Mac mini Big mess caused by Solder paste. Fan connector replacement.

[@InssiAjaton]

So, you removed old "flux" with new, better one! Reminded me about my battle with some really old hardened resin flux. I came to a conclusion that neither iPA, nor some of the stronger solvents seemed to work on the old stuff, while IPA worked fine on up to a couple of days aged resin, provided it had not been heated with burning hot temperature iron. What we found in our desperation was to enclose the board(s) and a fair amount of IPA into those fancy resealable plastic bags for over night. Before opening the bag, we massaged the bag, until the fluid turned all brown. After that we used fresh IPA and half stiff brush to remove the now softened resin flux. Nothing but the overnight time seemed to really solve our issue. All this happened before the introduction of SMT components.

[@catharperfect7036]

Try brake cleaner (hexane I think). It's the best cleaner I've found.

[@sharymens8187]

oeh nice trick ty!

[@ThriftyToolShed]

My first thought was box that thing back up! The man takes a breathe and says "Let's proceed" and done it in a few minutes. Impressive, much respect here.

[@noname-oe9jy]

That was a deep breathe too. Like "what am I about to get myself into.. let's proceed" lol

[@Enjoymentboy]

This is a perfect example of what my high school shop teacher taught us. That one of the skills we must learn is the proper choice of tools and the proper use of them. This is the exact sort of thing that can happen when someone who doesn't really know what they are doing chooses the wrong tools and does not know how to use them. Excellent video.

[@larrybud]

Well, trying things is one way to learn... I just wouldn't learn on my computer worth a grand or two!

[@Marauder1981]

Dude, just use a hammer. You´ll be fine.

[@NeoGhk]

You do your best every time. You don't give up saying this is dead, return it to the customer. you're experienced, you try to find something similar and investigate further on. I salute you for your patience and determination.

[@romanb.6905]

Your steady hand and precision are outstanding!

[@13ig13oots]

Steady hand and precision it maybe but he has the patience of a saint.

[@Predator.gaming901]

bridges left chip at 4:20

[@scunnerdarkly4929]

I suspect the mess was likely caused in the first place by attempting to troubleshoot a fan speed issue. That family of Mini doesn’t rely on custom drive firmware for thermal monitoring unlike iMacs of the same era and replacing the drive for a standard off the shelf part, or an SSD, doesn’t affect fan speeds. Apple Service Diagnostics should be present on the original drive if it’s never been formatted, access it by holding the D key on startup. If it’s not present you may be able to access to online diagnostic by connecting it to the internet via Ethernet and doing the same at startup. It can also be found on the original DVD install media on those machines supplied with an optical drive. Fans running at max is frequently caused by a failed thermal sensor and the diagnostic will tell you which one is giving a bad reading, assuming there isn’t actually a thermal problem. The diagnostic for the mid-2010 Mini is ASD 3S139. If all else fails you can use Disk Utility to copy the ASD disk image to a USB drive and startup from that. Assuming it starts there are also hardware monitoring utilities that can be run from within OS X which will also help identify which sensor is reporting an issue.

[@kostas2419]

Irrelevant with the video, but your channel is the best that KZbin algorithm brought me in 2021. Relaxing and educational videos

[@sandraledger2612]

I don't know if I would have started the repair. You made it looks simple.

[@ortzinator]

Most shops would just send it back. You are a saint!

[@mohdfaizal275]

Awesome skills. Nice to see the mess got cleaned up.

[@sourabhsharma796]

Your comments always help me fixing devices at our store. Thanks

[@Gerard423653]

You are a true magician with your soldering and cleaning techniques.

[@christopherrasmussen8718]

He is dedicated to the customers. I can’t imagine what he sends back as unfixable.

[@satria4195]

04:21: middle left, solder ball on QFL IC leg?

[@NorthridgeFix]

You need to watch till the end. Bridge cleared.

[@satria4195]

@@NorthridgeFix the 32 pin one? It was not in the video

[@movo786]

Didn't see it cleared in the video either

[@Geniusinside2023]

It went from Hiroshima to Bahamas, Best description ever 🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂 You made my day

[@sharymens8187]

hahah

[@adiposerex5150]

That’s amazing. The path to repair was international!

[@nightcorefusion3884]

Rookie mistake. But that's how some people learn. For those unaware, Solder Paste needs constant heat over the component in order to flow. Fan connectors are plastic. Usually ABS or similar. With melting points well below solder.

[@AndrewWhitham]

Abs plastic starts to melt at about 200c most decent solder used for this kind of work starts to flow from 130-180c

[@TRBN420]

"yeah i can probably fix it myself" "yeeeeaah i think i wont do that again" xD

[@n3kro838]

You're breathtaking! Thanks again! I like it, that you never say no and make the "Job is done " On top is you smiling, after every successful fix :) That makes me happy!

[@stefanlechner]

Damn...what a big mess, hiroshima-bomb. You cleaned it very well a make a good job out of this mess. Thank you for the video.

[@marcreynolds7948]

I've seen that solder paste before that got used on a PCBA. It's the kind meant for soldering plumbing fittings and is mildly acidic. It's also electrically conductive and will literally bubble on the PCBA when voltage is applied as it creates short circuit paths. If you place Ohm meter probes onto he goo about 1cm apart, you will measure resistance of about 100K thru the goo.

[@sebastianschmidt566]

Ha nice I'm not the only recognizing that solder paste. Seeing that damage in the video and the little solder balls all over the board. I'm sure it's the paste for plumbing. And I think we could guess by the heat damage to the solder mask it was not a heat gun for soldering. At least I would bet the person used one unregulated big one 😭

[@katieg2277]

just want to bust your balls, but of course solder is conductive

[@volkanaltin9588]

Yes! That's a hard drive problem. They have thermal probe on them. If it's missing, it will spin like crazy. You are genius!

[@pablonunez194]

Hiroshima to Bahamas!! :D Nice work like always... Cheap things in time are expensives ... Solder paste if you don't have experience working with it can be a mess.

[@evanbates1212]

This makes me realize the boards are more durable than i thought, and things can be reheated without breaking. 👍

[@sharfazhameed6382]

If an award for precision is pending it’s definitely for Alex

[@josephw.bakerjr.4081]

I wish we had this years ago, I am sure I would go into that business. You make me want to start practicing.

[@sams5803]

Wow I am shocked what you did! It is amazing how much skill you have! I wish I could do an apprenticeship with you so bad!

[@Dave5281968]

What a disaster! Nice work trying to rescue it.

[@3mariusx]

It is a pleasure to watch your clips! 😌👍🏻

[@dillonuzzell572]

I very much enjoy your work, but I have a question. How do you deal with customers that are impatient when it comes to waiting for their device to be repaired? I saw one of your other videos and saw an overwhelming amount of devices awaiting repair at your shop. I'm trying to learn how to do that better at mine, but the "underpromise over deliver" thing hasn't been working too well. If you have any tips on this, please enlighten me. I watch every one of your videos, so I won't miss it. Again thank you for your inspiration and wisdom, please keep it up!!!

[@marcelk.2230]

Im no business expert but a good tip from mysef is that you should manage your time, analyse what you so far (devices) and prioritize your task from hardest to easiest, If its something simple like cleaning something out it can wait, but bigger more costly and troublesome repairs should be prioritized

[@somewaresim]

The person who used solder paste doesn’t deserve to have this board repaired. You are such a kind person.

[@Casperdroid5]

People make mistakes?

[@Stance1988]

@@Casperdroid5 Thats a too dumb mistake.

[@rktronic3651]

1:42 awesome starting fan sound

[@ecurepair]

I use solder paste a lot when goofing off. It amazes me how much it can leave the little balls behind. most of the time you cant even see them by eye but under the scope you end up seeing just how bad it can be.

[@whodatdere1]

Reminds me of a job I had to clean up some time ago. Person used solder paste in place of flux not knowing the difference. Was a heck of a job to clean up

[@JosephQPublic]

@ - that’s what I was thinking.

[@TomsTechRepair]

Patience is the key here and knowing how to used a soldering iron to clean up. Good rescue of hiroshima.

[@raffyg6129]

wew, how much you charge for that kind of messy board

[@calvinmientke3539]

I could hear your Pac-Man soldering iron chasing solder balls.

[@sharymens8187]

haha

[@Ryan_DeWitt]

Amazing work! I am very surprised you even decided to work on it. You could have said no way and I don't think anyone would have blinked an eye.

[@michaelbressel2769]

Very nice job Alex! I really like the videos where we see your skills in solving complex failures or bringing to life destroyed boards! But there is something that I am really curious about, is how Big Boss disassembly the products and keep track of the right location of parts and bolts of all this stuff and even worse when you have to store it for some days waiting for some part. Did he reassembly for sotorage ?

[@roblet5047]

An organised work space for each job and experience. When you are working on these day in day out it gets easier.

[@Mandrag0ras]

1:30 This has got to be the biggest plot twist of 2021.

[@heinzpechliwanis1411]

yeah, i thought he would end the repair from that point :D

[@ACOnetwork]

@@heinzpechliwanis1411 me too and yeah glad he moved on.

[@rahulmechatronics]

Great Skill to clean solder paste mess.... I was thinking how this would get cleaned🤔🤔🤔

[@calvinmientke3539]

Back in the olden days, when the parts weren't microscopic. I used the "heat and wack" method to remove solder. I grew up in the 50's playing with the solder splats on my dad's TV fixit floor.

[@eman59461]

I look forward to watching all your videos. Learn so much all the time I do. I even invested in the voltage injection tool you have. Great work!!!

[@VISION-viz]

I'd never would've worked on this pcb.

[@BzeePT]

Me too. But he knows his job and have the confidence on his work so he have repaired all that mess. Veri good job

[@VISION-viz]

@@BzeePT Not because i couldn't repaired it but this customer messing with the board, screwing it up then coming to the shop to repair it, he doesn't deserve that repair, i hope he gets extra charged for this repair. If he wanted to try learning this wouldn't had done it to a good board.

[@rottentomatoes5171]

@@VISION-viz yeah, good thing you're not a repair shop cause you would suck

[@TheThore]

I would have stopped when seeing all that solder paste :D

[@kasparsberzins4055]

I like your sense of humor. It went from Hiroshima to Bahamas. ;D

[@robot_spider]

You're a goddamned wizard. Really good stuff.

[@retrorevive5140]

In the 90s the cheat Alex is using is called … godmode! Awesome fix

[@StefanSolomonsz]

We learned many things which is much needed for our work shop. thanks for everything and keep up the good work. from CHANNELMART ELECTRONICS on behalf of the people of the socialist republic of Sri Lanka.

[@Semtex777]

More skilled than a dentist

[@_CryptoNoob_]

I was singing the Mr Clean song the entire video Alex ahahahha. You're a very patient man sir :)

[@kobusventer1992]

If you're good, you're good well done friend

[@MBrulla]

Solder paste is best suited for new applications when building boards with a stencil. Please, people...don't use solder paste for rework. The solder balls get EVERYWHERE.

[@hightttech]

Solder paste very magical as long as not applied with paint brush and heat gun designed for stripping paint 😉.

[@MBrulla]

@@hightttech Not wrong...lol, but it's wasteful. Very specific tool for specific use cases.

[@j.lietka9406]

Is the solder paste good for small spots?

[@MBrulla]

@@j.lietka9406 Stick with normal solder and flux. Solder paste is a bunch of tiny solder balls suspended in flux. Similar, but wildly different in behavior and application.

[@j.lietka9406]

@@MBrullayes, I know what solder paste is (don't have exp with it yet) but when used in excess, it gets everywhere! Thanks

[@elpelu123]

0:20 HAHAHA!!!! Those attempts with the flux are so priceless... The Humanity!

[@grahamnichols1416]

That solder paste was applied with a jam spoon from a low-flying aircraft. Luckily for them, Alex has the skills.

[@yanker0901]

Very good job, sir... 👍

[@unitedseven]

The major problem nowadays is getting tampered boards by novices. The time we spend in cleaning the mess and making it workable is huge. Next is a big risk in case we cant get the component or a donor board in hand. Thank God that you have some handy

[@kb2825]

How do you identify which FFC connector? I have a 16 pin connector on my controls and I don't know where to purchase it because I don't know where to look or what type it is.

[@WilliamVG]

Going above the call of duty. KZbin is lucky to have you showing us the proper way of doing things.

[@swaminathan9813]

He has used PPD paste to insted of solder flux which has caused this herosima on the board. i can able to find a lot of tiny lead balls shorting the pins of ic and capacitor

[@R.AudioElectronics]

♥️from Hiroshima to Bahamas 👍

[@khaz606]

Might need a PRAM & SMC reset.

[@bornagain2641]

How much for this repair? I will tell you and I have a hunch you charge too little. Good people know this and obviously your a good person because you practically give your talent/work away for far too little.

[@thrasher305]

"This went from Hiroshima to the Bahamas.." Agreed. Great work.

[@audiogek]

And what was that thing that melted away in top right corner? 2:15

[@1itoasif]

When you have negative soldering skills..

[@kwanchan6745]

you da man, alex the problem with jobs like this is that after they bodged the board, and you fixed it...the bodger will probably flip the machine to an unsuspecting buyer, who may experience catastrophic failure in 6 months time due to the original bodging

[@virgildeklerk]

wow nice one to fix ones again... who uses solderpaste on a connector? really the only reason i've seen anyone use solderpaste was to reball a chip but not to solder a connector.

[@hightttech]

I bet the guy thought it was flux.

[@Darren777Au]

Hopefully a lesson learnt by the owner.

[@maximusalfred9266]

I see the "Better than factory" t-shirt!!!

[@KeithHutchinsonYT]

HI, I would appreciate your advice. I changed my drive in my 2014 Mac Mini but... In the process of getting to the HD I lifted the small connector from the wrong side and it broke. It is the one to the right of centre and has 5/6 small black wires that appear to run to the front of the machine, I think to the little light at the front and I don't see or know what else.. It looks like it broke the connections to the board.... Can you pls clarify what it is and what i must do to fix it.. Thankyou for your advice. Keith

[@AbdelmoumenBacetti]

Please, what kind of soldering iron did you use that had 2 tips to desolder and solder that inductor??

[@radman999]

That "never go full re...." line from Tropic Thunder came to mind

[@evelhorn]

I made the comment a while back that he spoke two languages better than i spoke one. I assumed he was from a different country from the accent. I'm now realizing I was probably wrong, and possibly racist, for not thinking he could have been born in America. So please accept my apology, and keep uploading your excellent videos

[@ejeckk]

That moment of silence at the beginning from you made me laugh. I was impressed you were able to take the board from Hiroshima to Bahamas. I hope to see a followup on this job.

[@ag4391]

That is a no fix in my views, send it back with evidence to the client. I am sure the client would agree that this is fubar! Love your content, looking at your work amazes me.

[@raedalhazmi6448]

Great videos My 6900xt has coil whine I can hear coil whine clearly from bit distance but it is not that loud Does thermal pad on inductors solve coil whine issue or it is not related ??

[@billsmith5702]

i wonder if lighter fluid would clean off solder paste, naptha its a good cleaner (without applying a flame of course).

[@floridaapplemacprosinc.2224]

HIROSHIMA TO BAHAMAS! Classic!

[@BertoldVdb]

WTF... Did the other repair technician try to hot-air desolder the connector with the fan still plugged in? How can this happen otherwise?

[@Paperghost]

The look of frustration on your face at the end of the video told a story all of its own.

[@AnonymousViz]

what is that flux u are pouring a lot? and what does it do

[@FixationwithCarnage]

what a transformation!

[@isahizhenfahm6576]

Pls how to achieve the steady hands feats

[@reread2549]

That’s a great job, Thanks for the video

[@josearrasola7236]

Hello sir wow the amazing things that you get Inyo your shop things I’ve never seen in person their is about 7 reoairs near me I’m the second that has been in the area longer every now and then I’ll get some from the work from the other shops due I’m a old timer and we get these young kids who just open a shop to make a fast dollar and not think about the future! But as longest I can still pay my bills and make my family happy that’s all that matters

[@mistwolf]

Started at Hiroshima, ended at Blitz London. Amazing work but holy shit!

[@CiderPang27]

Some people shouldn’t be let anywhere near tools let alone work on a circuit board.

[@re-fix9678]

👍👍

[@mikesenesouk531]

I'd like to have a talk with the person responsible for that mess. What were they thinking and what were their qualifications? And they need to be told to stop.

[@TheBeeman410]

Damn i thought that board was trash.. haha Great work!

[@lycanlycans7548]

Hello can you show use how we do right measurements on SMD components and search in a right way to find the short component !? And please show use how to identify a SMD electric components ! Thank you for your hard work and efforts ! God bless you! Best regards ,

[@officialspaceefrain]

Bites sandwich with old bread: What is this? What is this?…Wow. 🤣

[@bigdog8882]

Your a Miracle Man! I would of sent that customer a Video of me throwing that board in the garbage can and setting it on Fire.

[@Teri_Berk]

LOL :)

[@sergejkoch1432]

Do you charge extra when the boards are messed up, like this? Or is that just bad luck respectively content for youtube?

[@arasus6107]

Awesome job bro keep rocking bro 👍👍👍

[@bornagain2641]

Lol In the description on my phone in drop down window . Your video title was shortened to 'Mac mini Big me'

[@RixtronixLAB]

Nice video clip, keep it up, thank you for sharing it :)

[@Uneke]

Should have checked to see if the fan was set to performance mode before changing up parts. Simple to do

[@RedRaccoon69]

nice save!