Laptop capacitor soldering problem

Recently been sent a Toshiba Sat 5005 - yes, an oldie - with a loose
(totally detached) surface-mount capacitor (it's C378 if any one knows
these well, & has a circuit diag. they could look up the value from -
well you never know)

the capacitor body is relatively chunky at ca. 0.3 inch long by 0.2
inch wide, still metalled/tinned at either end. My multimeter won't
touch capacitance, so as I'm not going to try & re-solder it back on
the board, what are the odds of heat damage to it if I soldered fine
wires to either end, which I could then solder to the board ?

Annoying thing is its absence only causes little pop-up boxes saying a
USB device is out of commission

Any advice/experiences welcomed,

or to me at

mumpster777[At}hotmaildottkomm

wrote:
> Recently been sent a Toshiba Sat 5005 - yes, an oldie - with a loose
> (totally detached) surface-mount capacitor (it's C378 if any one knows
> these well, & has a circuit diag. they could look up the value from -
> well you never know)
>
> the capacitor body is relatively chunky at ca. 0.3 inch long by 0.2
> inch wide, still metalled/tinned at either end. My multimeter won't
> touch capacitance, so as I'm not going to try & re-solder it back on
> the board, what are the odds of heat damage to it if I soldered fine
> wires to either end, which I could then solder to the board ?
>
> Annoying thing is its absence only causes little pop-up boxes saying a
> USB device is out of commission
>
> Any advice/experiences welcomed,
>
> or to me at
>
> mumpster777[At}hotmaildottkomm
>

I have had exceptional success using silvered epoxy in many electronic
device repairs where soldering is questionable. It's expensive ($25 for
a maybe 20 grams), but lasts years if the two components are separated
during storage. I found this at an independent electronics parts store.
Radio Shack has a "fluid solder" that purports to require only the
presence of heat without direct contact, but I've not used it.

Q

<> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
> Recently been sent a Toshiba Sat 5005 - yes, an oldie - with a loose
> (totally detached) surface-mount capacitor (it's C378 if any one knows
> these well, & has a circuit diag. they could look up the value from -
> well you never know)
>
> the capacitor body is relatively chunky at ca. 0.3 inch long by 0.2
> inch wide, still metalled/tinned at either end. My multimeter won't
> touch capacitance, so as I'm not going to try & re-solder it back on
> the board, what are the odds of heat damage to it if I soldered fine
> wires to either end, which I could then solder to the board ?
>
> Annoying thing is its absence only causes little pop-up boxes saying a
> USB device is out of commission
>
> Any advice/experiences welcomed,
>
> or to me at
>
> mumpster777[At}hotmaildottkomm

That would depend entirely on how good you are at soldering.

I don't know your soldering skills, but I'd resolder it directly to the
board using the lowest wattage iron you have available. Risk of heat
damage is relatively small. There should be numbers on the part that
will give you it's value, but since you have it, replacement isn't
necessary.


wrote:
> Recently been sent a Toshiba Sat 5005 - yes, an oldie - with a loose
> (totally detached) surface-mount capacitor (it's C378 if any one knows
> these well, & has a circuit diag. they could look up the value from -
> well you never know)
>
> the capacitor body is relatively chunky at ca. 0.3 inch long by 0.2
> inch wide, still metalled/tinned at either end. My multimeter won't
> touch capacitance, so as I'm not going to try & re-solder it back on
> the board, what are the odds of heat damage to it if I soldered fine
> wires to either end, which I could then solder to the board ?
>
> Annoying thing is its absence only causes little pop-up boxes saying a
> USB device is out of commission
>
> Any advice/experiences welcomed,
>
> or to me at
>
> mumpster777[At}hotmaildottkomm
>

thanks for the 2 helpful suggestions made to date.

Both have their merits, one on cost grounds, the other on risk
considering my hesitance
at attempting to extend my soldering skills into uncharted territory
(though it *should* be do-able & would have for me 30 years ago I'd
think)

sorry for top-posting but it's a short one anyway

nc

wrote:
> Recently been sent a Toshiba Sat 5005 - yes, an oldie - with a loose
> (totally detached) surface-mount capacitor (it's C378 if any one knows
> these well, & has a circuit diag. they could look up the value from -
> well you never know)
>
> the capacitor body is relatively chunky at ca. 0.3 inch long by 0.2
> inch wide, still metalled/tinned at either end. My multimeter won't
> touch capacitance, so as I'm not going to try & re-solder it back on
> the board, what are the odds of heat damage to it if I soldered fine
> wires to either end, which I could then solder to the board ?
>
> Annoying thing is its absence only causes little pop-up boxes saying a
> USB device is out of commission
>
> Any advice/experiences welcomed,
>
> or to me at
>
> mumpster777[At}hotmaildottkomm