Sismo Clock Fix

[tennyson]

I am just getting all of my graphics back on track, so yesterday, I fired up all my computers and put the sim through her paces.

During the fire up process, I noted that my FO's clock was back-lighting, but not segment displays were showing.
I later pulled the panel out and inspected it.

A while back, I was grinding the dash and the vibration had made the cooling fin on the IC on the back of the clock, fall off.
I re-installed it. It is very fragile and in doing so, I must have bent one of the pins and cracked the solder.

This is what caused the segment displays to stop functioning.




I didn't see the cracked leg at first and sent an email off to the manufacturers (Sismo Solutions), asking them for help and where I could get it fixed.

It was after I'd sent the email away, that I took the clock off the panel and inspected it with my microscope glasses.
I then discovered the broken leg, in fact two of them were broken.
I need to take the top layer off the clock, which meant partially disassembling the clock, but I was careful and it all worked out fine.

I cleaned up the IC and re-soldered the legs back to the PCB and fired it up once more.
Voila! Clock working as per advertised, once more.
I'm testing it, all hooked up, in the office overnight and then will re-install back in the sim tomorrow.


I emailed Sismo again to tell them no need for a fix.

Oh well, it keeps me off the streets.....



Frank Cooper

[NedH]

About 90% of my cockpit problems are due to faulty solder joints usually because of wear or vibration. With all the electronics most problems end up being mechanical!