Ribbon cables

So I since I've been idle for a few days, I thought I should write a little more here, take some shots, and show off what I'm working on.

I set up my little studio here so I can get some good shots of the work I'm doing.

Basically, I found someone (Atlantic Computer Service) who had the ribbon cables for cheaper than other places online. I bought a pair of them there (used, of course) yesterday, and because they're in Seminole, FL, I got them today!

I ordered "The Big One", aka the refurb kit for my printer from CMYKParts.com. Hopefully it'll get here soon. I also ordered a bulk ink tank (to fill with cleaning solvent), and a syringe kit with tubing to help work the solvents through the system.

So what I need to do today is explain more about ZIF FFC (Zero Insertion Force Flat Flexible Cable) connectors and cables, and show how to replace them in the printer. The ones I bought also had ink on them, but just a little bit here and there, so nothing as bad as the ones that came out of my printer. The important thing is that the plastic covering is in great shape and they ohm out properly (I'll show more about how to do that later on as well)

So, first we'll start with the heater control panel, as it's pretty important. First, you need to remove it from the printer with the two screws on top. This is pretty easy. After that, disconnect the cable from the electronics box and pull it out (carefully) through the holes it's routed through.

Now that you have it outside the printer, we can work on it. First, we flip it over onto it's face. I've covered some of the old cable with paper towel cause I don't want the copious amounts of ink on it to mess up my backdrop.

First, you'll need to remove the two screws holding the ribbon cable to the metal. They have attached washers.









 Then, remove the metal plate and place it aside (It's a good idea to keep the screws with the plate so you know where they go when you reassemble!)

Now, remove the four outer screws holding the gold plate down to the silver face.

These have washers that are NOT attached, so don't lose them!

Flip the cable over to the other side of the panel, and remove the gold plate from the front panel assembly.

Now, remove the four screws holding the circuit board down. They are the large ones on the outside corners. They may be in tight, so make sure you use an appropriately-sized screwdriver so you don't strip them, and press down on the screw while turning! These screws are longer than the other two types of screws, so it shouldn't be hard to keep them separate.


Then, lift the board up and out of the front panel. You'll notice the long pushbuttons, be sure not to bump them around too much.

The ZIF socket for the cable on this board is a press-in type, so there is no lever or slide to move. It relies on the rigidity of the cable, fitting much like an old NES or GameBoy cartridge would, it slides against pins on the inside.





To remove it, carefully pull straight back, wiggling it very slightly side to side. You will see it slowly move outwards until it pops free. Don't bend it very far to either side or you risk bending pins inside or breaking off the cable within the connector.

The cable and board are separated. Now to install the new cables.

You can see here, that the old cable (paper towel) matches the curves of this used cable. This is how I'll determine which end and which cable to use here.

First, look into the end of the connector. You will see a side with pins, and a side without. The side with pins is where the silvery side of the cable goes. The blue side (stabilizer tape side) goes down, in this case.

Position your thumb very close to the connector; this is to ensure the cable does not buckle as you insert it. Gently slide the tip of the cable into the slot, and while doing so, keep the cable pressed against the board to keep it rigid. Wiggle it back and forth slightly while applying even pressure inwards.

The cable will start to slide in with some resistance, then the resistance will suddenly drop and it should slip in all the way. Ensure it's fully seated (without buckling the cable) and you're done!







Now, to reassemble the rest of the panel, we do the above in reverse. Place the LCD face-down onto the front panel, align the holes, and install the four long screws. Ensure the long buttons are seated properly in the holes before tightening the screws.

Then comes the gold plate. Fit it on with the angled side fitting against the large angled piece on the silver front panel, and install the four screws with washers.

Last, fold the ribbon cable back over the panel, and install the strain relief bracket. make sure there's a bit of slack in the cable, so that it's not rubbing against the sharp edge of the gold plate.

Now, in my instance, I didn't really need to replace the heater cable. In fact, the one that came was kinda beat up, moreso than the one I had. After washing the cable under some hot water (keeping the ends dry) and paper towel, I found that the cable itself seemed to be in good condition, and the only one with an issue was the main control panel cable. I did this purely for the tutorial and photos, and to see what was inside.

Next up, we have the main control panel. I'm going to show this one as well, because it's using a different socket, and there's a lot less disassembly required.

This is the control panel removed from the unit. It's cable follows the same path as the heater control panel, only it attaches to a different point in the electronics box.

To remove the cable, first you need to release the cable strain relief. This is done by loosening the screw on the strain relief. You don't need to fully remove it, loosening it up is plenty to remove the thin cable.

This is the ZIF connector we are dealing with. It is the locking/unlocking type, which you can tell by noting the two shells, and the ridge about the bottom shell which is to provide an area to grip when sliding it.

After the strain relief has been loosened, you need to unlock the ZIF connector BEFORE you pull out the cable. If you don't, the pressure against the pins inside can damage the cable AND the pins within. To release it, use your fingernails (or fingers) to GENTLY pull the large outer shell with the ridge downward.

You may wiggle it slightly, after it loosens up it will slide to the bottom and stop, looking like the photo to the right. Do not pull it past this or you will break the connector!

Now, carefully pull the ribbon cable straight out with both hands, and it should slide easily free. Note the orientation on the cable, as it is more difficult to see inside these connectors to find the pins. The orientation on this panel is with the silver side of the cable facing away from the board.

Replacement is easy as well. Simply slide the cable into the slot and push it gently to the rear of the connector (until it stops). If it does not slide in, make sure the little latch is down all the way (don't pull it hard, it just sometimes slips upwards a little)

Then, using two fingers, push straight up on the ridged shell until it stops, which will lock the cable in place.

When you are done, it will look like this.

Re-tighten the cable strain relief (make sure you leave a little slack) and you are done!