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Damn the stupid OSI backplane design.
I have a C2 and a C4 that both suffer from bad backplane connectivity.
I can clean all the pins with isopropyl giving them a good scrubbing, and reassemble the machines, they may work initially but over time (from days to months) the pins begin to oxidise (or something) and the machines will become flakey and eventually stop working. Then I have to pull them apart and reseat the boards...What a huge pain. Again they will work, but eventually the machine will die. I think I've done this about 20 times for each machine. I know the connectors are only rated for a limited number of removal and insertions. I've also replaced a number of the connectors that are obviously broken or dying.

Needless to say I'm looking for a solution.

I'm wondering if there is some kind of anti corrosion conductive spray that the pins can be lightly coated in? Something that can help keep connectivity between the molex sockets and the pins.

Any advice would be greatly received.

Philip

Phil, I think Dave may have put me on to these product:

DeoxIT D and G series
NyoGel 760G

If I remember correctly, the NyoGel I may have got on ebay but the DeoxIT is available at Jaycar locally here.
I scrapped every bleedin pin lightly (not the sockets) with a screw driver before applying. Deox on socket end too. NyoGel only on pins. No problems since. (I think there may be another post about it.)

DeOxit should help with the pins. I've not had issues with bad connections on the OSI backplanes, but I've used it elsewhere and it seems to work. I don't usually scrape the pins. I prefer to keep the original finish to optimize the pin-to-socket contact area, and let the deoxidizing agent do the work.

I haven't had much problem with the Molex connectors, but I have had problems with bad sockets and generally poor PCB quality. I think that OSI boards, in part because of their size along with the cheap process, are prone to micro-cracks at the through hole plating, or where traces meet pads and vias, because of board flexion. Those can be maddening and nearly impossible to locate.

Dave

I used DeOxit and Nylogel and they really work for this problem.
/Jeff

Thanks guys,
I'll look into DeoxIT. As Mike says, it seems to be available locally.
Unfortunately any retro fun will have to wait for a couple of months as I seem to have gone and broken my right (dominant) arm!!!

Cheers
Phil

Hope it happened while you were doing something fun. Get well!
/J

Sorry about the arm. Recover quickly!

Dave

Yeah, I race BMX. Not sure it's something a 50+ person should be doing. I don't bounce as well as I used to.

Have ordered some NyoGel 760G, and will get some DeoxIT when my arm is all fixed. Will let you know how I get on.

Mike, is this the DeoxIT kit you got from Jaycar?
https://www.jaycar.co.nz/deoxit-contact ... t/p/NS1436

Used some degreaser and some NyoGel on the backplane pins, now everything seems ok...although the drive did stop working about half an hour later. It's done this before and I spent days trying to find the issue, but ultimately I gave up. Then a few weeks later when I came back to the machine, it worked perfectly again...fixed itself! So maybe I'll leave it for a bit and see what happens. Weird.

Phil

nama wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 8:47 pm Yeah, I race BMX. Not sure it's something a 50+ person should be doing.

I raced dirt bikes into my 50's. I still ride at 63 and am told I'm still pretty fast, but I try to ride with slow riders.

My son is the real pro (at least he was from 2008 to 2013, but tired of never breaking into the top 3) but I can't let him get away from me, so I push...

Edit: (off topic) My son doing a sample promo for Fox (this is dark on purpose, so turn up the brightness - I did most of the video work ). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmW6OPPyoRw