Silver Conductive Pen - DIY PCB Trace Repair

Can two guys with little to no PCB repair experience fix the traces on the PCB for a mouse with nothing but this silver pen and a bit of electrical tape? Let's find out!
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Intro Screen Music Credit: Title: Laszlo - Supernova
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Outro Screen Music Credit: Approaching Nirvana - Sugar High / approachingnirvana

[@mrskig5332]

I repaired a broken trace on a Asus ROG motherboard using this method. Kapton tape to mask of both sides of the trace, then drew the line with silver conductive ink which came in a syringe (availble from ebay), remove tape, Done! Did this a year ago and motherboard still works perfectly. Have been running a 900mhz stable overclock my 1090t with no problems all this time.

[@sjoepele]

mark carter "this time" made me chuckle haha.

[@Rappoltt]

A great way to insulate traces is nail polish! It makes an excellent, non-conductive enamel. That's what I use and learned from professionals. I would've just soldered it, personally, but I also have years of experience and a nice iron station.

[@ScrattleGG]

2 Guys 1 Pen

[@stevet2892]

+ScrattleGG I'm not sure but ,if anyone else wants to learn about local electronic repair shop try Saankramer Electronic Magazine System (just google it ) ? Ive heard some incredible things about it and my colleague got cool results with it.

[@a.c.2659]

Dont :d

[@michaelallen5082]

Luke, it's good to see you in more videos! Glad to see you having some videos to your own instead of just being at the end showing the Benchmarks

[@insanecoolaid7299]

well that's a lot easier than using a soldering wire.

[@Sevendogtags]

Insane CoolAid They have completely different purposes...

[@frankdrebin2747]

Sevendogtags I think he meant copper wire not soldering per se

[@insanecoolaid7299]

Sevendogtags i know but what can you do if you don't have anything else?

[@imfrommanndame]

Frank Drebin "per se"

[@SoulsDown]

Insane CoolAid I've repaired traces with a pencil - has worked everytime. The graphite in the pencil "Lead" is conductive. Just a thought for us cheapskates out there. This is probably a much safer and better alternative, though.

[@EUPHORIAARTS]

#luketechtips > #linustechtips

[@Joe0400]

#luketechtips

[@mcs11234]

BLASPHEMER!

[@rich1051414]

mcs11234 Not really, Luke was linus's tech guy lol. Linus took him under his arm as a personality since. To be fair, linus was originally just a shelf stocker who had a likable personality so he was paid to make product reviews. I agree that luke has more techy tech tips :P

[@willemvanderlinden2305]

***** #lukemasterrace

[@joshualitton]

+Richard Smith linus has a degree in electrical engineering

[@shr1528]

I usually endup using thin wires for such repairs but this looks much neater, great find, and yes please post such products

[@stephanielafreniere6562]

Fix rather than replace, way to go Slick!

[@ExarchNZ]

You can use a soldering iron too. Use a sharp blade to scrape back the mask (the green stuff over the copper) then solder wire onto the exposed copper. The reason being is that quite a few people are more likely to have a soldering iron and solder in their automotive repair kit than conductive pens.

[@CreatingNull]

you guys realise you can't cause a bridge through the solder mask haha? Only between vias or when the copper is exposed for solder joints.

[@43audio89]

thats where i'm stuck at. Have any suggestions for repair of the connection point?

[@shimmywow3613]

@@43audio89 cant you just scrape the soder mask off with a knife?

[@43audio89]

@@shimmywow3613 of course, but fixing the actual circular connectors is a pain if they are missing. Wires connecting to hair thin traces.. just leaves stuff delicate.. but im new to all this so idk really

[@shimmywow3613]

@@43audio89 i also need to repair a circular connection. Damn is it hard?

[@shimmywow3613]

I did this to a perfectly working og xbox 1.6 when i attempted to hardmod it. Sad!

[@tomo8910vids]

Slick, these most recent videos are kinda meh. Could you get back to computer hardware?

[@PyroBlock]

Tom Lambert people still call him slick?

[@kdoe1305]

Not such a problem to have little variety like this. It doesn't always have to be "WOW...LOOK!! This is the latest and greatest blah blah blah. It comes with blah blah blah at blah blah GHz. Wow these guys are pushing the limits of something blah blah blah nano meter technology." Just take it easy.

[@mrballbreeder3749]

Tom Lambert it is computer hardware repair vid. maybe you're to young to know the days of making your own pcb's who was the only electronic way todo .

[@joeevans84]

Tom Lambert Oh sorry, didn't know that Linus TECH tips revolved completely around PC hardware. I bet you also hated the Gear Bag vid as well. These kind of videos are actually useful, I don't know many people who will be going out of their way to spend $1000's on GPU upgrades every time they show one off, but I'll definitely be getting this now that I know it exists.

[@IvanRiveraStagea]

I love the video. This pen would've saved me from making those frustrating jumper solders to fix damaged pcbs.

[@TheKyshu]

This would be awesome for prototyping and quickly making a PCB for an electronics project!

[@JJ_ExMachina]

DIY Vids are the main reason I visit KZbin. I would say YES!!! to more vids of this type. Anything tech DIY repair related. Anything from repairing damage wires in PC case to full out rebuilds

[@mercuryboarder]

Enjoying the making, tinkering and big project videos. I appreciate the effort that goes into your content and it's nice to see something other than product reviews from time to time. The product spotlight videos are great for when you're considering buying a new piece of hardware or to check on the current state of a certain tech but after a while I tend to get burned out on mouse and monitor specs. I know it's the foundation of your business and I don't think you should deviate too far from that model. Just pointing out that videos like this one are a refreshing change of scenery and I find them to be helpful and informative. I've seen these pens and thought they were cool but I didn't know you could use them to repair traces!

[@Regnorok]

This is a true story, last night i was laying in bed thinking of random things while trying to fall asleep. I thought to myself about a product that i can put into a pen-like object to write with that is conductive. Then today after work i decided to check out the channel and lo and behold....

[@omfgbunder2008]

Leaving the old corroded traces on the board are only going to make the problem worse. You need to dilute the acid with lemon juice or vinegar, scrape the traces down to bare copper, and solder the trace with lots of flux and a low-heat soldering iron. Then wash the whole board with alcohol.

[@icomefromg8012]

This was more interesting than the camera and drone stuff that has been posted lately. I just love the computer stuff you guys do.

[@chickendawg88]

Glad you guys are doing more prototyping / engineering type videos.

[@LOL1423derp92]

This video came out a month earlier on Vessel. Fuck mang.

[@BenKuyt64]

This is insanely useful, cause most causes of basic repairs on things like phone, motherboards, etc are just PCB scratch or something. This would be cheaper than repairing or replacing your devices.

[@cammelspit]

Congratulations on learning something new that is very useful. If you are really serious about fixing dead traces on boards I would recommend using some 30 gauge insulated wire and a real soldering iron. I did repairs professionally for years and that is the best and most durable way to repair a toasted trace. The pens can wipe away too easily to be considered a fully permanent solution. Most pads can be soldered to straight away and if they are covered my a solder mask (The green coating on a PCB) then an exacto blade can be used to lightly scrape away the mask. Either way, good for you, Never stop trying new things especially when it comes to electronics.

[@artbyrobot1]

I think you gave up on this concept too early in your career. This is far superior than the method you just described. If you're worried about the trace wiping away after it has cured, then you must of been using really cheap epoxy silver. The really good stuff is used by NASA and is very strong and can even come in flexible varieties. You should do some research on Atom Adhesives. You can also coat it with two part high temp epoxy laminate layer to prevent it from ever coming free.

[@tpcs8667]

This was SUCH an awesome video!! I THINK this was the FIRST of its kind on any of LMG's channels! Good thinking!

[@meowskull]

"oh the batteries were backwards" "lol" I'm glad i'm not the only one who straight up says lol sometimes

[@smokingflowers]

>Suffers from RSI >Plays Cookie clicker -..-

[@PermaChill]

I love these types of videos, I like all the different types of videos you guys do, keeps it fresh

[@sebastian-daquanglocknerjr1883]

Linustechtips is literally the buzzfeed of tech

[@aaronrobbins1458]

I don't know if I'll ever fix a board, but now I know it is possible to fix my car rear window defrosts. THANK YOU!

[@Kosh800]

Protip: Remove the damn protective coating from the traces before doing that. You're basically making a trace over another trace and hoping that it connected. Removing the protective green shit will help expand the already present trace and bolster it.

[@DnL205]

"You need more practice" - does 2lines, awesome!!

[@bozainumaanalikhan2496]

Why i love this channel...

[@Itzagundam]

Did that with a graphite mechanical pencil on a PSP battery back in the day. Worked like a charm for me.

[@DrussNL]

Car detailers that can paint those very thin lines by hand should consider doing tracing for custom PCB's in their spare time. :P

[@nehari]

I loved this video, it's awesome to see something like this that's not done by some super professional that makes it look way easier than you know it actually is. it's nice to see a product put to use by someone who's the exact type of consumer who would actually consider buying it, with all the muck ups and tries and fails that they might suffer. MORE VIDEOS LIKE THIS!!!!

[@troyrichardson5991]

Cookie Clicker= mouse benchmarking software.

[@omeganuepsilonone]

This may come in very handy for someone who's spilled fluids on a keyboard and ruined it...if you've the right kind of keyboard at any rate. A lot of the rubber dome keyboards the runs are done with transparent layers(like from oldschool overhead projectors), the run itself being more or less painted on those. I have not taken apart a mechanical keyboard myself so that may be a bit different if you have moved onto those as I have.

[@EposVox]

Nifty. Will be VERY useful.

[@linarachdi7544]

Just wonderful, been searching for "what happens if phone motherboard is damaged?" for a while now, and I think this has helped. Ever heard of - Giyathan Bewildering Gratification - (Have a quick look on google cant remember the place now ) ? It is an awesome one off guide for discovering how to repair your electronic items like a wizard minus the normal expense. Ive heard some interesting things about it and my m8 got amazing results with it.

[@koldkustard]

I found this useful, certainly something I'm going to consider getting now for pcb repair, probably have some car stereos I could use this on, looks a lot easier than soldering jumper wires... would love to see more repair style vids as I'm a very diy guy, if something doesn't work I first try to fix it before replacing.

[@jeffreyhill1011]

Came back to this video because I A: miss Luke and B: miss the old house :(

[@ProtoMario]

Same things work with some pencils, I used it before on a PSP battery.

[@kakashihatake313]

really ProtoMario​? what kind?

[@ProtoMario]

kakashi Hatake I used a Graphite one way back in the day.

[@HamsayT]

ProtoMario I did the same to create a pandora battery to flash my PSP

[@kakashihatake313]

ProtoMario thanks

[@FadiAlzammar]

Graphite from a pencil is conductive, but resistive. You are going to basically add a resister in series, which may or may not affect the circuit, depending on the application.

[@aidan9023]

DIY stuff is awesome love it. Maybe a scrapyard wars where you have to find AND repair all the compenents to build a system

[@213bic]

Testing your left mouse button using Cookie Clicker. LinusTechTips, never change.

[@armoureddanger]

because buying a new $4 mouse is too expensive when you have 1.5 million subscribers.

[@MrR33ZA]

You probably don't know the purpose of this video nor read what Linus commented on this video

[@armoureddanger]

***** nope. see no purpose.

[@pheezus]

Wow, you could not have missed the point by a larger margin..

[@AgentSquirrelA]

armoureddanger I think it's an environmentally friendly way to go.

[@MarioDragon]

Adam Heathcote The pen's casing is probably no better than a new mouse, and if they found some electronic recycling place then it wouldn't matter either

[@MartinPaoloni]

"Speaking of fine tuning?" Nobody said anything about fine tuning! :-) Seriously, great video. Suggestion: You may want to remove the protective coating of the PCB before applying the conductive ink. There's also graphite conductive ink, which is cheaper than silver but less conductive. Still, it's enough to fix thinks like keyboards.

[@LolAddictor]

I have the same mouse! It feels so good but it doesn't work anymore, this helped a lot so I'm going to ask an expert friend to try this method.

[@Stonerman023]

Excellent video, guys! I´ll have to get one of these pens to play with.

[@EgyPranks]

3:43 That's what she said c:

[@kedwardsTWO]

I'm amazed this worked.

[@TB-nf6bs]

I had a bad trace inside my car remote/key leading to the antenna and I used one of these conductive pens and its been working for many years since

[@colonelbaaah8735]

Is this a permanent solution?

[@Slot1Gamer]

Rye Cribby Tree No

[@GrehgYT]

Slot1Gamer fuck.

[@Karavusk]

Rye Cribby Tree it can work as a permanent solution... can not will!

[@Stickyittoyou]

Brandan09997 well the same with a brand new mouse as well...

[@Benjicmm]

Nope

[@seppestas]

But... Solder mask? Wouldn't that prevent this stuff from making electrical contact with the traces? Or did the solder mask also get eaten away by the battery chemicals? Also, a metal tool should be ESD safe if you ground yourself... Using a nylon spudger and than fumbling with your hands so close to the traces doesn't make a lot of sense from an ESD safety perspective (however, a soft spuger is nice to prevent scratches).

[@Jeffball610]

Very cool. I assumed a product like this existed, but I've never had a reason to use one. Maybe you guys can try to make a simple PCB using product like this just to see what you can do.

[@michael1991123]

Loved the video, I would like to know if you guys would have any other unorthodox ways to do the same types of jobs with any other different materials.

[@pqfamilyadventures]

Try keeping a static free brush and a bit of isopropyl handy to clean out any debris or residue. :-)

[@cinemaGFX]

Recently I met the electron inks founder! On a trip up to Boston from my college.

[@anwidocu]

Thumbs up for lukes LOL at 4:21!

[@drewcipher896]

I used to use a #2 pencil. Works pretty well. But this seems like a more permanent fix. Neato.

[@hdwblade]

Gahhhhh how I miss the old style of videos..

[@jrhrsr]

More stuff like this please!

[@DeViLzzz2006]

Cool but I am sure I saw this on Vessel already. Still this was an awesome video and definitely worth watching if you haven't seen it yet.

[@322doug]

as far as the phone rates at the end, Republic Wireless is cheaper and now well established, i have been with them for about 3 years, my monthly bill has always been about ten dollars or less per month.great phone service not so great customer service, because you can not actually call them with issues, but put forth a ticket or ask the community.

[@1i1c1em0]

just scrape a bit of the pad or track with a scalpel then solder a bit of wire to make a connection

[@SiimKuusik]

Luke got "Follow" this time! Yay, good job!

[@chrishaselden]

Cool, would like to see more videos like this. Also, SCRAPYARD WARS!!!

[@RetroGameDungeon]

I love you guys, Luke Linus, per Genius.

[@NoahLaMarca]

Gets out nice gaming laptop, plays cookie clicker

[@somen000b]

yes i like the maker videos! the next person you guys hire should be a maker. you guys have the computer people down... you need some one who specializes in diy/ maker things

[@jaredhgaming]

i really like these kind of videos. pls do more

[@jacquelinebishop8465]

Crazy prices on these pens , im some cases its prob cheaper to replace whatever it is !

[@ultraali453]

Nice video guys !!

[@ParadoxdesignsOrg]

I have a old gameboy that was left with the batteries in it for god knows how many years. this would probably be just the fix!

[@llamasvids]

GLAD I SAW THIS!

[@TheLukey21]

Fair enough if you don't have a soldering iron but I'd rather buy a good 25w iron with a small tip (antex xs) than use this. And you can use a soldering iron for alot more jobs and make a permanent solution

[@hene193]

I bet the timing likes these types of repairs...

[@L3ON360Z]

LukeTechTips > LinusTechTips

[@cesarcastellanos640]

Great video.

[@JavierBacon]

That PCB has a protective surface layer right? Maybe they don't need to be this careful? The only places the ink will make contact would be existing contacts and whatever was destroyed by the battery accident. AND if they're worried about tight traces, they could just draw on all that empty space. Meticulously covering a trace that goes super close to another trace... Not necessary, just curve away from it.

[@niqhtt]

Easier and more reliable to just cut a lead off a resistor or something and solder in a bridge

[@ahmedmousawi]

Used one of those pens back in 2005 to v-mod a 7600GT :')

[@Henkecool15]

6:31 "More like TINGker amirite?" How ever edited, u 2 funny bro!

[@jacobpedley4427]

Might as well change the name to LukeTechTips.

[@Lunas2525]

First the contents of an alkaline battery is in no way acidic it is caustic soda a corrosive solution... also called lye. Unless you were running lead acid batteries which rely on cells of lead with an electrolyte solution of sulfuric acid. I have repaired smaller traces by soldering jump wires between end points.

[@Freshzilla]

nice intro monstercat :D

[@KaaziShield]

Cookie clicker. The official platform for mice benchmarks.

[@38911bytefree]

just for signal traces, wont work on high current traces. Iwuold clena it first with isoprop to enable the marker to work easy

[@PyroBits]

And I thought retensioning the springs on my G500 was a pain! Way to go guys, I'll keep this in mind should my trusty mouse ever need surgery again!

[@molina1025]

I have used this method on keyboard plastic circuit strips.

[@fartoxic1]

Do more videos like this plz!

[@hanzkranz1319]

You do a better show than Linus!!

[@Mizerka_]

I always have some silver conductive glue with me :D so useful for many things.

[@GuardianLords]

LukeTechTips

[@adamfoskett8985]

i think we should see a video of that smashed laptop getting repaired

[@ChazzrdthehedgehoG]

That electrical tape thing was smart. 👍🏽

[@LBCAndrew]

A lot smarter would be to stick a piece of tape down to a surface you can cut on, then cut close together parallel lines for your trace, remove that thin strip, and then stick the tape down onto the PCB.

[@Mawson6492]

Love it. Great Content!

[@null2516]

So, once you re-trace the pad on whatever you desire, can you feed solder onto it?

[@HunterTheWalrus]

I'm wondering the same thing. Like if I need to replace a solder pad, can I use this instead of buying a new solder pad? I have this thing where I accidentally rip the solder pads off of the pcb.....

[@masonbass360]

neat pen! must get one and try it out myself..

[@AzureWiler]

Time to buy some of those for my repair box

[@Jacklee-qh1cv]

This is perfect for an Nvidia shunt mod. Nice!

[@ezkal8vidz414]

best investment ever

[@supresnica604]

Under 301 Club :D #99 checking in :D

[@trued2010]

zisteredx past 300 i go by likes, in this case im #18 lol

[@streetguru9350]

I'd imagine having a smaller tip would help it out.