⟐ Commented October 18, 2025 at 23:46 MST

Are there any tips or best practices for making things easier for yourself and/or making sure you don’t damage delicate parts? That seems to be the one thing this website doesn’t have a guide about.

Edit: Since there seems to be some confusion, the issue isn’t knowing how it goes back together, I have a handle on that already. My question is whether there’s a safe(er) way of doing it that carries minimal risk of damaging something. My experience with the Rift showed me that trying to awkwardly hold onto multiple tiny PCBs at the same time that are all connected to each other with flimsy cables just doesn’t seem like a smart thing to do.

⟐ Answer accepted September 05, 2025 at 1:56 MST

⟐ Commented August 11, 2025 at 17:30 MST

⟐ Answer accepted July 02, 2025 at 2:24 MST

I have ruined electronic devices because of insufficient grounding.

Many articles say that the metal chassis is not suitable to attach the Antistatic wristband for the purpose of grounding.

I have personally seen electricity arc out of outlets and for clear and obvious concerns any reasonable person has, in order to be sensible and respect life which I cannot replace I will not attach the Antistatic wristband to the metal screw on an electrical outlet or a dedicated plug and plug it into an electrical outlet.

Is there a safe, economical, practical, and sure and unquestionable method which will fully guarantee proper grounding while working on a cell phone or laptop?

⟐ Answer edited June 27, 2025 at 8:46 MST

After I attach the black grounding wire to the ESD mat, I would take the black grounding wires clip off and plug it into the ground plug adapter and plug that into an outlet. Now with the blue wire connected to the wrist strap, I would take off that clip and plug it into one of the black grounding wires sockets, right? Also, does it matter which one of the black grounding wires socket I use to plug the blue wire into?

I attached a photo to see what I am talking about

⟐ Commented June 17, 2025 at 7:19 MST

⟐ Answered January 13, 2025 at 0:17 MST

⟐ Answered December 18, 2024 at 10:00 MST

Anyway, for PCB cleaning like water damage, would denatured alcohol work instead of isopropyl alcohol? Reason being, isopropyl alcohol is pretty expensive, (1 gallon, $14, $28 shipping) and my physics teacher said isopropyl and denatured alcohol all really the same thing for most uses. @pccheese doubts this, and said I should ask here first. If so, what type of denatured alcohol should I look for?

@mayer @oldturkey03 @danj

Planning to run by my local ACE hardware store.

⟐ Commented November 16, 2024 at 23:18 MST

⟐ Commented September 05, 2024 at 8:08 MST

I would like to start learning - my initial aim is maintenance, care and cleaning of my tech to extend its lifespan, though repairs and upgrades in the future would be cool. I learn best by doing, so I hope you can advise me on essentials for getting started.

As the title suggests, this will be mostly Apple devices and things like PS4 controllers.

Example things I'd like to be able to do:

• clean dust build up out of overheating MacBook Pro with loud fans
  • (based on this video, I'm dubious of the methods but the dust build up inside is what interested me)
• fix stick drift on DualShock4 controllers
• eventually in the future, replace cracked screen on old iPad Pro (too expensive to be worth servicing - I'd rather learn)

What I'm thinking of purchasing:

• iOpener kit
• Anti-Static Project Tray
• Anti-Static Brush
• Moray Precision Driver Kit (I'm looking at this one over Minnow as there's a bunch of less important little gadgets and tech I have lying around that need precision screws and I'd rather not have to learn later something almost fits)
• Precision Electronic Screwdriver

My questions:

1. Are there any other essentials you think are must-haves for my usage?
2. Is getting anti-static items meaningless without ESD mats/straps?
3. Are ESD mats/straps necessary for my use cases, and are risks of lack of proper set up the same across them?
4. If ESD precautions are necessary, can you recommend an 'entry-level' and budget friendly way to set up a workspace?
5. Is the electronic screwdriver safe to use from an ESD standpoint, or should I skip it?
6. Anything else I should absolutely know, but might not know I need to know it? :-)

This would give me a great starting point for further research and questions so I'd really value your input. No pressure to answer all of my questions.

Thanks in advance!

@danj what about the board itself https://i.imgur.com/1GDLVPd.jpg is it safe?

⟐ Answered January 12, 2024 at 16:58 MST

I’m very much a newbie to circuit boards but I’d like to fix this on my own if at all possible.

I can’t find a parts sheet online or much help to know what to replace, but I see that 2 of the components have a Smokey look to them, so I’m guessing it overheated? Fuse looks good. Can anyone help me with this???

⟐ Commented November 29, 2023 at 17:25 MST

I have a Tesla battery module which reads 0v on cell taps 2 and 3. 1, 4, 5 and 6 are ok.Is there a way to put new connectors on ribbon cables?

Thanks!

Pat

⟐ Commented October 19, 2023 at 4:10 MST

⟐ Commented October 06, 2023 at 16:06 MST

⟐ Answer accepted October 01, 2023 at 21:59 MST

⟐ Answer accepted September 30, 2023 at 16:35 MST

⟐ Answer accepted September 30, 2023 at 16:34 MST

I need to use my mobile headphones for an office phone ,

I probably need to buy a converter but it isn't available in my country , so ..

what I did was to cut the 3.5mm jack of my headphones and try to connect it with the rj9 cable..

I was able to get the sound working in my headphones but not the mic

when i try to connect the 2 grounds of the rj9 cable to the ground of the headphones , I hear a terrible whistle

so if any one can tell me the exact circuit between them , it will be great!

thanks in advance!

⟐ Answer accepted September 29, 2023 at 11:47 MST

⟐ Answer accepted September 29, 2023 at 6:15 MST