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Old 02-04-2020, 05:19 PM   #1
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Xantrex Inverter Circuit board

Hello Everyone,
I'm trying to replace some semiconductors, which some are underneath this piece of metal that I'm pointing at (see photo). Does anyone have any clue on how I can get this piece of metal off? The solder on it isn't the same as it is on the rest of the board. I appreciate your input. Thanks!

Alex R.
2003 Monaco Diplomat
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Old 02-04-2020, 09:55 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alexr237 View Post
Hello Everyone,
I'm trying to replace some semiconductors, which some are underneath this piece of metal that I'm pointing at (see photo). Does anyone have any clue on how I can get this piece of metal off? The solder on it isn't the same as it is on the rest of the board. I appreciate your input. Thanks!

Alex R.
2003 Monaco Diplomat
Well if your soldering iron isn’t melting it, it might be silver solder which needs around 1200 degrees

BTW really admire the effort...
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Old 02-04-2020, 10:27 PM   #3
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Yikes! Please don't put any more heat to the board until this is sorted!

What model xantrex is it? I might have a junk one to play along with. In the meantime I'll guess: I think that piece of metal (T) is a mounting strut. I don't think it's soldered on. I think those two screws, and possibly some heat sink compound should be the only things holding it to the board. If you can't get the screws to turn, use a cutoff wheel on your Dremel to remove the heads and then turn the headless shafts out from the "back" side. Replace of course with new screws. Then if the T is still stuck to the board, gently get a thin spatula or putty knife in the seam and work them apart. Electromotive might help break any bond.

Are you sure you're looking at "solder" and not some heat absorption, tinning, or other coating? Could it be zinc? Circuit board solder is low temp stuff and you don't want heat to transfer unnecessarily on a circuit board. Do you have needle tip handpieces and a desolder station?

If you're looking at the semiconductors that have the big burned flare between them (pic2, left, inboard), I think they come off at those solder points just above the plate in pic1. I don't think you need to remove the mount. But I'm not looking at the actual board.
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Old 02-04-2020, 10:48 PM   #4
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What makes you think there is anything under the metal bar? Looks to me to either be a heat sync or possibly a main voltage tie. My initial guess is heat sync and that the parts you want to move are directly above the bar only held in place by the three pins.soldered to the board. Can"t really tell but I think they are MOSFET diodes.
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Old 02-05-2020, 01:13 AM   #5
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Yikes! Please don't put any more heat to the board until this is sorted!

What model xantrex is it? I might have a junk one to play along with. In the meantime I'll guess: I think that piece of metal (T) is a mounting strut. I don't think it's soldered on. I think those two screws, and possibly some heat sink compound should be the only things holding it to the board. If you can't get the screws to turn, use a cutoff wheel on your Dremel to remove the heads and then turn the headless shafts out from the "back" side. Replace of course with new screws. Then if the T is still stuck to the board, gently get a thin spatula or putty knife in the seam and work them apart. Electromotive might help break any bond.

Are you sure you're looking at "solder" and not some heat absorption, tinning, or other coating? Could it be zinc? Circuit board solder is low temp stuff and you don't want heat to transfer unnecessarily on a circuit board. Do you have needle tip handpieces and a desolder station?

If you're looking at the semiconductors that have the big burned flare between them (pic2, left, inboard), I think they come off at those solder points just above the plate in pic1. I don't think you need to remove the mount. But I'm not looking at the actual board.
Ah the voice of reason. Better consider this before you get out the torch!
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Old 02-05-2020, 05:10 AM   #6
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Heat gun to heat the heat sink, then solder sucker ( not a plastic one) or wick to remove solder on edges.

We have specialized equipment to heat boards with large heat sinks, but it just a fancy expensive heat gun, even then its hit or miss if something gets destroyed.
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Old 02-05-2020, 05:13 AM   #7
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Not seeing why that has to come off
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Old 02-05-2020, 07:35 AM   #8
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If you look just above the bar, you'll see a series of 3 solder points. Each one of those has a connection that runs underneath that bar.
I can also see that there is a "weld" around the bar connecting it to the board, the screws are irrelevant but they are stuck on.
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Old 02-05-2020, 07:42 AM   #9
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Send it to a company called Global Electronics in Georgia. They specialize in the repair of all circuit boards. They have repaired several boards for me.
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Old 02-11-2020, 05:28 AM   #10
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alexr237,

I too admire your effort! I’m probably about 50-50 over my lifetime of attempting to repair circuit boards and I rarely miss a chance to at least try. I suspect those leads that go under the plate are connected to the plate and the plate is probably a heat sink. You might verify those connections. If so, could you snip those leads off of the device at the device you are replacing and solder the new lead to the top or edge of the plate?
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Old 02-11-2020, 05:58 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by alexr237 View Post
If you look just above the bar, you'll see a series of 3 solder points. Each one of those has a connection that runs underneath that bar.
I can also see that there is a "weld" around the bar connecting it to the board, the screws are irrelevant but they are stuck on.
Ok I see it now, no idea why its like that unless it's a high current leg. I would leave the bar as is unsolder the 3 legs and cut the leg at the bar, solder the new one in and bend leg to the bar and solder. Gonna need to preheat that bar.
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Old 02-12-2020, 07:58 AM   #12
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alexr237,

I too admire your effort! I’m probably about 50-50 over my lifetime of attempting to repair circuit boards and I rarely miss a chance to at least try. I suspect those leads that go under the plate are connected to the plate and the plate is probably a heat sink. You might verify those connections. If so, could you snip those leads off of the device at the device you are replacing and solder the new lead to the top or edge of the plate?
That's actually what I now plan on doing BUT the solder that is attached to those particular pins won't melt like the others. Maybe my iron is too weak? And if that's the case, why are those particular pins soldered with a higher temp solder? Thanks!
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Old 02-13-2020, 05:15 AM   #13
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I really don’t know but I suspect the heat sink is doing its job and your soldering iron isn’t able to melt the solder because of that. My guess is that the solder is the same. You might try physically (and carefully) cutting an old lead and then de-solder. You might also try going over to an available edge and see if you can make a new solder connection there, just with a test wire, to see if your soldering iron is going to be able to solder the new device later. That might help you decide if a higher wattage iron is the answer.
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Old 02-13-2020, 08:15 AM   #14
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If it’s a heat sink, higher melting point solder (like silver solder as mentioned above) seems probable
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