A Plip Transmitter problem

tonyb1 · Post by **tonyb1** » 07 Oct 2005, 22:15

Hi guys, just getting used to the new web page colours

I've got a problem with my plip. (two button infra red). It only works when it's removed from the plip casing. I've made the hole bigger on the casing where the 'bulb' transmits but it doesn't help. I'm carrying the little circuit board around with me wrapped in tissues at the moment so that I can set the alarm

Can anyone advise on what I can do to fix it. I've tried extending the bulb so it sticks out the casing but it's too fiddly. Thanks

samtronic · Post by **samtronic** » 07 Oct 2005, 22:28

I would guess it has a bad solder joint, probably the connection to the transmitting IR LED, and when you insert the board into the casing it flexes a tiny bit and makes the connection go bad.

The fix is to find the loose connection and resolder it and any other connections that happen to look bad.

It is probably a good idea to take the batteries out of the plip before soldering.

Søren

j_roc · Post by **j_roc** » 07 Oct 2005, 22:51

Have you been fiddling with the plip before? If you do a search on "plips" or "remote locking" you may get some info. I recentley (in the last 2 weeks) got my remote locking working and then I had more trouble with the new key - the little round yellow buttons on the pcb board wouldent reach the rubber switch so I had to replace them with the black square ones. If you do decide to go fiddling I can only recomend using seperate solder and flux, as it gives better results (not forgetting to clean the flux up afterwards). Hope this is of some help to you - Alex.

Mandrake · Post by **Mandrake** » 07 Oct 2005, 23:58

tonyb1 wrote:Hi guys, just getting used to the new web page colours I've got a problem with my plip. (two button infra red). It only works when it's removed from the plip casing. I've made the hole bigger on the casing where the 'bulb' transmits but it doesn't help. I'm carrying the little circuit board around with me wrapped in tissues at the moment so that I can set the alarm Can anyone advise on what I can do to fix it. I've tried extending the bulb so it sticks out the casing but it's too fiddly. Thanks

While you're operating it out of the case, try pressing the button with the circuit board twisted slightly one way, then with it twisted the other way. You'll probably find that one way it will work (LED comes on for a second) and the other way it wont work (very brief flash from the LED or none at all) in which case it will be dry joints on the board.

My one was behaving much the same, in the finish I found I had to solder the legs on the main (largest) surface mount IC on the board, (by that time I had also soldered just about everything else on the board without much improvement

)

Mine has gone over a month now with no problems whatsoever.

Note, it is a VERY delicate job to solder surface mount IC's so unless you have a very fine soldering iron and good soldering skills it might pay to let someone else do it for you...

Regards,
Simon

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » 08 Oct 2005, 11:05

Ive worked in the electronics industry and if soldering surface mount chips you should use 1mm rosin core solder and a soldering iron at no more than 300 F otherwise you risk damaging the silver lines in the chip. These chips are attatched to the board in a zivatech pick and place then soldered with hot air.

tonyb1 · Post by **tonyb1** » 08 Oct 2005, 11:11

Thanks for the ideas. I've tried twisting it slightly when it's out of the case, but it works perfect every time until it's back int the case. I'm putting it under the magnifying glass on Monday, it's got me baffled. Tony

sleepy0905 · Post by **sleepy0905** » 08 Oct 2005, 11:16

try wile pushing the button moving the transmitter led it is the either black one or it will be dark coloured these usually work lose I have just fixed a sky remote with this problem and I have also had a couple of car remotes do the same it will be very difficult to see anything with a magnifiying glass as the solder pads on these plips are very small and it crack in the solder will only be a hair thick.

citronut · Post by **citronut** » 08 Oct 2005, 11:48

some times the signal partly drops out,my radio repairing freind has in the past has interigated these and found with all soldering checked and good,the signalto be very weak whilst looking at it with a osilascope
regards malcolm

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A Plip Transmitter problem

A Plip Transmitter problem

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