Replacing a headphone jack.

[marb]

I can't for the life of me fix this after watching this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhnXUQRQ4u4

Basically, my headphone jack only causes sound to come out of one headphone. I stripped the wires (red, green and 2 earth). I did all in the video but I got no sound at all. Nothing. I checked nothing was touching. It doesn't make sense why it shouldn't work with a new jack. One other thing, the solder didn't want to stick to the jack. It just rolled away like it was being repelled.

Can anyone advise further as these phones are good and 2 pairs have failed already on the jack ?

 

[ChrisFrost]

If the solder didn't stick then its because the joint wasn't hot enough before you applied the solder. It's a common mistake.

Once you get your soldering technique down then the next reason why the repair won't work is a break in the cable. This could be at a point where the cable bends. Work up the cable an inch at a time and manipulate it to see if the connect restores just temporarily. This won't fix it but will tell you where the break is.

Forgive me for saying, but if you've had two sets of these headphones break then don't buy any more. They're obviously a bit weak.

Edit: and I just watched that video. His soldering technique sucks.

 

[ericmark]

I will guess he is using lead solder and your trying with lead free? I will not use lead free at home it's too dangerous. The lead will do far less harm than the flux will with lead free. To use lead free you need an extractor running to ensure you don't get the fumes. There are fumes with lead flux but they are no way near as harmful as those given out from lead free flux.

It could also be that your solder is not cored with flux and you need to add it.

 

[Monkeh]

I will guess he is using lead solder and your trying with lead free? I will not use lead free at home it's too dangerous. The lead will do far less harm than the flux will with lead free. To use lead free you need an extractor running to ensure you don't get the fumes. There are fumes with lead flux but they are no way near as harmful as those given out from lead free flux.

It could also be that your solder is not cored with flux and you need to add it.

Rosin flux is rosin flux, doesn't matter how much lead is or isn't in the solder. The lead solder I have puts out a lot more fumes than the lead-free I have here due to the amount of flux in it, but that's all.

The fumes are not going to kill you if you breathe them in once or twice.

 

[ericmark]

Check your COSHH regulations on what you are using. I was stunned when I read the sheet. In University we had extractors on the tips of every soldering iron and I thought they had gone OTT until I read the sheet.

Lucky I have enough lead solder not to need to use lead free.

 

[ChrisFrost]

If they did a COSHH sheet for driving a car or flying in a plane or traveling by train you'd never take any of those forms of transport either. Hell, simply breathing is a huge risk. Do you have any idea how toxic oxygen can be?

Oh, and as Monkeh said, there's flux in both leaded and lead-free solder, so simply choosing to use leaded solder doesn't mean you're exposed to significantly less resin fumes.

 

[ChrisFrost]

marb, if you're still struggling to fix your headphones then I can do the soldering for you. It won't take more than about 10 minutes.

I've just watched the rest of that YouTube video. What a bodger. Hot glue!!

The guy has another video where he's going on about a new plug with screw terminals because the connection broke again on his repair. That inspires confidence, doesn't it. second video linked here

 

[Monkeh]

Check your COSHH regulations on what you are using. I was stunned when I read the sheet. In University we had extractors on the tips of every soldering iron and I thought they had gone OTT until I read the sheet.

Lucky I have enough lead solder not to need to use lead free.

It's an irritant. So are a million other things including the contents of the air you breathe walking down a busy road. Lead solder contains flux just like lead-free.

Flux fumes from ordinary solder are not harmful with brief exposure.

 

[Sam Gangee]

They'd better not be. I've been soldering for 50 years!

 

[ChrisFrost]

And you're still alive!!! Better not tell Health & Safety, ehh?

 

[wotan]

That guy would never get a job at NASA that soldering job was appalling!
far too much cable separated, very suspect soldered joints, large blobs of solder just dabbed on instead of heating the terminals till there was sufficient heat to melt the solder, no mention or, attempt to, crimp the strain relief tabs onto the cable, marks out of 10? .. 1... and that being generous

Wotan

 

[Alarm]

He would have got a better joint using sellotape !!!