r/AskElectronics 6h ago

Trying to repair a dead RAM stick using another stick as a donor

0 Upvotes

So, I’ve recently changed my PC case, and it stopped working due to a bad RAM module.

The bad RAM in question comes from a 2-stick DDR4 3600 HZ Kingston FURY Beast kit that I bought when I first built the PC. About a year ago, one of the modules from the kit died, so I stored it. Now the other one has failed as well.

Since I’m not willing to pay the current inflated market prices for RAM, I want to try fixing it myself, using one of the modules as a donor.

My SMD experience goes as far as soldering USB-C ports. I have a soldering station, solder paste, etc., but I’ve never replaced a BGA chip. I’ve seen that stencils are usually used for BGA arrays, but I don’t have any.

I have a few questions for you guys.

First, I’m going to test the resistors and visually inspect the board. But if the problem turns out to be a faulty DRAM chip and the PC won’t POST, how do you determine which chip is failing?

I’ve searched online but haven’t found much discussion about this specific topic. Does anyone have any advice or a direction I could follow?

Is this even feasible? Or are the memory timings and characteristics carefully matched to each individual module?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


r/AskElectronics 1h ago

What did I unscrew?

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Upvotes

-First picture: the piece that was removed
-Second and third pictures: places where I accidentally unscrewed the pieces
-Fourth picture: entire PSU

Hey everyone!

Yesterday, the fan in the PSU of my 3D printer (Anycubic Mega X) started sputtering and I decided to open it up to take a look. Unfortunately, I accidentally unscrewed a couple of pieces (like the metal rectangular piece in the first picture) instead of the screws holding the casing together. Can anyone identify what these pieces are and if it’s safe to reassemble and use it again, especially now that the glue/seal (?) that was on the screw has been tampered with?

Any help is appreciated!


r/AskElectronics 4h ago

Snatched out the cable

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0 Upvotes

Can any1 please give me the model/name of this type c board

I found this board in my cosmic byte cb gk 16 mechanical keyboard actually i snatched the type c wire and in that process the port also got damaged now its rarely working the the angle is right so i opened the keyboard and found this

Please give me the name of this board currently am using a backup keyboard


r/AskElectronics 49m ago

Can I splice the thicker wires to these smaller ones that run to the motherboard without any issues?

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Upvotes

I’m doing a project and I need some help. I‘m reusing these laptop speakers but the wires that connect the speakers to the motherboard (the really short 4 wires) is too short for my needs. The speakers will still be connected to the same, original motherboard. I don’t have much wire laying around, but I found some in a soldering iron kit (lower half of the picture)

If I cut those small wires in half, and I put the thicker wire in between the two halves (for all 4 wires), would I be able to splice the wire together with it still working correctly?

I think this is the correct place to post this lol, but if not just tell me where I can get better answers

Thanks!


r/AskElectronics 13h ago

What type of connector is this?

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0 Upvotes

It's for the 4th axis stepper motor of a 4-axis CNC machine. The CNC is probably 3040 CNC router.

The outer diameter of the circle is approximately 17.5mm. The center to center distance between each pin is approximately 3.5mm.

I just want to know what it's called.


r/AskElectronics 20h ago

XT90 vs 12V HPWR shower thought

1 Upvotes

Was working on my ebike and had a thought. Whats stopping me from replacing the 12V HPWR / 12V 2x6 connector with a XT90? (aside from the sense pins). XT90 can handle roughly 90 amps, so there should be a comfortable safety factor for the ~50 amps needed to carry 600W@12V.

My monkey engineer brain tells me that there isn't any problem and that main reason 12V HPWR is used is because it's part of the ATX specification, and maybe size of connector.

If I feel taking risks I will test this by using 12V HPWR instead of a XT90 for a lower wattage / voltage bike build.


r/AskElectronics 22h ago

Can anyone help me identify UART test pads on this board?

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58 Upvotes

Zero luck so far


r/AskElectronics 21h ago

Where do you guys come up with project ideas related to Analog and electronics?

2 Upvotes

I spent my summer building a risc v cpu, then verified it using a fpga board and Im currently building a power audio amp on Ltspice however I feel like I've wasted my summer as I didnt complete a really big/rewarding project (I am applying for coop in about two weeks). Apart of this is because of work and other personal things, but I want to complete at least one more hardware project. Projects related to klayout/magic would look nice for the resume however I really like creating pcb's and feel I can actually build something in the time frame I have as I already have experience using kicad and Altium.

Do you guys have any advice and resources for a project I can dedicate myself to? Everything either feels too complicated or not resume worthy (Ik a bad mentality to have) and I feel like Im in a slump . An fpga/analog project sounds really interesting to me but I have no idea where to start. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


r/AskElectronics 6h ago

Linear vs Switching on High-Dropuout & Low-Power application

2 Upvotes

Hey everyone, just a little while now I started my journey on hardware design and I've been doing simple boards and designs on freelancer, but recently some of my designs are pushing for production on more "complex" applications.

I'm about to start a new design requiring voltage and current regulation on the range of 0-10mA while accepting 32VAC input and having a lowest possible output of 5VDC. I've been evaluating between using a linear or a switching regulator for voltage regulation.

Perks on using a linear regulator would be: no swithing noise or ripple in the mA range and easier EMC certification.

On the other hand my biggest concern with using a linear regulator is the efficiency, at 5VDC efficiency could be in the 20% range or less and I'm also concerned about thermals, although not so much as we're talking about 10mA consumption tops.

Right now I'm keen on the Linear regulator option but I was looking to get some advice from some of the more experienced users in here. Thanks in advance!


r/AskElectronics 12h ago

someone help me to find the IC datasheet please

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0 Upvotes

I have a small battery-powered audio player board that plays prerecorded bhajans/short sounds through a speaker. It has a push button to change/trigger the music and wires for the battery and speaker.

I have searched extensively for the datasheet or manufacturer information for AS8080 / 5L751800, but I haven't been able to find anything useful or a reliable datasheet.


r/AskElectronics 12h ago

Inductance Tester Stop Working

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0 Upvotes

Why change the inductor(sensor) to the other side of the board would make a perfect working Inductance Tester stop working? The tester came with the inductor installed on the top of the circuit board which is NOT very convenient to use. I managed to move the tiny inductor to the other side which would make the inductor on the bottom when using the tester. However, this change makes the tester no longer working. I have checked all the connections and they are in working order. Any input is appreciated.


r/AskElectronics 14h ago

Do ‘notched potentiometers’ exist?

7 Upvotes

Hello,

I am currently working on a project based on a PIC16F18323, and I would like to add a user-controllable preset to one of my features. As I am very limited in terms of I/O (it’s a DIP8 and I’m already using 3 of the 5 available inputs/outputs), I thought of using a potentiometer. However, ‘continuous’ rotation is not ideal for the precise selection of preset values 1, 2, …

Basically, I’m looking for the behaviour of a digital encoder using just a single (analogue) input.

Do you have any recommendations for me?

Thanks in advance.


r/AskElectronics 5h ago

Unreliable readings in circuit

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13 Upvotes

I bought a new multimeter recently (good reviews)

I have a basic transistor circuit on breadboard. Whenever I measure voltage across different resistors the multimeter always give a different value , the difference in value is 0.2 to 0.3 V.


r/AskElectronics 8h ago

eDP to DP adapter works with one monitor not the other

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5 Upvotes

I have bought the above eDP to DP adapter to use a laptop with dead screen with external monitor (yes, I could use hdmi port but it doesn't show Bios/Uefi).

Monitor A (older Dell U2713HM) shows "no cable detected", but laptop shows the screen with supported resolutions etc, so could read Edid. Monitor from other PC/laptop works just fine with the same port and cable etc.

Monitor B (newer Lenovo P27q-20) works just fine with no issues.

My guess based on some searching is missing pull-up/pull-down for hot plug detect, but then why it works with other screen?
Maybe some hand shake problem?

Some possible components obliviously missing from the board, only led + current limiting resistor is there.
Link to adapter: https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005012069631903.html


r/AskElectronics 9h ago

What’s the name of this brass crimp tab?

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2 Upvotes

Need to pick some up. They insert into the trigger mechanism. I seen some similar stuff online but just like it to be exactly the same. TIA!


r/AskElectronics 9h ago

Steelseries Rival 650 Switch repair

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2 Upvotes

So, the RMB on my rival 650 stopped working consistently and I cannot rma these anymore since the stopped producing them. I have some soldering experience though so I though I'd just replace the switches, but opening it up and desoldering the switches just confused me, as you can see one of the mounting holes does not have a pad (the pin was therefore without any solder) and for some reason the solder mask on the corner is missing completely.

Maybe this is all correct but to me it just looked weird and I have hence decided to ask for help. So guys please help me out, what am I looking at here and how do I fix it?


r/AskElectronics 6h ago

obsolete n channel mosfet 2sk3366 in t0252 package

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3 Upvotes

I am trying to replace this. Can someone help me find an alternative mosfet i can replace this with. I am a novice at most and don't know how to look for alternative replacement. Thanks


r/AskElectronics 6h ago

[Review Request] Low voltage power supply circuit with linear regulator and LDO

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6 Upvotes

Hello,
Is this power supply circuit correct? Are there any changes I should make?

Unfortunately, I started working on it several months ago, and I don’t really remember why I made some choices.. there are actually a lot of ceramic capacitors on it. For some of the capacitor and resistor values, I just used whatever I had on hand.

The 9V supply will power an OPA1622 op-amp, and the 5V supply will power a QCC5125-based Bluetooth module. The goal is to upgrade the KRC-86B that’s currently in my car’s stereo, it only outputs sound through one speaker at a time (I haven’t found the cause) and this will finally let me take calls via Bluetooth.


r/AskElectronics 14h ago

What’s the best way to piggyback off the sensors?

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2 Upvotes

This is an instant water heater. There’s a hall flow sensor, two temperature sensors, and an amp meter. My overall plan is to put an ESP32 in there, reading the data and sending it to home assistant. Maybe also using it to press buttons. Presets for certain users maybe?

I’m also considering intercepting the rx tx stream going to the screen.

If intercepting temp, I could, for example, read the temp directly with an Esp32, and then send the same reading down a different data pin back to the board. Or could I use an optocoupler to read it live? This would mean if the ESP goes down the water heater doesn’t work… but it’s in my house so that’s sort of normal.

I think the flow sensor will be the easiest, with it, I can just tap on the data line. (It has + - and signal) As long as the ground is shared.

i understand how to wire things like sensors up directly, but sharing it with the controller board is the confusing part.

Later I can get better front/back photos of the board.


r/AskElectronics 5h ago

Can this W1209 temperature control switch safely handle a 400W 230VAC rice cooker?

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4 Upvotes

Pic attached.

The rice cooker is being used for the heating element as it’s a convenient shape, I’m trying to use it to make yoghurt. There is a possibility of a larger rice cooker being used in future but I don’t think it would ever exceed 5A.
Prefer to ask for certainty.

I do have another 10A 250VAC relay module that will be controlled by an SBC so I could use the W1209 to control that but that results in extra wires if it’s not necessary.


r/AskElectronics 21h ago

aluminum electrolytic capacitor replacement needed

3 Upvotes

Hopefully someone can help me figure out if I can use one with slightly different specs. I’m looking to replace a cap for a buddy’s 500W car audio amplifier (2023-2024). Somehow I can’t find one. There’s not much room in this and the correct sizes seem to be not manufactured anymore. I’m not sure how much wiggle room there is with the height. I checked digikey and mouser to no avail.

Specs I need: 2200uf, 25v, 12.5mm wide, 18mm height and 2.5mm between the caps. TIA!


r/AskElectronics 10h ago

Old fish finder LCD – dead CCFL backlight. Repair it or convert to LEDs? Northstar explorer 657

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2 Upvotes

Hello all,

I’m trying to repair the backlight on an old fish finder LCD. The northstar explorer 657, I just boat an old boat and the first time I use it the fish finder broke...

The LCD itself appears to be working. If I shine a flashlight very close to the screen, I can see the text/graphics.

The original backlight uses CCFL tubes around the light guide/diffuser, as shown in the photos.

I haven’t diagnosed the exact fault though. I don’t have a CCFL tester, so I don’t know if the problem is:

- the CCFL tubes,

- the inverter/CCFL driver,

- a connector/wiring issue,

- or something else in the backlight circuit.

I’m also not sure how to safely test the inverter.

Instead of troubleshooting the original system, I’m considering bypassing the CCFL backlight completely and installing LEDs around/along the existing light guide.

My idea is to power the LEDs independently from a small USB power bank and route the cable outside through one of the existing screw holes, without modifying the fish finder’s main electronics.

Would there be any problem doing this regardless of whether the original fault is the CCFL tubes, inverter, connector, or something else? Could I simply leave the original CCFL/inverter system disconnected or unused?

I was also thinking about adding a small dimmer in case the LEDs are too bright or create visible hotspots/lines through the diffuser, but dimming is not essential if I can choose the right LEDs and brightness.

What type of LED strip/LEDs would you recommend for something like this?

Photos attached showing the LCD, CCFL tubes and light guide. I am not a professional.

Thank you.


r/AskElectronics 6h ago

Piezoelectric Plate Transducer Testing

2 Upvotes

Hello,

I know this is a niche question but I am trying to see if there is a way I can test these transducers at work (40kHz units). They are plate style, used for an ultrasonic cleaner.

I have tried using our Fluke 117 multimeter (testing Capacitance) but can not seem to be getting a reading (testing on brand new spare ones so there should be readings).

I could absolutely be doing it wrong but from the videos I have found on similar parts, it seems pretty straight forward to be testing these. I have also seen videos of injecting voltage into them and testing from resistance but they seem to use oscilloscopes which we do not have (I'm just a maintenance tech but love nerding out on these kind of things).

If you have advice or maybe where I can look online for better information on these, I'd appreciate it.


r/AskElectronics 6h ago

Can anyone help me identify this Varistor?

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4 Upvotes

I have a Casio WQV-1 watch that I bought in non functioning condition. When I took it apart I found a small component that was covered in some kind of white powder. I cleaned it with contact cleaner but it was still caked on there. No other part of the board is dirty. I found a service manual and discovered that this component is a varistor. I’m not sure if there is somewhere to get a replacement or if anyone could help me find an alternative. Any help is appreciated, thanks!


r/AskElectronics 6h ago

Transformer for PDLC films

2 Upvotes

EDIT: I changed the transfo model for a 48V on the secondary.

Hey everyone!

I have a project using PDLC films.
I need a second opinion to confirm I'm choosing the correct transformer (and that I'm not missing something obvious).

They require between 48 and 60V AC and for my dimensions at least 8W (with an included safety margin).
Main's voltage is 220-240V, 50Hz.

I found this
https://www.tme.eu/fr/en/details/tts50_z230_48v/toroidal-transformers/breve-tufvassons/17142-9997/; datasheet: https://www.tme.eu/Document/e6926af030c8ad46ec31ae152e8abbcb/TTS-EN.pdf
Summary:
Primary V: 230V AC
Secondary V: 48V
Secondary current: 1.04A
Power: 50VA

So, it will do the trick right?
Thanks for reading!