Quick and dirty way to repair the board, here is what I would do: 1. Go to mouser electronics or digikey. 2. Purchase a circuit board repair pen. This is usually under PCB design/repair products section. 3. Clean / degrease the flaky area of the circuit board. Wash with water and let it dry. 4. Use the circuit board repair pen like a permanent marker and repair the traces. The ink in circuit board repair pen is electrically conductive. It's not as good as a brand new board, but it works and will get you up and running in no time. Costs about 30 bucks for the pen. No soldering required. Steve VIN#04421 --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "David Teitelbaum" <jtrealty@...> wrote: > > The rivets and bulb contacts are steel, the traces on the boards are > copper. You're right, it is not easy to solder them together. Most of > the time I see the solder just "blobbed" on, not really making > electrical contact. My theory is the point where the rivets and > contacts touch the copper oxidizes creating the bad contact point. > Squeezing the rivet helps to break through that oxidation. That's why > I like to use the tiny screws to make a tight connection and then > solder. Your idea of spraying laquer over it to seal it is not bad as > long as you can keep the stuff off of the points the bulbs must touch > and the plug. Too much heat and you lift the copper traces right off > the board! Scotch-Brite will clean things up without taking off the > silver. Make sure you have the right type of bulb in each spot. A > dreaded PO could have stuck a wrong type in the wrong spot. Also be > very careful about the double-filiment bulbs. One pin is lower than > the other to get the correct filiment in the right spot. You can force > it the wrong way and then you have the wrong filiment in the wrong > spot! Best insurance is to jut stick all new bulbs in. That way you > know they are good, clean, and the right ones! > David Teitelbaum > vin 10757 > > > > --- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "John Hervey" <john@> wrote: > > > > Geoff, > > The brads that hold the contacts to the board are 2 different kinds > of metal > > as well as the brad it self. It takes a special way to solder the 3 > > dis-similar metals, so if you try it don't hold the heat to long on the > > brad or the trace on the board will turn loose. I practiced on several > > boards till I got it right and it is worked out good so be careful. > > On the contacts, don't sand except with something like a 400 grit emery > > strip. Contacts have a small amount of silver on them to help > prevent rust > > and to enhance the contact connection. If you sand them you will > take off > > all the silver. > > John Hervey > > > To address comments privately to the moderating team, please address: moderators@xxxxxxxxxxx For more info on the list, tech articles, cars for sale see www.dmcnews.com To search the archives or view files, log in at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/dmcnews/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:dmcnews-digest@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:dmcnews-fullfeatured@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: dmcnews-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/