PCB Eyelet Repair

 
Printed circuit boards are found in just about every electronic device and it is a worthwhile skill to be able to fix an eyelet or possibly replace it. Ideally, you need to have some supplies at hand and be willing to put in some elbow grease and you don’t need to hire a professional for the purpose of PCB eyelet repair.
 

Items You Will Need

• Eyelets
• Contaminant cleaner
• Wipes (non-abrasive variety)
• Microscope
• Knife
• Micro drill
• Pin gauges
• Soldering iron
• Solder plus flux

Have a good look at the damaged area in the printed circuit board. Sometimes the problem is a smaller one than you anticipated. Use the cleaner and wipes to wipe down any debris that has collected around the circuit and get it as clean as possible.

Next, you want to measure the plated holes and for this you will need a pin gauge as mentioned before. Then you want to choose an eyelet that is the right size and type for your board. Remove the old plating using the drill and drill in the new eyelet which you will have purchased separately.

You will need to solder the eyelet to the existing circuit. In certain do-it-yourself projects the process of soldering eyelets can sometimes be tricky because dirt or accumulated debris gets in the way preventing a good connection. So again you need to make sure that the circuit has been thoroughly cleaned with the all-purpose cleaner before you begin the soldering process.

When you are adapting the eyelet pay particular attention to the flange as it should cover the circuit around it. Once you are done setting it into its place you can go ahead and turn the board upside down and press it down hard in order to secure the eyelet. Use a setting tool for this.
 

Precautions

Make sure each detail is carried out carefully otherwise there is the chance that smaller internal connections might get disturbed resulting in a bigger repair job needing to be done. There are also companies which deal with damaged eyelets and you can give your circuit boards to them for repair jobs. If you are looking to save some money and perhaps learn some new skills in the process then this option is probably not for you.

Furthermore, if you are unsure there are repair kits available online as well as in hardware stores which are for the express purpose of repairing eyelets so instead of buying the tools separately you could invest in one of those ready-made packs.
 

The Importance Of Maintenance

Circuit boards are amongst the most commonly and regularly repaired items around the house. Even before actual eyelet replacement needs to occur you can check any circuit board around the house that seems to be functioning below capacity. Timely maintenance can ensure time-consuming repair jobs afterwards.
Watch videos regarding PCB eyelet repair if you have never attempted this before and perhaps practice on smaller circuits such as those inside torches and so on to brush up your skills.