Mouse help.

[frosty]

I kind of killed the ribbon cable when I was trying to fix the leds on my Deathadder... I'm using wires to act as joints (pictured) but the solder between the wires in the ribbon cable and the wire on the board just doesn't stay (it sticks with the iron.

Questions: Is there a way I can fix this without getting another ribbon cable?

Where can I find a ribbon cable?

[dorkvader]

You can solder than with some technique, or get some dupont jumpers if there's room. Also make sure the sensor still works (I see it melted a little).

[frosty]

You can solder than with some technique, or get some dupont jumpers if there's room. Also make sure the sensor still works (I see it melted a little).

Will the red wire shown in the picture act enough as a jumper? Oh damn I didn't see that the sensor melted, will check now. Don't feel like paying for a new mouse as Ivan's R4 orders are open...

[frosty]

The sensor works, just checked. So, where can I get some jumpers (will electronic wires work and will the wire shown in my picture work?) or a new ribbon cable?

[frosty]

Anyone?

[DamnDan]

You can just get an IDE connector for HDD or Floppy connector ribbon cable Then cut it to size and solder it to the mainboard and daughter board without using wires as joints.



Be cautious while working with ribbon cables - cable inside is just a single strand of thick wire which heats up quick melting the insulation rubber. Perhaps try finding thin cables which have multiple strands of copper wire - this way flux will stay where you need it. Or try using flux while soldering directly to the board.

Getting new ribbon cable should solve the issue of you using uninsulated wires as joints which might cause shorting between each cable and you ending up with dead mouse

[frosty]

You can just get an IDE connector for HDD or Floppy connector ribbon cable Then cut it to size and solder it to the mainboard and daughter board without using wires as joints.

Show Image

Be cautious while working with ribbon cables - cable inside is just a single strand of thick wire which heats up quick melting the insulation rubber. Perhaps try finding thin cables which have multiple strands of copper wire - this way flux will stay where you need it. Or try using flux while soldering directly to the board.

Getting new ribbon cable should solve the issue of you using uninsulated wires as joints which might cause shorting between each cable and you ending up with dead mouse :)

Thanks! With proper insulation it should be fine for me to use jumper wires right? Problem is I don't really know which gauge/thickness to get... Is there a specific wire I should get?

[DamnDan]

You can just get an IDE connector for HDD or Floppy connector ribbon cable Then cut it to size and solder it to the mainboard and daughter board without using wires as joints.

Show Image

Be cautious while working with ribbon cables - cable inside is just a single strand of thick wire which heats up quick melting the insulation rubber. Perhaps try finding thin cables which have multiple strands of copper wire - this way flux will stay where you need it. Or try using flux while soldering directly to the board.

Getting new ribbon cable should solve the issue of you using uninsulated wires as joints which might cause shorting between each cable and you ending up with dead mouse :)

Thanks! With proper insulation it should be fine for me to use jumper wires right? Problem is I don't really know which gauge/thickness to get... Is there a specific wire I should get?

For me it looks like you would be good with an old IDE cable :)

But if you don't want to use ribbon go with the thinnest cable you can get. :) I have no clue which gauge to use :P a cable is a cable, go with one that will allow you to close the mouse back up after the fix :)

[Oobly]

You can simply use the wire you show in your second picture. It will work fine. Just try to get the lengths of the pieces about the same as each other (and similar to the ribbon cable length) and only strip a couple mm of insulation off each end.

[frosty]

You can simply use the wire you show in your second picture. It will work fine. Just try to get the lengths of the pieces about the same as each other (and similar to the ribbon cable length) and only strip a couple mm of insulation off each end.

Thank you both!

[berserkfan]

OK, looking at this, I’m pretty sure you should buy a ribbon cable. The question is, what is the correct size. You’ll have to bring this to Sim Lim Tower. The cable should be very cheap (under $2), but finding the correct size will take time.
 
Also, is the tip of your soldering iron sharp enough? Do you have 0.4mm solder? Thick solder wire will leave big, clumsy pools and due to their size they are hard to heat properly leading to the sticking problem.

Like the posters above, I am most concerned about a short. You see, your first picture is very dangerous. There is so much exposed wire that you’re practically guaranteed to short something.

Do remember to use electrical tape /  hot glue to cover that area afterwards as these will insulate.

[frosty]

Okay... new problem.  I lifted a pad on the mouse pcb and it appears to be a single sided pcb with NO traces. Am I ****ed? Let's hope it's not a important function as the pad I lifted was to the one the ribbon connector connected.

Edit: It is one out of the ten holes the ribbon connector connected to.

[neverused]

Looking at the photos you posted, there are plenty of traces on that board. It is very likely that a small portion of the trace that was attached to that pad is visible. You can then use some very fine sandpaper or even a needle point and remove the masking on the trace, then just solder to that.

Also I would suggest that you just route the connections with regular wire rather than ribbon cable,that way you can replace individual strands if you mess up.

[frosty]

Looking at the photos you posted, there are plenty of traces on that board. It is very likely that a small portion of the trace that was attached to that pad is visible. You can then use some very fine sandpaper or even a needle point and remove the masking on the trace, then just solder to that.

Also I would suggest that you just route the connections with regular wire rather than ribbon cable,that way you can replace individual strands if you mess up.

I am using individual wires because that way it's easier, when I get back home I'll post clearer photos

[frosty]

What the ****? All pads except for the last one lifted. Wts is this... Can anyone help me I don't want a bricked mouse

[suicidal_orange]

Scratch that, I now see the pic is of a completely different PCB...

Can you take pics of both sides from a similar angle to your the one with your soldered ribbon cable?  There were traces visible there but the dark PCB doesn't make them easy to see.

[frosty]

I can't see any traces in the second pic but in the first one it looks like at least some of them go in straight diagonal lines towards the legs on the far side of the chip - can you see them?  You'll need to scratch the blue/black off the thick sections (the thin lines are the dividers) until they go shiny, but be careful as it's not that hard to go straight through.  If you stagger your scratches it will be easier not to short two together.

Your mouse isn't dead yet

I was thinking of scratching the second pcb's blue/black off to see traces but I don't know.

[suicidal_orange]

Please see edited reply above - I'm not fully awake yet )

[frosty]

Please help me
Not exactly sure how I am going to solder on those joints with the lifted pad. If only I can solve that problem.

[suicidal_orange]

Lovely pics of the PCB that you've got working - at that angle all the traces show up really well.

Unfortunately the pics of the PCB with the lifted pads are at a different angle so it's very hard to see anything.  There must be traces on at least one side so you need to try and get them to show up, not an easy task especially when trying to avoid the flash washing everything out

[frosty]

Lovely pics of the PCB that you've got working - at that angle all the traces show up really well.

Unfortunately the pics of the PCB with the lifted pads are at a different angle so it's very hard to see anything.  There must be traces on at least one side so you need to try and get them to show up, not an easy task especially when trying to avoid the flash washing everything out

It's already very hard to see in real life for the pcb that isn't working.

[suicidal_orange]

Well you have two options - keep trying until you get a pic that shows them (you can enlarge pics so they are better than looking at the PCB itself) or find someone else who has the same model mouse and a multimeter that is willing to take it apart and tell you what the pins are connected to, which you can then replicate.  Other than that no-one can help you.

[frosty]

Well you have two options - keep trying until you get a pic that shows them (you can enlarge pics so they are better than looking at the PCB itself) or find someone else who has the same model mouse and a multimeter that is willing to take it apart and tell you what the pins are connected to, which you can then replicate.  Other than that no-one can help you.

Will try tmr since it's night here.

[dorkvader]

fortunately you don't really need those solder pads you lifted, you can just solder directly to the switches, LED, scroll sensor, etc.

[frosty]

fortunately you don't really need those solder pads you lifted, you can just solder directly to the switches, LED, scroll sensor, etc.

So I have to find out which hole is for which component and just solder them directly to the holes of the working pcb? It's going to be very messy right?

[dorkvader]

fortunately you don't really need those solder pads you lifted, you can just solder directly to the switches, LED, scroll sensor, etc.

So I have to find out which hole is for which component and just solder them directly to the holes of the working pcb? It's going to be very messy right?

Yep that's it, and yes it can get messy. You can cut the wires to length and "route" them around to help. I recommend some very narrow solid core wire so you can easily get it around, but what you have should work too.

On the plus side, it should work fine.

do you have a DMM or a good eye? you can see where the traces go if you hold the PCB up to the light. At an extreme angle and backlit you can see the "bump" of the traces against the glare, though it might be hard on such a small PCB.

And if it's a 4 layer you need a DMM.

[neverused]

I still recommend getting some high grit wet/dry sandpaper and very carefully removing the pcb mask so that you can see the traces below to solder to. Keep in mind that since you removed the pads on both sides somehow, you will need to make sure that they were not thru holes and if they were, they need to be reconnected.

[frosty]

I still recommend getting some high grit wet/dry sandpaper and very carefully removing the pcb mask so that you can see the traces below to solder to. Keep in mind that since you removed the pads on both sides somehow, you will need to make sure that they were not thru holes and if they were, they need to be reconnected.

Pretty sure I only removed pads on one side. It is a single sided pcb. Well, I'd actually pay one of you guys to help me do this

[neverused]

Does anyone else think that he could connect the points marked TP4, TP5, TP6, etc on both boards and bypass the lifted pads? If the two boards were connected, I believe that each pair of points should be continuous. Thoughts?

[suicidal_orange]

Does anyone else think that he could connect the points marked TP4, TP5, TP6, etc on both boards and bypass the lifted pads? If the two boards were connected, I believe that each pair of points should be continuous. Thoughts?

If there are the same number of TPs on both boards and they connect in a meaningful way to the pins on the working board and the one remaining pin on the broken board connects to the same TP (either 1 or it sounds like it's worth a try.  Need more pics!

[neverused]

There are definitely more TP points on the larger board.

[frosty]

1 for scroll wheel, 2 for mouse, 2 for side, 1 for scroll whell button, 1 for led. That's all I can think of really.

[berserkfan]

Wow Frosty, I really want to help you but this is way beyond me.

Is the mouse so special? I'm sorry but as a guy who has not gamed nor used mice in a long time I just don't know the difference between an expensive mouse and a standard free optical mouse.

[frosty]

Wow Frosty, I really want to help you but this is way beyond me.

Is the mouse so special? I'm sorry but as a guy who has not gamed nor used mice in a long time I just don't know the difference between an expensive mouse and a standard free optical mouse.

U see, I love ergonomic mouse and am left handed. This mouse was made for me and it costs like 70 sgd so I don't feel like buying another one when this is probably can be saved.

[neverused]

Well you're going to need to see the traces to either solder to or to work your way back to the individual components. Personally I would solder to the traces near the holes, but at the very least I would try to use the one common ground that they all probably share.

Better images would help if possible.

[berserkfan]

Wow Frosty, I really want to help you but this is way beyond me.

Is the mouse so special? I'm sorry but as a guy who has not gamed nor used mice in a long time I just don't know the difference between an expensive mouse and a standard free optical mouse.

U see, I love ergonomic mouse and am left handed. This mouse was made for me and it costs like 70 sgd so I don't feel like buying another one when this is probably can be saved.

How can the Razer Deathadder, which is a right handed ergonomic mouse, be right for you? I am totally puzzled.

[suicidal_orange]

How can the Razer Deathadder, which is a right handed ergonomic mouse, be right for you? I am totally puzzled.

Perhaps the Deathadder shed it's old skin and grew into a custom, left hand friendly, one?  That or his(?) hand is a strange shape and it just works for him, I prefer reverse italic fountain pens and they are usually sold as for left handers (I'm a righty...)

You were going to post some more pics frosty, we can help you fix this.  We need a top down of the whole PCB and one at an angle so the shine shows everything nicely for both sides, like the ones you posted of the other PCB.  That's 4 pics total

[dorkvader]

TP stands for "test point" and is usually used to QC the board after production. They usually connect to something useful but it's hard to say what.

It looks like there are a lot of them, probably enough so that there's one per item so you can solder to the test point.

Just need to know to put what wire where. You can probably connect them one at a time to figure it out.

[frosty]

Wow Frosty, I really want to help you but this is way beyond me.

Is the mouse so special? I'm sorry but as a guy who has not gamed nor used mice in a long time I just don't know the difference between an expensive mouse and a standard free optical mouse.

U see, I love ergonomic mouse and am left handed. This mouse was made for me and it costs like 70 sgd so I don't feel like buying another one when this is probably can be saved.

How can the Razer Deathadder, which is a right handed ergonomic mouse, be right for you? I am totally puzzled.

It's the left handed edition, not commonly available.

[frosty]

How can the Razer Deathadder, which is a right handed ergonomic mouse, be right for you? I am totally puzzled.

Perhaps the Deathadder shed it's old skin and grew into a custom, left hand friendly, one?  That or his(?) hand is a strange shape and it just works for him, I prefer reverse italic fountain pens and they are usually sold as for left handers (I'm a righty...)

You were going to post some more pics frosty, we can help you fix this.  We need a top down of the whole PCB and one at an angle so the shine shows everything nicely for both sides, like the ones you posted of the other PCB.  That's 4 pics total

Will do when I get back!

[neverused]

Any pics?

[frosty]

I'll be getting solvent to get rid of the flux on the broken pcb. It's blocking traces.

And one more thing is, it's impossible to capture the traces of the broken pcb. It's already super hard to see them with the human eye.

[neverused]

Isopropyl alcohol should do the trick for the flux. As for the pcb masking making it hard to see, my previous suggestion regarding sandpaper can help with that if you have a light touch.