Starr,

     How old are these boards? You said past a certain date code you were
having a problem, so I'm assuming that these boards have been sitting around a
while.

     When you said that the plating looks good, is that just using the ol'
mk-1, mod-1 eyeball, or have you looked at the boards under a scope? Anyways,
looking at them under a scope probably won't show you anything but really
gross stuff that might cause your solder problems, that's why there's the
solderability tests for incoming receiving inspection...if ya' could just look
at the boards and tell if they're solderable, you wouldn't need the
solderability tests now would you?

     What have your boards been stored in? I read something on the TechNet a
few weeks back that I didn't know, it was that the pink poly static
dissapative bags get their static dissapative qualities from animal fat, (I
know, I didn't believe it either when I first read it...but I guess it's
true...) and that fat can cause solderability problems.

      If you can't get things to solder any better, then maybe think about
using some solder paste with a little more active flux, or maybe sending the
boards out to get replated. I don't think I'd feel all that hot about
continuing to build em' like that though...

-Steve Gregory-

                                          -Steve Gregory-

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