PCB Damage Repair Advice

[maxstu]

My Autosleeper HAD a perfect blue foil with everything working. But the clock was a bit lazy on some days. And the temp needle a bit higher than it used to be. So l though l would change out the voltage regulator.

l oh so stupidly slipped with a small screwdriver and cut across these two tracks for clock, temp gauge and temp light.

I did a slight bit of scraping to expose copper tracks and bridged with copper tape (used to stop slugs entering pots) But to no avail. I doesn't stop the slugs either!

What's the best permanent repair option please?

Regards
Stuart

[silverbullet]

Conductive paint for pcb track repair is a thing. Never used it myself.

PS copper tape probably won't work because the adhesive is an insulator.

[maxstu]

Thanks Ian,

Will scrape away more to reveal the copper. Then try some conductive paint.

There's a computer repair shop across the road. Perhaps they can fix it?

[Aidan]

if you have completely torn through the laminate then you'll need to remove the foil and reinforce the rear with an insulator layer as the plate for the heatsink is also a conductor and could be bridging the two tracks
You can also follow the tracks and do some point to point wiring to replace the tracks, soldering to the component crimps, but you will still need to ensure the original tracks are insulated
The guitar industry uses copper foil that has electroconductive glue for shielding cavities in guitars, I have some of that, could send you a couple of square inches that you could cut up and try, probably best with some conductive paint in addition
I have a petrol clock foil in stock that is pretty good but it has one very poor 14 pin connector track, iirc track 1. I sold the voltage regulator off it to someone on here a couple of years ago as they didn't want to use the reverse pin version that is sold now, though I found it was possible to find the correct one, old stock, from various suppliers, but more expensive than the one Brickie and others sell

[maxstu]

Thanks. A good piece of advice..

That's what caused the damage. Well l did. .

I was replacing the regulator for a reverse Brickie version and slipped across the track and it is now completely in two halves. I was using a watch screwdriver to remove two rubber bumps below the regulator as shown and advised on Brickwerks website. My usual cackhandedness and poor eyesight close up buggers the day.

So that plate the regulator sits on is a heatsink plate? And as it sits under the two broken tracks it could conduct current away and prevent continuity?

Got it thanks.

Thanks for those offers. As l feel a bit out of salts with this, for now l would rather pay someone to fix it properly. Will pop down the road to computer repair place and see of they have a solution. And will inform about the heatsink.

If they are not interested will make use of you kind offer.

Regards
Stuart

[maxstu]

Decided to put my adult trousers on and sort this myself.

I managed to solder the bridge with good results and no interference from the sink plate below.



Clock, coolant light and gauge now working. COOL!



Tested and running as it should....

Plus l now have the odometer & trip working.

But now no oil light again l think the bulb has blown. Perhaps something to do with my soldering???

Thanks to all

Stuart

[tobydog]

I'd slip a thin piece of card or plastic underneath your repair to be safe 
 

[The Hairy Camper]

I'd slip a thin piece of card or plastic underneath your repair to be safe 

Some Kapton tape should do a good job insulating the underside

[maxstu]

I will be taking out dash later in summer.
Will insulate sink plate then