Broken Trace (Pics!)

[marshallnoise]

So here I am, trying to get my VH100R in top playing condition since I bought it as a non-working amp about 2 years ago. I have replaced a ton of stuff on it including all tube sockets, the OT, filter caps, and it has a new set of EL34Bs.

Since I had the soldering iron hot, I decided to check every solder joint I could find and see if any of them were in poor condition and that included flipping the boards over and taking a looksie. Certainly there were quite a few that needed attention, so I touch them up.

Then I find this:
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s109/TnPaulMan/P8190023.jpg

And to make things more clear...
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s109/TnPaulMan/BrokenTrace.jpg

Wat is dat? It looks like the trace is broken all the way through and it almost looks like it was intentionally done.

Anyone have any ideas on how to get this fixed?

[skipm45]

Yes, it can be fixed. It will be a *little* ugly
1.) clean off all of what looks like corrosion with isopropyl alcohol and a q tip
2.) Remove that unrecognizeable blob of solder? with a little solder wick
3.) with an Xacto knife, carefully scrape away the solder mask over the trace ends
4.) carefully tin the ends of the traces
5.) tin a small piece of solder wick or wire
6.) carefully "reflow" solder the wire or solder wick to both tinned trace ends
7.) put a small spot of super glue onto the wire / wick

easier than it sounds

Skip

[marshallnoise]

Thanks Skip. I really appreciate that. I posted this at Harmony Central too and if you look at the green wire, it looks like it has been modded for some reason and intentionally cut. I want to return it to stock so I will definately apply your instructions as written.

By the way, that "unrecognizable blob of solder" is actually the trace. It was just bunched up and left there.

http://acapella.harmony-central.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2072957

[VacuumVoodoo]

Does the amp work correctly? This could be factory mod due to either an error in pcb layout (happens) or a circuit mod implemented after they had a lot of pcbs manufactured. Just a possibility to consider.

[Trout]

Does the amp work correctly? This could be factory mod due to either an error in pcb layout (happens) or a circuit mod implemented after they had a lot of pcbs manufactured. Just a possibility to consider.


:agree

That looks more like an intentional factory alteration, changing it might do more harm than good. Obviously (based on photo)the wire/jumper ties to an entirely different location than the original trace path.

[frankencat]

It looks like either a mod or a repair. If the amp works correctly then I would leave it alone.

[mike80]

IMO, it looks like that trace was intentionally cut. I say that because of the green wire going to the same place that the trace used to.

[mbratch]

Does the amp work correctly? This could be factory mod due to either an error in pcb layout (happens) or a circuit mod implemented after they had a lot of pcbs manufactured. Just a possibility to consider.
+1. A common fix to a PCB is to cut a trace and then route a wire where you wanted the signal to really go.

That being said, that trace cut looks messy.

[marshallnoise]

I doubt this was a factory mod then...the factory installed the switch for a reason, so why would they bypass it?

That being said, if someone modded it, I wonder what else has been modded?

I need to really learn how to read schematics...