaks with solder and a low-wattage iron. Another alternative is to get a flex conductive pen, which dispenses a conductive silver polymer, said to dry in minutes. Available from www.mcm.electronics.com.
No argument, that this is lot of work to go through, and the result is questionable, but it is an alternative to buying new, and the OP said they were expensive. I've used these techniques when a system was down, part wasn't immediately available, and awaiting a replacement wasn't an option, either.

WarWagon · 05-02-2004, 11:57 AM

The conductive pen was the route I used when fixing circuit boards in the past. Again, its very difficult to keep things where they need to be.

shakran · 05-02-2004, 02:19 PM

Yeah, but Kazoo, you know what you're doing, ya know? for a novice to fix a small circuit board like that with no prior experience? That's VERY unlikely.

noahfor · 05-02-2004, 02:50 PM

I'm not a novice to aoldering electronics. I took an extracurricular electronic class from 9th to 12th grade. However, we never actually learned anything about electronics, just how to solder pieces onto a board.

kazoo · 05-02-2004, 03:54 PM

You're correct, shakran. Over the years, I've developed a philosophy which basically states: If an attempted repair isn't terribly expensive, go for it. What you're trying to fix is broken anyway, so you aren't likely to break it worse. In the course of such attempts I've learned much, including volumes of stuff I'd never try again.

tehhappyboy · 05-12-2004, 11:04 PM

Well. This fix only works for Single Level circuit boards. Your speakers likely have these. If you're trying to fix a motherboard or any complicated board they are made up of multiple levels and THOSE you really cannot fix unless you're into X-Actoing up each level and somehow runnign foil across.

The trick you use is great for simple stuff. Like the guy who build the atari 2600 portable system. He cut up his 2600 mainboard and repositioned it all. Very clever.
http://www.classicgaming.com/vcsp/Vagabond03.htm

WarWagon · 05-12-2004, 11:17 PM

Not to get off topic, but the guy in the Atari writeup used brushed aluminum vinyl. I've only been able to find one source for this, and it was $10 a foot. Can anyone else find any sources for this? Some of our customers would shit a brick if we put this in their cars.

04-30-2004, 12:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
noahfor Addict	fixing my speakers, electronics I know nothing about electronics, but I want to fix my computer speakers. They were expensive and the warranty has run out. The problem with them is they just don't turn on. I opened them up, and checked all the soldering and it was still intact, but I noticed that the board everything is soldered to was cracked in half. It's not completely separated but there is a fracture line running accross the width of the board. Is there any way I can fix it without buying new parts? Like can I use solder to connect the little foil pieces on the bottom that are separated by the crack? Is the foil(actually I don't know what it is) on the bottom surface off the board, or is it embedded? Thanks.

04-30-2004, 02:22 PM	#3 (permalink)
noahfor Addict	Damn you Tabatha! Damn you Tabatha!

05-02-2004, 09:13 AM	#6 (permalink)
kazoo Psycho Location: Where the night things are	I'll assume from the third post that kitty knocked the speaker(s) over? All is not lost. Doubting that the board is epoxy coated, the foils should be able to receive repair. First, remove the board and stabilize the two halves with respect to one another. Ordinary 5 minute epoxy or superglue should suffice-place it along the crack on the component side, and on any wide areas of the foil side, but don't get epoxy on the foils. Once it cures, if you have a steady hand, bridge the breaks with solder and a low-wattage iron. Another alternative is to get a flex conductive pen, which dispenses a conductive silver polymer, said to dry in minutes. Available from www.mcm.electronics.com. No argument, that this is lot of work to go through, and the result is questionable, but it is an alternative to buying new, and the OP said they were expensive. I've used these techniques when a system was down, part wasn't immediately available, and awaiting a replacement wasn't an option, either. __________________ There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity -Big Daddy

05-02-2004, 03:54 PM	#10 (permalink)
kazoo Psycho Location: Where the night things are	You're correct, shakran. Over the years, I've developed a philosophy which basically states: If an attempted repair isn't terribly expensive, go for it. What you're trying to fix is broken anyway, so you aren't likely to break it worse. In the course of such attempts I've learned much, including volumes of stuff I'd never try again. __________________ There ain't nothin' more powerful than the odor of mendacity -Big Daddy

05-12-2004, 11:04 PM	#11 (permalink)
tehhappyboy Tilted	Well. This fix only works for Single Level circuit boards. Your speakers likely have these. If you're trying to fix a motherboard or any complicated board they are made up of multiple levels and THOSE you really cannot fix unless you're into X-Actoing up each level and somehow runnign foil across. The trick you use is great for simple stuff. Like the guy who build the atari 2600 portable system. He cut up his 2600 mainboard and repositioned it all. Very clever. http://www.classicgaming.com/vcsp/Vagabond03.htm __________________ I'm a happy boy, happy boy, way to get when things are going your way. Hey Hey. ...Pretty sure I asked for Pecan Sandies...

04-30-2004, 01:33 PM	#2 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	it's done. It's dead. Time for new speakers.

05-02-2004, 01:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	You can, but its extremely difficult and time consuming to do, and probably not worth the effort.

05-02-2004, 04:19 AM	#5 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	I don't think he can. He'd need a new circuit board, and finding one would be next to impossible. Even if you managed to finangle one from the manufacturer, they'd probably charge you almost as much as you paid for the speakers themselves. Soldering the "foil pieces" together won't work - it'll change the resistance, which will alter the way the board processes the signals. And that's assuming you can manage to get 'em soldered together in the first place - something that I highly doubt you'll be able to do with any accuracy.

05-02-2004, 11:57 AM	#7 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	The conductive pen was the route I used when fixing circuit boards in the past. Again, its very difficult to keep things where they need to be.

05-02-2004, 02:19 PM	#8 (permalink)
shakran Tone.	Yeah, but Kazoo, you know what you're doing, ya know? for a novice to fix a small circuit board like that with no prior experience? That's VERY unlikely.

05-02-2004, 02:50 PM	#9 (permalink)
noahfor Addict	I'm not a novice to aoldering electronics. I took an extracurricular electronic class from 9th to 12th grade. However, we never actually learned anything about electronics, just how to solder pieces onto a board.

05-12-2004, 11:17 PM	#12 (permalink)
WarWagon Loser	Not to get off topic, but the guy in the Atari writeup used brushed aluminum vinyl. I've only been able to find one source for this, and it was $10 a foot. Can anyone else find any sources for this? Some of our customers would shit a brick if we put this in their cars.