Need advice on replacing a damaged shoulder button

[hollowshell18]

The left shoulder button (the physical switch on the pcb) of my Pandora has stopped clicking.  I've ordered and received a replacement switch from digikey, as per the second post of this thread: http://boards.openpandora.org/topic/8362-fixed-broken-shoulder-button//URL] .

I'm comfortable with a soldering iron, though it's been a while since I've needed to use one.

Does anyone have experience replacing one of these switches that they can share?  Specifically, I'm having trouble removing the damaged switch from the pcb.

Thanks.

 

[EvilDragon]

Put some new solder on first, that will help with removing

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[hollowshell18]

Put some new solder on first, that will help with removing


Sent from my MK16i using Tapatalk

That's a good idea, thanks.   

Also, is the switch attached on both sides of the pcb?  I can't tell if theres some on the keyboard side or not.

 

[levi]

It looks to be through-hole mounted - I can see little solder patches in the four corners of the switch mount on the keyboard side.  But just heating the solder on the underside should melt this solder too.

Make sure your soldering iron is set hot enough.  The Pandora uses lead-free solder (I assume) so you'll need to set your iron a little hotter for working with that than you do for old leaded solder.  I generally use the mid 300s for lead-free silver solder, wheras the high 200s or low 300s is enough for leaded solder.

If your soldering iron doesn't have a temperature control, go out and buy a proper iron.

 

[EvilDragon]

No, it isn't. It's surface mounted.

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[mcobit]

The solderpads on the bottom are for L/R 2.


Take some solderwick and put some new solder or flux on the pads. The suck away excessive solder, put some new solder on and get u der the button with a knife or something. Then heat it up and gently lift it. Don't use too much heat as you could lift the pad also. The button pads should lift up easily.


For reattaching clean the pads, then apply some new solder to the pads and button.


press the button on the pads and heat then up until the solder melts.

 

[levi]

FWIW, I was referring to these solder bumps here (circled in red):

I'd guess they're holes in the PCB that the solder paste flowed through, designed to give the button more purchase on the board.  The solderpads for L/R2 are further down on the other side, just below that positive pad for the right side, and just below that inductor that always falls off when people drop their Pandoras on the other side, labelled L/R2.

 

[EvilDragon]

Nope, they've got nothing to do with the shoulderbuttons.