Flexible printed cable - repairable?

[Bolted]

Fridge freezer controls have gone awol, turns out the connection between the fascia switch pcb and the control pcb is one of those printed flexible cables, like pcb tracks on a flexi substrate. This had been installed badly and squashed, so I think some of the tracks have been broken (the cable creasing is obvious, but actual breaks are not).

Anyhow, the replacement part is the whole fascia - £250. Gulp. (expensive German appliance, no warranty). All for the sake of a stupid

2p cable.

I can get at the cable before the creasing starts, and have clear access to the control pcb end, but the joint the other end between cable and the fascia switch pcb is not accessible. So I can't just solder on something more fit for purpose at that end, and would have to cut the existing cable and pick up the traces somehow, and add an extension to replace the creased bit.

Anyone succeeded in doing anything like this?

[T i m]

Yes. ;-)

Depending on loads of variables you may be able to scrape some of the insulation off the 'track' a bit away from the suspected break and solder a fine wire to it (might not be pretty but can work, paint and tape over it when finished / tested).

I've done such on the flexi-cables they often use on motorbike / scooter dash clusters these days .

Working on the basis you have nothing to lose ... ? Cheers, T i m

[Bolted]

Thanks Tim, I saw that on a google search, good to know it might work in the real world :)

I'll have to find out if they will sell the replacement part on a return basis (or if I can buy it online). As the repair will take out the f/f if it doesn't work...

[dom]

I've done this with a cable in a solid old 1970's computer (a PDP11 I think).

Lifted the top layer of insulation (mylar?) with a scalpel, flowed a bit of solder onto the surface, and attached a bit of wire-wrap wire.

Fiddly, and done with the advantages of a lab bench to work on and top quality tools. Likely to be a good bit trickier in less than ideal conditions.

[T i m]

Or eBay or your local dump / Freecycle? You might find that part is common to a range of models or even across different 'makes' (as they all seem to come from just a few factories these days)?

Bit of a long shot I know but ... (I've helped someone here with a washing machine controller I kept back from a newish machine I was scrapping for example).

Cheers, T i m

p.s. Another long shot but if this was like this from new I wonder if the company might be willing to offer a solution even though it's outside what we a taught to accept to be the std warranty period? This isn't 'wear and tear' after all is it?

[misterroy]

I have a hotpoint quatro fridge, dont buy one, the left door has a heater in it, a fridge with a heater ffs, anyway at less than a year old the cable going to the heater cracked by the hinge, exposing bare copper, at 240 volts. I got the door replaced under warranty, but not impressed. dont buy hotpoint anything.

[Andrew Gabriel]

I think all freezers do, to prevent condensation on the cabinet/door due to cold bridge. Sometimes it's electric and can be switched off, sometimes it's a warm refrigerant pipe. Usually it's in the cabinet just under the door frame, rather than the door.

[Andy Dingley]

Yes. It's a PITA requiring much scraping, pre-tinning, fine soldering and the use of a decent flux, but it's workable.

[Toby]

How old is the appliance?

[John]

Snipped

I got the door replaced under warranty, but not impressed. dont buy hotpoint anything.

I think your advice is a little naive and based on bitterness. Most white goods are just badged to suit the market. The one you experienced may have never been inside a factory with the name Hotpoint on it. Best to take any model on its merits / value for money / features. The name has little meaning these days.

[Andy Dingley]

That heater is important if you live in the humid climate of the Southern States of the USA. It avoids condensation and mould problems. In the dry climate of Manchester? Bit pointless, agreed. Still, not hard to disable it.

My Hotpoint is 18 months old now and going fine. I had to grit my teeth before buying it, but OTOH, it is Polish-made and seems well- designed and well-made.