Daermos Posted October 21, 2017 Report Share Posted October 21, 2017 Ok so this may or may not be an odd ball question.. They Key fob on my 2000 seems to be pretty week with signal, I replaced the battery in my fob. Is it possible that the fob could just be very old or is there a way to increase the car signal reception?? Any info would be greatly appreciated Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaredbonner1 Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 I saw a thread about this once and on the inside there is an antenna peice on the board and people solder a small wire to it. Never done it personally but people stuff out increased the range Sent from my Moto G (4) using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 If you do find a way it would make a great FAQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 22, 2017 Report Share Posted October 22, 2017 The key fobs are only supposed to be good up to 30ft. They use very high microwave frequencies with extremely low power. I don’t suggest altering the antenna unless you know exactly what frequency it uses and can figure out how long it needs to be to be resonate. Otherwise you run the risk of burning up the transmitter. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyfloyd Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 There are 2 main reasons these go bad: 1) the solder joints break on the board, 2) the capacitive material wears out on the button backs. You can buy replacements at advance auto for the buttons or a paint on capacitive material off ebay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 There are 2 main reasons these go bad: 1) the solder joints break on the board, 2) the capacitive material wears out on the button backs. You can buy replacements at advance auto for the buttons or a paint on capacitive material off ebay.I believe everything is surface mount on the key fobs. I can’t get mine open to look inside at the moment. If it’s surface mount you can’t resolder anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 Sure you can, wrap some bus wire around the soldering iron tip and leave a tiny tail of it to use as a tiny tip. Have to add a little solder to get past the coating if it's a coated board. It's not ideal but it works for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 Sure you can, wrap some bus wire around the soldering iron tip and leave a tiny tail of it to use as a tiny tip. Have to add a little solder to get past the coating if it's a coated board. It's not ideal but it works for me.I should have said you can resolder them but it won’t be as clean like if you had SMC tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 23, 2017 Report Share Posted October 23, 2017 I was assembling my own circuits with SMD components at your age. After a while the novelty of making tiny circuits wore off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98gpgt Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 On a lot of irons the tips are interchangeable. Do you mean to tell me that no one makes a replaceable tip that's suited for tiny smd work? Filing a standard tip down isn't an ideal solution though because although tips were copper or copper coated steel maybe, they are (were?) In addition timned, and filing that off is a detriment to it's operation. You also would need a very low wattage iron and typically those tips aren't intetchangeable, not on a 20 year old Weller I have laying around somewhere. If you work fast and are good you may not fry anything with a higher watt iron. Smd rework stations use hot air as I understand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 I really don’t suggest you go and try and take stuff off the board or even put a soldering iron to it. You could end up doing more harm then good. Buy a new key fob if it’s that bad. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GPX Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 Ok so this may or may not be an odd ball question.. They Key fob on my 2000 seems to be pretty week with signal, I replaced the battery in my fob. Is it possible that the fob could just be very old or is there a way to increase the car signal reception?? Any info would be greatly appreciated Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk This is going to sound crazy, but try holding the fob to your head. I saw a demonstration about how liquid can boost the signal and it turns out that your head will work! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 This is going to sound crazy, but try holding the fob to your head. I saw a demonstration about how liquid can boost the signal and it turns out that your head will work! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk That’s due to the fact that liquid is denser then air and the radio waves travel fastest in the air. So your head acts as a reflector and strengthens your signal a little bit. When your talking about mW there’s not going to be a drastic difference but it may help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daermos Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 This is going to sound crazy, but try holding the fob to your head. I saw a demonstration about how liquid can boost the signal and it turns out that your head will work! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Lol GPX my head did not help, I have also seen that before. Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 24, 2017 Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 I really don’t suggest you go and try and take stuff off the board or even put a soldering iron to it. You could end up doing more harm then good. Buy a new key fob if it’s that bad. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Why not try to repair it if it's destined for replacement? Nothing to lose and everything to gain. Grandprix1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daermos Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 I really don’t suggest you go and try and take stuff off the board or even put a soldering iron to it. You could end up doing more harm then good. Buy a new key fob if it’s that bad. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Yeah grandprix1 I am pry just going to but a couple new ones because mine works right next to the car and that it lol it Wil sometimes lock the doors as in you here it lock but don't get the horn after double tapping the lock button. Also sometimes I have to hit unlock 3 times to get both doors unlocked Just a bit annoying Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daermos Posted October 24, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 24, 2017 I believe everything is surface mount on the key fobs. I can’t get mine open to look inside at the moment. If it’s surface mount you can’t resolder anything.Grandprix1 for you viewing pleasure Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Grandprix1 for you viewing pleasure Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Yeah surface mount. I highly suggest you dont mess with those unless you know what your doing. I dont have a schematic to see where the antenna is as I dont see anything that looks like it could be an antenna on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daermos Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Yeah surface mount. I highly suggest you dont mess with those unless you know what your doing. I dont have a schematic to see where the antenna is as I dont see anything that looks like it could be an antenna on there.Grandprix1 Amen Brother I do not see anything remotely looking like an antenna so I will just order some payday. Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 I think it's the large blob of trace in the middle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grandprix1 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 I think it's the large blob of trace in the middle On the backside where the buttons contact? You may be right. That'd be the place for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 No, on the component side, it covers like 1/2 of the board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daermos Posted October 25, 2017 Author Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 No, on the component side, it covers like 1/2 of the board.The copper at the end is the battery contact, I was thing it was the small copper square on the top/right side middle Sent from my LG-H900 using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Imp558 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 the squares the battery contact, the large copper area on the component side is I believe the antenna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron350 Posted October 25, 2017 Report Share Posted October 25, 2017 Daermos have you tried cleaning the carbon-rubber contacts with soap and water and a tooth brush? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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