Hi,
I love the trill bar, it is exactly what I need for a project, but it is unfortunate that the connector sticks out so prominently at the back of the sensor. I plan to desolder it. Are there any issues that I should take into account?
Thanks, best, Hans.
removing the connector on the trill Bar?
Hi Hans,
Very happy to hear that you have enjoyed working with Trill Bar!
After trying various different connector types we settled on the Grove connector as a balance between sturdiness and form factor. We're thinking about more slimline alternatives for future revisions.
Removing the connector should be easy enough with a decent soldering iron and solder sucker (this one is a joy to use: https://www.thonk.co.uk/shop/engineer-ss02-soldersucker/).
Take care to not lift any of the SMD resistors or capacitors if the board gets too hot – the only ones at risk might be the pair next to the address pads.
Best of luck,
Robert
- Edited
Hi!
I have done this a couple of times.
If you are going to attempt desoldering the connector with a soldering iron my advice is to try and desolder the smd pads first really carefully (you can tilt the connector a little bit but with real care not to snap it!) and then desolder the ground tabs that keep it in place.
It can happen that the connection between the ground tab and the pcb breaks and that's not a big deal (unless you rip any traces around the connector) but you definitely don't want that to happen for the I2C pads.
I would also advise against using a screwdriver or anything sharp to pull the connector out since the density of traces behind is quite high and those are thin.
- Edited
I have tried the mechanical solution instead. Insert a flat head screwdriver under the edge of the connector (one at a time) and exert force so that you push the connector away from the PCB:
For me, the solder joint that was holding the side tab to the PCB cracked and the plastic housing lifted slightly on that side. Then I repeated the procedure on the other side with a similar effect. If the solder joint doesn't crack, you may end up lifting the side tabs' PCB pads, but that wouldn't be a concern unless you were planning in soldering the connector back later on (although it seems that it would be strong enough even without the side tabs).
After the plastic housing of the connector is no longer held in place by the two side tabs, you can lift it up and remove it. The final result was this:
pretty clean job, innit?
Now desoldering the 4 legs can be done one at a time and it should be straightforward even without specialised tools.
EDIT:
clearly, make sure you do this with all the required care. You could end up damaging traces if you were to misuse the screwdriver. Check the PCB diagram to see where the traces are and steer clear of them. Also, needless to say, any of these interventions will void your warranty.
Thanks for all the replies. Good to see that the plastic of the connector seems removable. I think I am going to try that method...