soldering instead of STDM cable connecter

Post by **hubird** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:29 pm

Today I had the opportunity to put my two CWA cards in a G4 Dual MDD 1250 MHz.
And indeed, as someone said long time ago already on Planetz, the STDM connector(s) stop(s) the case from closing, leaving it open for at least one cm or even an inch.
The (huge) supply box is in it's way, and there's no escape.
Leaving the case (a bit) open is not an option as it disturbs the intended cooling air flow.

I would like to ask you techies what you think about ditching the connectors and instead soldering the flatcable's wires directly on the card's STDM contacts.
To stay capable to remove the cards separately I could use a male/female STDM connection halfway the connection.

I seldom removed the cards from the slots, so if wires fit they fit

Say Creamware will ever manage OSX support, I can then upgrade to a faster G4, and remove the wires, 'cleansoldering' the contacts with solder sucking wick, and use the STDM cables again.

I know I should be carefull with the heat of the soldering-bolt and use a subtle one, and I also did much soldering in the past, I know what I'm doing.

What'd you think, is this idea just showing thinking desparately, or is it do-able?
I really need a faster mac...the performance meter in Cubase in the G4 MDD showed I will gain at least double power.

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-18 16:14 ]

Post by **garyb** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:44 pm

yes, it's doable....scary, but doable...maybe you can find a low profile connector.....

Post by **hubird** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 3:57 pm

I thought of that, I also checked the connector closely, but transforming the connector isn't an option, the gain will never be enough.

I can imagine a construction that fastens two (rubber?)parts against both sides of the board.
At both sides of the connection part there is place for a small bolt, pulling both parts together to the board.
This way no soldering would be necessory.
The problem would be to get an equal pressure level along the connection piece, and also to keep the wires exactly in place.
The latter wouldn't be the biggest problem, as the flatcable keeps things right on it's own.
The equal pressure could be reached by a small aluminum T- or even better U-profile...thinking while writing

Both bolts, placed exactly along the edges of the connection piece, could keep the construction on it's place, together with the pressure of the rubber parts.
Hm...

Thanks for attention Gary

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-18 16:25 ]

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-18 17:43 ]

at0m · Post by **at0m** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:08 pm

How about putting the rubber/wires between the cards instead of having it bump out? Or a custom STDM?

ps. mHz, as in millihertz?

Post by **hubird** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:20 pm

ok, changed it to 1250 MHz

Hm, not sure about what you suggest...
Both sides of the card's connection part have contacts, so you will have to force things together at both sides.
Also I would like to keep things dissemble-able, at least a few times again...
A custom STDM...any suggestions? do you know of different models traded?
There is *really* little room left between the supplybox and the card's edge...

Post by **hubird** » Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:47 pm

This way custom enough?

Seen from upside.
There's an alumium U-profile, to leave room for the bolts in the mid of both ends.
Dunno, it could work...

The flatcable connection is rather complicated, as 'neighbour' wires are connected in turn at a card's side (how to say that in correct english

).
BTW, guess there's also room enough casewise at the upperside to let the cable go out at the upperside, which gets much easier to connect the cards.

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-18 16:59 ]

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-18 17:00 ]

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-22 21:07 ]

Vasfed · Post by **Vasfed** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 7:27 am

i'think that soldering will be more preferable, it gives much more reliable contact than suggested rubber-based connector

+ with a correct versions of hands32.dll and brains.sys it is not so scary

tip: do _not_ use a soldering iron over 45Watts - if you overheat board's elements - you'll have to replace them, 15-30W for this task.

Post by **hubird** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 10:16 am

thanks for the tip Vasfed

I guess I will try the rubbers first, as I don't like the idea of soldering on the card for a temporary reason.
If that doesn't work reliable, then I could try soldering.

Today I bought a loose STDM connector, there were only three of them left, in a specialized electronica shop.
The seller said that noone asked for it since years...
I'm gonne open the connector completely, to see if I get an idea to use the contact elements one or the other way.
cheers.

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 12:36 pm

Huub you can remove the cover of the STDM connector by carefully bending each side with a very small screwdriver.
If you cut away the 4 plasic poles on each edge you should gain about 5mm less height - is it enough to close the case ?
The cover itself has no 'real' function, it's dispensable.

cheers, Tom

MD69 · Post by **MD69** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:26 pm

Hi Hubird,

Hmm, As long as you keep your cards and you don't expect to resell them ... you can do what you want. You should not expect to be able to completely remove tin from the gold plating if you unsolder your connections later. Wich mean, as tin will oxydize, you'll get poor contact quality!

Cheers

Michel

alfonso · Post by **alfonso** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 2:48 pm

Soldering tin on gold will last (if even) very little time and it will probably ruin the gold strate as you do it. It's almost as soldering on plastic, totally crazy move. Apart the fact that the gold layer is very thin and that heat will very probably remove it from the polycarbonate.

Don't do it, 98% your gonna ruin the cards.

Post by **hubird** » Thu Jan 19, 2006 5:43 pm

hey, thanks MD69 and Alfonso, that is essential information, glad you come up with this.
No soldering for me anymore!

Astro, I checked the connector already and 'opened' the top yesterday.
However, I can't agree with the 5 mm gain that you are talking about.
The gain is 2 mm or even less, the little pins on top of the contact catches that cut the cable isolation stick out.
From flatcable to top of the connector is exactly 3mm, wich is the theoretical max gain, and then you have the higher pins...
And the mac case was far from closed, in fact the cards must almost reach the supply box...

So, my conclusion is, the only trick will be the one of my drawing, and I think I can do it.
But I admit, it is tricky, the contacts at both sides of the card are exactly opposite to each other, so two 'neighbour' cable wires share the room (width) of one card contact...if you get what I mean.
I destroyd and opened the loose bought connector, so I now know exactly how it's meant to be connected.

To keep the wires in place I could carefully cut small shoots in the rubber part, to lead the wires to the right place on the surface of the rubber where it should make contact with the card's contact part.
This way it would make the connection more or less repeatable.

Best solution would be OSX support by Creamware, as the newer macs have much bigger cases

I'm gonne try it, cross thumps guys

[ This Message was edited by: hubird on 2006-01-19 17:47 ]

samplaire · Post by **samplaire** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 2:04 am

Good luck with your DIY, Huub

On 2006-01-19 07:27, Vasfed wrote:
+ with a correct versions of hands32.dll and brains.sys it is not so scary

and the right project.bat

Or on a Mac the iHuub

arela · Post by **arela** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 3:52 am

What about a hammer
...expand the chassis - if possible
Think both the rubber stuff and soldering will cause you some bad experiences.

My prophesy is not so good on this one

Vasfed · Post by **Vasfed** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:30 am

On 2006-01-19 14:48, alfonso wrote:
Soldering tin on gold will last (if even) very little time and it will probably ruin the gold strate as you do it. It's almost as soldering on plastic, totally crazy move. Apart the fact that the gold layer is very thin and that heat will very probably remove it from the polycarbonate.

Don't do it, 98% your gonna ruin the cards.

electric conductors on computer cards are always made of copper, if not agree how dow you think cards are being soldered at factory

about connector itself - at it's move it can cause soldering problems because of plastic, solution - get connector, may be disasseble it, draw the wiring from it and use other wires for connecting (for example taken from a pata-33 or floppy cable)

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:07 am

On 2006-01-20 03:52, arela wrote:
What about a hammer
...expand the chassis - if possible
Think both the rubber stuff and soldering will cause you some bad experiences.

My prophesy is not so good on this one

I was about to write the same, typing this from the office on THAT kind of G4Dual in question

[removed]
good luck, Tom
proceed at own risk, tho...

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2006-01-20 15:22 ]

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 8:51 am

Ok, I've checked it - the G4 survived removal and opening of the PSU.

the circuit board in the PSU is located at the slot side, no place for hammering - the thing is damn tight with almost no room left inside.

you could cut (or deformate) out the foil that carries the PSU on the inside of the G4 case. As you know the case has a metal layer inside and a plastic layer outside with about 10mm space in between.

on the other hand it's probably possible to move the PSU out of the case and below the box. There's a huge outlet on the bottom of the front cover and the cable is pretty long anyway.
You have to remove the drive bay first to get access to the PSU and a few parts to which the cable is tied.

cheers, tom

addition regarding soldering

if you don't like the idea of the PSU located below the G4 (which would be the most elegant way imho), then you could safely(!) solder a 90 degree 'male-post-connector' (or whatever that may be called) to the card.
Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a picture of the thing, but it's like the metal pins on which you plug an ide drive cable.
These are sold in long rows from which you break off the number of pins needed.

The 90 degree version fits perfectly on the card (sits only 1 mm above the top) and is really easy to solder.
No need to remove it later, as you can just use the connector type like on IDE cables.
You'll never have a loose STDM cable again...

good luck, Tom

[ This Message was edited by: astroman on 2006-01-20 15:40 ]

Post by **hubird** » Fri Jan 20, 2006 6:59 pm

Wow, thanks Astroman, Vasfed, Arela, Samplaire

Well, I think soldering on the card itself is a too big risk.
Vasfed, those STDM contacts aren't meant to be soldered, so Alfonso still could be right. Anyway, I don't take the risk, two destroyed cards would be a shame

Astro's options of removing the PSU are a possibility to concider (thanks for checking this out mate

), but I first gonne try my own idea.
It doesn't harm anything, it doesn't cost anything, and it's relatively easy and fast to construct.

The construction on it's own should be ok, if I can find the right almium U profile that small.

The succes completely depends on how well the wires will make contact with the card's contact points.

I think they will, they have no choice

It's easy to add some extra pressure in the middle of the rubber part, by putting a little thin piece of whatever (f.e. some paper) between the alumium and the rubber.

I also got this idea:
If I could lead the wires through the alumium and the rubber, at the right positions, and fold the nude ends 90 degrees up or down, the wire contacting has to be 100%, isn't it?
A lot more detail work to do it would mean, but I'll see during the process.

Thank you all for your thoughts.
Next week I will try it, if it works I will upload some photographes of the details here.
If it does not work, I'm gonne get me a hammer and hit my mac and then my head

cheers.

MD69 · Post by **MD69** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:09 am

Hi hub,

There might be a solution (I currently evaluate it for my PC: if I upgrade, I'll need to improve dissipation as current DCore are rather HOT 200W for FX60/D950!!!). You cut the box over the connector and you fix over this hole a hard disk cooler kit (easy to find in PC store). It will give you some room as evacuate heat!

Cheers

Michel

arela · Post by **arela** » Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:32 am

Good luck hubird
This would have been a great joint effort, me and my hammer and so on....
I didn't know mac's where so complicated!

[ This Message was edited by: arela on 2006-01-21 02:32 ]