On Fri, 01 Feb 2013 08:03:24 -0500, Rich Webb
wrote:

On Thu, 31 Jan 2013 20:55:01 -0500, looking wrote:

Hi,

I disassembled a laptop to replace the power jack and during the
process dislodged a [tiny] surface component.

It doesnt look like it has leads of any sort. It's beige. A resistor?
A cap? Need help. It's off the board and I'm hoping it's
unidirectional and that it can be soldered back and all will be well.

I'd appreciate any comments.

A picture would help. However, from the description (tiny, beige) I'd
guess that it is a non-polarized capacitor similar to
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceramic_capacitor#Multi-layer_ceramic_capacitors_.28MLCC_chips.29
and you can safely replace it in either orientation. Remove all of the
remaining solder from one pad (so that it's smooth) then flux and tack
the cap to the opposite pad. When it looks like it's oriented right,
tack down the other pad.


Thanks for replying. That's about what I found out and I got the unit
back up, albeit without apparent battery functionality, and a slight
off color smell. Powered down after a few minutes but on the second
boot-up, the box was on breifly and then went blank after a pop. I
disassembled back to the MB and the dislodged capacitor I had soldered
back on had had some malfunctrion and was no longer soldered on.

I know it's a capacitor per writing on the MB, PC108. It's in a group
of 3 and after soldering the pc back and reassembling the laptop, I
check omhs across each of the 3 caps and all read about 113-116 on a
VOM.

Trying to be brief: it's tight in there particularly since the power
jack has been resoldered, but I'm still hopeful about the repair. The
unit did function after try 1, so I think that if I can get the cap
back in there, there's a good chance of success as caps do fail,
people replace them and th eunits function even if there is a pop when
they fail?

In the back of my mind, I still wonder about the polarity issue though
I can't see how to tell one side from the other. Unless I'm using
magnification? Am I correct to be concerned? Have I provide enough
info to determine?

From where I am, I need a replacement cap. Can I go to the stockpile
of old boards and eyeball a replacement? Or is this the kind of repair
that I might be able to get done a shop that might bail my sorry butt
out?

Lastly, it's hard to desolder. Do you have a toll recommendation?

I just checked out the link, it is an MLCC. I haven't finished reading
yet, Would this component be heat damaged in a bad soldering job?

Thanks for listening.