I was removing a MJD41C power transistor (DPAK) from a CCA so I could test it out-of-circuit. The CCA was conformal coated. I had to remove the conformal coating before I could unsolder the part. Next I had to gently lift the emitter and base leads. Next I heat up the collector tab and the transistor slides off the board. I removed the conformal coating, then I went to gently lift the base lead. I lifted the base lead along with half the transistor attached to it. I killed the transistor so I couldnāt test it. So much for that. This was sort of sad because the transistor was doing some interesting things that I didnāt understand. I really wanted to take a look at the transistor on the curve tracer. This may have been a missed opportunity to learn something new.
Itās not something I broke, but I just got the news that a close friend of mine that I havenāt seen in 25 some odd years since he moved to Florida in 1988 has passed away. I did see him around in 1993 when I had to fly down there on a service call, but ever since then, it was only phone calls once or twice a week. Iām really feeling bad right now. I met him in 1971 and we became instant audiophile friends. Life is short my friends. Enjoy it while you can. One other thing, we worked in the same stereo store as technicans around 1980. He was the best tech Iāve ever known. RIP Dave, Iāll never forget you pal.
I was potting my DQG Tiny.
I didnāt remove the driver from the host because itās glued and Iāve seen people breaking their drivers during this.
Some glue leaked to the switch area. I cleaned it up, but I couldnāt do it fully because I lacked access.
The light worked after cleanup, but a day later when the glue remains hardened - the switch doesnāt work.
I used silicone based glue because I thought I could screw something up and wanted something removable. Good choice. Later Iāll try to remove the driver and clean it up betterā¦but Iām going for vacation in a couple of hours and this light wonāt go with me.
It wasnāt today, but I finally got time a few weeks ago to take apart the Rii E21 I won in CKās giveaway. The whole reason I entered the GAW was because I had had the gear to flash firmware for months, but never gotten around to using it. Since this was supposed to be an easy host for that, I signed up, and I won.
The pill was only finger tightened in, but I couldnāt get it to budge with my fingers, so put my cheap HF snap-ring pliers on it (mistake #1), and the first time I turned it, they slipped off and busted the XML LED.
I already had a couple of XPL-HIs on 16mm boards on order from Simon because I wanted to put one in one of these just for kicks.
Before I got around to it, I broke my clavicle last Wednesday laying down my bicycle on rain-slicked asphalt. So probably no soldering for 6 weeks now.
Thanks. Just based on a quick visual inspection it looks ok. But I definitely need a new helmet. The jacket, shorts, and shirt I was wearing were all ruined.
I killed the MELD-X RGBW driver that came in a light I bought from pinkpanda3310. I transplanted it into a new host with a RGBW XM-L and it worked, but unless the head was unscrewed slightly it just lit up all the dies dimly. Left it on my bedside table and the next morning my son got it and inserted the cell the wrong way, although Iām not sure he got the tailcap back on.
Now the driver just lights up all the dies dimly even when bench testing and Iām not sure whether it was a short or reverse polarity that killed it.
I broke the atrocious stock driver in my Wuben E01 when I drilled a hole through it so I could lever it out. It had terrible visible PWM and a double-tap for strobe which meant you couldnāt change modes quickly so I donāt feel guilty at all.
Unfortunately I also ripped a component and PCB trace off the cheap single-mode driver I was filing down to fit. Now Iām left with a non-functional E01, but to be honest I think thatās still a win - the stock driver really is that bad.
If anyone knows a source of tiny multi-mode boost drivers please let me know. I know MTN sells Lumintop Tool drivers, but postage from the US makes it too expensive.
I broke my rose gold S1R Baton II. Did an emitter swap en didnāt remove the cell when I solder the MCPCB back into the light. I shorted something. FFS