Circuitbenders Forum

Circuitbenders Forum => BENDING TIPS => Circuitbending discussion => Repair advice & questions. => Topic started by: MAGTIG on August 09, 2009, 10:27:45 PM

Title: Acid Leaks (neutralize and repair)
Post by: MAGTIG on August 09, 2009, 10:27:45 PM
I just scored a CZ-101 at a yardsale for $40, but there's acid damage. Not on the main boards thankfully, but it seems to have caused a small controller chip for the master tune buttons to stop working.

What's the best way to neutralize the acid and stop the damage from spreading?
Title: Re: Acid Leaks (neutralize and repair)
Post by: MAGTIG on August 10, 2009, 07:17:04 AM
I successfully repaired it! This is what I found searching google for an acid neutralizer (baking soda mixture): http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/3553.html (http://www.tipking.co.uk/tip/3553.html)

But I wound up just using good old fashioned shampoo, soap and water. Basically I gave the dirty fucker a shower and rigorous scrubbing. 

I had to resolder all the wires to the chip. It was interesting because the acid had caused a hard non-conductive shell, like rock, to form on the outside of the solder blobs. When I finally got the solder underneath to melt these hard shells came off like egg shells. I pushed them aside with the solder gun. I also had to cut all the wires, re-attach them and resolder all the points. I think what happened is the acid caused the metal to lose its conductive nature, preventing any electrical signal from getting through, but I only started doing this a couple months ago so what do I know. I wish I had a before pic so you could see how crud encrusted it was. Nonetheless, here's a picture:

(http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3561/3807061470_25e831a42f.jpg)

I've never played a CZ before, this thing sounds ridiculously awesome. $40 is starting to seem like quite a bargain.
Title: Re: Acid Leaks (neutralize and repair)
Post by: Circuitbenders on August 10, 2009, 01:19:59 PM
Anyone who's ever opened a machine made by Cheetah knows the horror of this.

I usually use some isopropyl alchohol on a cotton bud to dissolve the crap and clean it away, altthough this does tend to remove any lettering etc on the board.