Anyone ever flipped an old boogie board?

[eddie25]

They sure don't make it easy to repair these things. It's an MK4 from '90.

I'm just curious if anyone has ever done it and if it was worth it? A quick search reveals very little talk on the subject. I found a bad diode and it's not one of the ones that would be manageable from the top since it's surrounded by tall electrolytics.

[Phil_S]

I am an amateur, not a tech. I sometimes see people posting about MB and what a PITA it is to R&R the boards. I've never been inside, but have seen pictures.

Given what we think we know about fixing it, is it possible to snip the bad diode without removing the board and putting a new one in from the other side? Or, can you release the old one with a soldering iron from the "bottom" and they replace it from the "top" and not lift the traces?

[selloutrr]

Yes

Get out your screw driver, socket wrench, and soldering iron.
Take pics
make notes
label

It's not quick.

[Cliff Schecht]

Yeah pics and label wires with tape if you are pulling them out, otherwise you are on for a headache.. other than that I'm never afraid to pull a board to work on it, but I charge accordingly (ie extra bench time for removal and reassemble work).

[eddie25]

Given what we think we know about fixing it, is it possible to snip the bad diode without removing the board and putting a new one in from the other side? Or, can you release the old one with a soldering iron from the "bottom" and they replace it from the "top" and not lift the traces?

Many of the parts could be removed from the top, which is how someone seems to have done the filter caps at some point, but this diode is neatly tucked into some tall radial caps. It could be done possibly but I'm not confident with the only angle I could get my iron in there. Since it's a PCB and I am obliged to do it right, I will opt for flipping the board. I'm actually changing out two resistors also.

The other problem is that there is really no way to test it without reassembling it, so the potential for frustration seems pretty high. I'm gonna be clipping the diode if I can and jumping one in there before I do this to make sure.

Just needed some reassurance that someone has actually done this before.

[selloutrr]

Yep it sucks but if you want to do it right it's how you have to do it.