Thank you for the advice. Lucky for me the fets bottom sits flat to the board, so the heat sinks all line up.1911Colt wrote: ↑Wed May 15, 2024 5:24 pm You could also remove one of the other FETs and use it as a guide to trim the leads on the replacement. Make them a close match and put them back on the board to verify that the tops of the built in heatsinks are even.
The trick to soldering is to get the lead and the trace on the PCB ho enough to accept the sold. The solder should "flow" into the area around the lead on its own. If it drips in and forms a "ball", that means it wasn't hot enough to flow properly. Also, a good connection will be relatively shiny. If it looks gray and rough, it is a "cold" joint, which is another indication that the solder did not flow properly due to a lack of heat.
If you are near southern Indiana, swing by and I can help. I am not good at very many things, but I can solder pretty well thanks to my vocational school teacher and the US Air Force.
I'll re-read your advice when I get a chance to put solder down. I'd take you up on the offer for help but I am about two thousand miles away. I have 2 more novak 4's that are in better condition. So I have plenty of chances to get solder it right
My iron has a temperature selector and a few different tips. Any clue on what temperature I should be using ? Is the fine tip a good choice?