SMEC socketing

[kuzman83]

I just bought an smec computer today and i need to socket it to install a new chip. I have never done this and when i got it apart i found that the entire board is inside this epoxy. How have some of you done this. Remove all the epoxy? or do you just remove the section around the chip. Also is there a product similar to this that you use to replace the epoxy that was removed. I realize that the epoxy is there to protect against vibrations so i'm assuming that it needs to be replaced. Thanks for the help.

[minigts]

Cordes has an area on his site dedicated to this process. There is another site that has the info, but not sure if it's still around. I'm sure Brian will chime in. :)

[1BADVAN]

i just take it out and leave it out it really is for waterproofing and i try not to drive in lakes or heavy rain! search yahoo for socketing a SMEC and this is the best i have found http://www.turbododge.info/socket_p1.htm also i have extra sockets and a chip burner if you are interested in buying them pm me!

[minigts]

Thanks to Vigo for finding this and posting in another thread. :thumb:

http://www.turbododge.info/socket_p4.htm

[turbo84voyager]

Just remove the potting material around the chip on both sides. I found the best and safest way to do this is to use a dremel with the Bristle Brush . It looks like a paint brush for model cars. It is for polishing jewlery but it removes the potting material quickly and does not appear to harm the board. This is FAR faster and safer than a rasor. You need a desoldering gun. The ones from radio shack work fine. What I learned from my neighbor, an electronics engineer, is to use flux. Put the flux on touch the piece for about 2 seconds and release the bulb to suck in the solder. It is amazing how much the flux helps. With it I can clean out all the solder the first attempt. Install the socket and solder back on. If you cant find sockets locally look for an old PC card. I had a munch of old network cards laying around with unused sockets. I used these. They are also good for practicing desoldering and soldering. I use flux for this as well even though it is rosin core solder. Just make sure to clean the board with some alchol when complete to remove any remaing flux. I highly recomend getting a moates chip extender and cable. This way chip swaps are quick and easy and you are not putting pressure on the board swaping chips. After it is all completed fill the areas where the potting material was removed with sensor safe RTV.

[cordes]

It's not much, and most of what is in there has already been said about the process, but here is a link to my SBEC section.

http://www.omniglht.com/sbec.html