disintegrated solder pads

[SaltyRobot]

Also if your like me and happen to have other electronic laying around you can practice this method on something not as critical as your driver board. Find some old electronics you don't mind destroying and see if you can jumper a trace to a component. Old game system controller can work well for this.

[dsli_jon]

... don't file solder-tips! ...

..that's why I said 'use a 'sacrificial' one.. ..if he could not find a store-bought super-fine tip, etc.. But - Yes, a better suggestion to use a heavier-wire, wrapped on the tip.. ie: I've used a small piece of 12ga. copper wire, snipped at an angle, to make a sharp-tip, in a case where a cold-solder joint had to be re-tacked, in a really-tight spot, in the field, (..and the entire assy. could not be taken apart, etc) and it worked well..

..The only 'challenge' with that method, is the heat from the tip, will often 'loosen' your tightly-wound wire, off the tip, and - an at-temp 'extender', like that, falling off the tip, onto your work is, well.. less-than helpful. So, great suggestion, just have to make sure the piece will stay-on, once at-temp / putting even slight-pressure on it, once working, etc..

Also, yes - great tip from the Robot - practice, practice, practice!
j

[RGbee]

Thanks guys,
I used the solder wick method to remove all the excess solder from the pad. Managed to re-solder thicker (and more flexible) guage wires to both terminals and thankfully the board is back up and running, although it appears the mitsu red is now kaput due to the original dodgy solder joint (full psu current across all 4 channels). I've got another on order