Lava RGB

Summary

Parts # The Lava RGB kit took about a week to arrive, and was packaged decently well: The Build # Prepare NES main board # Remove PPU # I picked a front loader with an NES-CPU-10 main board that was in excellent shape. I took it apart, and extracted the main board from the shell: First order of business was to desolder the PPU: I started by adding fresh solder, using flux to make it flow into the existing solder: I then used my trusty desoldering pump to remove all the solder from the pins: Using a trick I learned from Voultar, I used my finger nails to move each pin back and forth until they moved freely. For the usual more stubborn pins on the thicker ground plane, I added more solder and desoldered again until I was able to move the pins. With that, I extracted the PPU: Remove power module # Next I needed to remove the original power module to replace it with the new one: This can be pretty challenging, but with the right tools and technique, it’s not too bad. I started by adding flux to the four large pins that anchor the power module to the main board and use my desoldering gun to remove most of the solder: Then I use wicking braid to remove the solder lodged around the pins. I added a little more solder and flux to the pins until I was able to wick away most of the remaining solder: At this point, the gaps around the pins are pretty clear: The next trick is to desolder the 5 pins visible above - but not from this side, but rather from inside the power module. This is actually necessary for properly installing the new power module that comes with the Lava RGB kit. I pried off the metal plate: I switched tips on my desoldering gun to one with a larger pitch, and desoldered the 5 pins: With that done, I grabbed hold of the power module with one hand, while holding the main board with the other, and rocked the power module back and forth until it came free: We’re left with the 5 pins still attached to the main board, ready to be soldered to the new power module la...