Repairing LEDs in A3000

[Matt_H]

Continuing with my A3000 restoration project, I'm going to attempt this today. It looks like a simple resoldering job. Anyone done this before?

[redrumloa]

Matt_H wrote:
Continuing with my A3000 restoration project, I'm going to attempt this today. It looks like a simple resoldering job. Anyone done this before?

Yes, in my case it was very easy. Look at the back of the board while you wiggle the led. See if the solder joint is comprimised. In my case it only needed resoldered. Also the the LED is basically a diode. Using a DMM you can check the continuity at the lead ends. One way the resistance should be very high high (very high megaohms or infinite-open). The other way the resistance should be negligible, almost zero. If you are getting a full open both ways (infinite resistance), then either the LED is bad, the solder joint is bad, or the wire is comprimised.

[x56h34]

It's almost guaranteed that the solder joint is bad, as this is a known problem with the A3000D led panel. Every time you close and open the case, the leds are a little pushed, and after doing this for 10 or 20 times, the solder joint finally gives away. You can either fix the joint and support the leds from now on by reinforcing them with some rubber glue, so that they can't move or be pushed easily, or solder wires going directly to the led pins to the motherboard connector(s), and not have to worry about movement of the leds ever again when opening and closing the case.

[Matt_H]

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll report back once I'm finished (hopefully successfully). :-)

[TjLaZer]

My LED broke off one day when installing the case.  I resoldered it back on and it works great. Just remember to install it the right way or it will not work, and be careful installing/removing the top case from now on

[Azryl]

hope you can easily resolder your LEDs

When I bought a second hand A3000 both leds didnt work
dismantling the small board showed BOTH leds were pulled away from the curcuit board and all traces broken

So I glued the leds back onto the board with 5minute epoxy, then used some electrically conductive paint. I painted around the led contacts after scraping back some of the curcuit tracks.

This was enough for the leds to work, yay!

Some auto shops sell conductive paint for rear window demister repair, handy hint

Azryl

[Matt_H]

@ all

Well, resoldering failed. There's more to these little boards than there seems. :-(

I also discovered that the PCB is cracked. Don't know if that's contributing to the problem, but the break doesn't seem to be along any copper traces, though.

@ Azryl

Now THAT sounds like a good idea! I will definitely look into this!

[artman]

What great ideas from all of you.  I'm going to try and fix my A3000 LED tomorrow, don't seem to be too difficult to do.  Regards...Art

[DizZy_]

So the same problem and with my A1200 and HDD led, dunno i've read some semiconductor's book and seems led-diode must work really lotta time.