I'm doing the solder joint test on all SDS100s that cross my bench now. I'm working on fabricating some tooling so I can desolder the connectors and position them correctly when resoldering them. The problem is that they aren't seating all the way to the circuit board, and there are gaps between the connector pins and PCB pads that aren't being completely filled with solder. The pins are just touching the tops of the beads of solder instead of being immersed, and the mechanical weakness of the joint allows vibration, expansion, and contraction to break it. Once the joint breaks, oxidation sets in and interrupts continuity.
SDS100/SDS200: Cold Solder Joint
- Thread starter jonwienke
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I misread your last post. The total cost of "MY" scanner at this point, with DMR & NXDN upgrade is almost $1000. Shipping, Insurance, etc. Jon refunded me $50 (his charge for repair) + $6 of my $27 shipping with insurance. Also he paid the shipping to send it back to me. I paid shipping + $27 shipping (with $700 insurance) to Uniden as well. $80 for repair to Uniden.
Well, when I add it all up ( purchase price from Bearcat Warehouse, Uniden temporary repair job, Jon Wienke repair job, Scannermaster soft leather case, better BNC/SMA adapter, etc), I've paid about $850.
Yeah . . . I know . . .
-Johnnie (KC5IGH)
Engine104
Member since 2005
Jon, Are you seeing a lot of SDS100s with that issue? Just wondering how frequent this issue is.
-Larry (KG6EJT)
Cold Solder Joint Update - Jon did an amazing job repairing my SDS100 that Uniden completely failed at.
So far my sds100 is working fine. Mine was the first batch xxxxx8000203.
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This (the cold solder joint matter) is being forwarded to HQ. Do you have a repair order I can reference?
I've already spoken to @UnidenSupport about this. I have video and photos from multiple customer units that I've repaired, several of which (mine included) had been to Uniden previously with unsatisfactory results. I'm on my phone and not by my computer, but if you PM me, I can provide a list of serial numbers of units I've reworked, and my analysis of the cause of the problem and how it can be fixed and prevented going forward..
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Thank you Jon. I will reach out internally to follow up on this. It is unacceptable. Did all units have the same issue?
I will PM you my email (assuming I can PM now) and you can send that info to me.
Update: PM sent
I will PM you my email (assuming I can PM now) and you can send that info to me.
Update: PM sent
IMO the cold solder thing needs to be a repair campaign like what was done for the x36 clock and display issues. The basic issue is that both sides of J401 aren't being seated properly when the boards are assembled, so there is a slight gap between the connectors and the boards. The connector pins are only lightly touching the surface of the solder beads on the pads on the board, instead of being immersed in the solder like everything else. Over time, some of the connections break loose, and after oxidation sets in, they fail to connect.
Both sides of J401 need to be desoldered, the old solder removed and all oxidation cleaned, then the connector resoldered, making sure it is properly seated first.
Both sides of J401 need to be desoldered, the old solder removed and all oxidation cleaned, then the connector resoldered, making sure it is properly seated first.
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Yes, I noticed the offset as well. I cannot promise the repair campaign but I will definitely follow up on this issue with both the service department as well as the factory.
Every SDS100 I've looked at so far has had a gap between the connector pins and board, no exception. If you look at the connector joints from the side with a microscope (easiest to see on the rear board), you can see that the distance between the bottom of the pin and the surface of the board is 1-2x the thickness of the pin. It should be more like 0.2-0.5x the thickness of the pin for good mechanical strength for the joint.
Joe Bearcat. You will no doubt receive lots of info, complaints, requests, etc. from users on this forum.
Jon Wienke is the premier authority on Uniden products. He is a wealth of knowledge and an excellent resource when it comes to Uniden scanners. His info is solid.
Jon Wienke is the premier authority on Uniden products. He is a wealth of knowledge and an excellent resource when it comes to Uniden scanners. His info is solid.
I have a buddy of mine has the CSJ problem. He ask me last week if I had any issues. He can't hear nothing from weather to vhf and 800 stuff.
I wouldn't claim I know more than the factory about design and internal workings of Uniden scanners. But among users of Uniden scanner products, I'm regarded as one of the more knowledgeable.
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That's why this is being taken so seriously. I am writing the email to HQ and the engineers this evening (I reviewed this entire thread) and I am recommending immediate action be taken for both assembly and repair. We will then have a discussion about existing units. It IS possible the connector is designed to sit off the board slightly, but it's something that needs reviewed and verified.
The fact Jon has been able to verify this on several units is something most users would never be able to do and of course lends credibility to the fact this is not a one-off issue.
BTW Jon, I believe the third pin is 'empty' because the solder was removed from the first 5 pins, but was never replaced in pin 3 (from your original pic). I don't believe it was dry from the factory. Regardless, I will again state that is unacceptable.
Hello Sir, I had the cold solder joint problem, after sending my first purchased sds100 back, dead after 4 days of use. HRO sent me a replacement and it lasted about 10 days. HRO wouldn't send me another replacement. So after lots of advice from guys on here and Jon Wienke, I sent it to Jon for repair. After having it for more than a month Jon sent me the scanner back, still dead. He sent his apologies as well. I don't blame Jon in any way. I blame Uniden for continuing to let this faulty product be sold to loyal customers. I sent the radio to Uniden for repair for them to tell me it had been "tampered with" and voided the warranty. So I had them fix it and I had to pay. Uniden repair had it for about a month and sent it back. It worked for 5 days and went dead again!! I called Uniden repair for instructions on what to do. They advised me to send it back again. I sent it back and it was returned to me today. They replaced the "control board" this time and it is "now" working. So, I purchased the sds100 around October 1st 2020 and It has actually been in my posession "working" for less than 2 weeks!! Talk about unacceptable. And to add insult to injury my warranty is now voided from Jon Wienke's "Tampering"!! It is a shame on the Uniden company to send out such a high dollar scanner to a very small community of buyers that are willing to pay "top dollar" for such a high end scanner, and it have this kind of quality control issues. The issues have been known to the Uniden Repair Service from the very release of the first production. It is also unacceptable to have to send a scanner to repair several times to fix their own faulty work.
MStep
Member
The biggest surprise in that unfortunate tale of woe is the Jon Wienke could not even get it working. With the possible exception of Joe Bearcat, from all I've read here, Jon is a guru with the SDS series. I appreciate your post, and I think there are some lessons to be learned. Between the first and second units from HRO, it seems that one lasting 4 days and the other lasting 10 days, you got total usage of 14 days out of that radio. I'm not sure how you paid HRO, but if a credit card was involved (which usually works on the 25 - 30 day cycle), the first thing I might have done would be to send the second radio back to HRO and dispute the charges for the radio with your credit card provider. That would have likely taken you out of the loop, so to speak. Sadly, if you paid by some other method (debit card, money order, etc), then that remedy was not available. And I do realize that everyone here does not have access to a credit card.
Yes, I used a credit card. But all I wanted was a "working" radio! As I said, I now have it back from Uniden for the 2nd time and hopefully the last. I am hoping that it will keep working this time.
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