Serious question, has anyone else tried using a hot air station to fix a loose HDMI port?

I had a client's gaming monitor with a wobbly HDMI port that wouldn't hold a cable. Instead of my usual desoldering and replacement, I figured I'd try just reflowing the existing solder with my hot air station at 350 degrees. I taped off the plastic around it and gave it a gentle blast. The port is now rock solid, but the weird part is the monitor's OSD menu started acting a bit laggy afterwards. I'm wondering if the heat traveled up the traces and affected the main board controller. Has anyone else run into something like this when doing a localized repair?

3 comments

3 Comments

abby_chen5mo ago

Did the lag start right away, or after @clark.kelly's cool-down idea?

clark.kelly5mo ago

Oh man, heat creep is a real killer on those boards. You probably got the main chip hotter than you meant to. Next time, try a lower temp like 300 and keep the air moving in tight circles just on the port legs. That laggy menu might clear up if you let it cool down completely for a few hours, but sometimes you just bake a tiny fault into something else.

keithbennett2mo ago

Yeah that "letting it cool down for a few hours" part is key. I had the same thing happen on a similar board and I just left it unplugged overnight and the next day the menu was snappy again. Might be worth trying before you go back in with the hot air.