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Had a weird short on a vintage radio board yesterday

I was fixing a 1970s Panasonic AM/FM unit in my garage and the whole thing went dead after I replaced a capacitor. Found a tiny solder bridge I missed that was connecting two traces, cleaned it up with my Hakko iron and it fired right up. What's your go-to method for spotting those super subtle shorts before you power something on?
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3 Comments
the_sandra
the_sandra15d ago
My Hakko's magnifying light is a lifesaver for that, but I still run a quick continuity check with my multimeter.
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walker.cole
Trusting a light over a meter is a bold strategy. I've seen too many "good" joints light up like a Christmas tree under a lamp, only to fall apart when you actually try to pass current through them. The meter doesn't lie, even if it ruins your afternoon.
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chen.casey
chen.casey15d ago
Nice! I always check with a bright light first.
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