RAM Troubles

[vanpeebles]

Currently had a ton of problems trying to get einSDein to run on my TC-01, after a ton of help (cheers SirMorris!) it's been narrowed down to hopefully a dodgy ram chip. I've got some turned pin sockets on the way and 8 memory chips on the way, fingers crossed!

[robheaton]

You best get that soldering iron heated up!

[vanpeebles]

RAM sockets fitted, after some epic desoldering! Phew! Have I got carried away with the braid and took out the solder from where the hole is?? (second picture)

[sirmorris]

Don't worry about that. It's just where solder has flowed into the via from the wave soldering process. It's not electrically significant.

Congratulations on the job - looks very neat! Did you have any trouble with lifting tracks?

More to the point -

DOES IT WORK??!!!

* I'm guessing you're still awaiting RAM otherwise you'd have tried

[vanpeebles]

No I went real steady! I used rework jelly, using my solder sucker on the back first, then went round with braid top and bottom. Used all my braid too!

Ah so I don't need to fill that hole in? I was wondering between it has a line that goes from one to the next one.

The chips are in the post. I could continuity test all the pins to each other socket, apart from 2 or 3 pins if I remember right. I'm guessing they are not used.

[sirmorris]

That's where I'm going wrong then - I usually use strawberry jelly.

[vanpeebles]

I wouldn't put this stuff on my toast

[vanpeebles]

Success anyway! 8 new chips and machine is working way better. I'm still getting the odd blue with purple specks interference. No doubt something else needs changing too!

[jltursan]

Mmm, caps?. I would consider a recapping although then Einstein, AFAIK, doesn't suffer usually of bad caps...or at least not like the Newbrain

[vanpeebles]

To be honest I usually associate bad caps with 90s Japanese stuff and BBC PSUs. I've never capped a Sinclair that I've owned. Maybe a dodgy z80 or something? It's still struggling to play nice