JDM-030 Replacement Joystick Problem

[demuffin]

Hi all,

I have worked on 2 JDM-030 recently and for both repairs, I replaced both of the analog stick. I got the almost the same results when I tested both of the controllers using Gamepad Tester website.

Both analog is not centered anymore. When I push the left analog upwards, it will affect the right analog movement. For the right analog, I am only able to move up and down and left and right does not work.


Both analog in default position



Left analog pushed upwards


Right analog pushed upwards



Thank you for taking the time to read my post and have a good day.

[maki]

good quality pics of your solder work would help to asses the problem

[demuffin]

Here is the soldering. It is very similar on the other controller that I did.

[maki]

Hi all,

I have worked on 2 JDM-030 recently and for both repairs, I replaced both of the analog stick. I got the almost the same results when I tested both of the controllers using Gamepad Tester website.

Both analog is not centered anymore. When I push the left analog upwards, it will affect the right analog movement. For the right analog, I am only able to move up and down and left and right does not work.

looks like you've replaced the potentiometers, its expected that the center will be off, factory calibration was for the original potis and stick combo

left/right not moving on the right stick,  check if you've placed the inner disc mechanisms the right way (up/down), if that doesn't help I'd redo the soldering on that poti, sometimes there can be corrosion in the vias preventing the solder from fusing 

[demuffin]

I just checked the potentiometer on the left analog and it seems that the disc was not sitting correctly and that resolved the issue. Weirdly, the analog still does not show that it is in the center position on Gamepad Tester. I did try to use the controller on the PS4 and there's no drift. Is it safe to say that the repair is successful?

[zis2104]

I just checked the potentiometer on the left analog and it seems that the disc was not sitting correctly and that resolved the issue. Weirdly, the analog still does not show that it is in the center position on Gamepad Tester. I did try to use the controller on the PS4 and there's no drift. Is it safe to say that the repair is successful?

Gamepadtest not work with all gamepad, try this


In Control Panel, open Game Controllers. To do this, use one of the following methods: ...
Click your game controller, and then click. Properties.
On the Test tab, test the game controller to verify functionality.

[maki]

I just checked the potentiometer on the left analog and it seems that the disc was not sitting correctly and that resolved the issue.

Congrats!

Weirdly, the analog still does not show that it is in the center position on Gamepad Tester. I did try to use the controller on the PS4 and there's no drift. Is it safe to say that the repair is successful?

As I explained, its expected that the center is off after replacing the potis or potis/stick combo.

Sometimes more, sometimes less, but there is no way to that you can get it back to factory calibration, some people have good success by trying to match the new potis to the values of the old ones as close as possible, but that still doesn't account for everything.

All in all its better to keep the originals if possible, I only replace the potis/stick if a good clean doesn't fix it or there is a bigger problem.

[demuffin]

Gamepadtest not work with all gamepad, try this


In Control Panel, open Game Controllers. To do this, use one of the following methods: ...
Click your game controller, and then click. Properties.
On the Test tab, test the game controller to verify functionality.

Thank you for your suggestion. I did try that as well and it showed the same as Gamepad Tester.

Congrats!
As I explained, its expected that the center is off after replacing the potis or potis/stick combo.

Sometimes more, sometimes less, but there is no way to that you can get it back to factory calibration, some people have good success by trying to match the new potis to the values of the old ones as close as possible, but that still doesn't account for everything.

All in all its better to keep the originals if possible, I only replace the potis/stick if a good clean doesn't fix it or there is a bigger problem.

Ahh I see. I was reluctant to replace the potentiometer as well but after cleaning with both alcohol and contact cleaner, the joystick was still drifting.

My main goal was to just replace the potentiometers for both sides. However, I ended up melting the bottom side plastic of the left analog with the hot air station so I had to replace the whole analog stick.

[zis2104]

Break plastic of capacitor  in 3 piece, and with solder remove pin.

[demuffin]

Break plastic of capacitor  in 3 piece, and with solder remove pin.

That's one easy way to remove it. I wanted to practice removing the potentiometer the right way but I guess next time I will take the easy way out. 
'

[wickated]

why cant use wide soldering chisel tip ? or knife one. both work great to desolder pot in 1 touch.

[maki]

I wanted to practice removing the potentiometer the right way

Use a soldering iron and wick, hot air ain't the right tool IMO to remove a THT potentiometer.

[zis2104]

Use a soldering iron and wick, hot air ain't the right tool IMO to remove a THT potentiometer.

Soldering iron and wick they must be of good material, personally i like the desoldering gun would be better.

[demuffin]

why cant use wide soldering chisel tip ? or knife one. both work great to desolder pot in 1 touch.

I did try to use a chisel tip which proved to be difficult for me as I was not able to remove the potentiometer in one motion. Likely due to me not having the motherboard secured firmly on my desk and also the position of it.

Use a soldering iron and wick, hot air ain't the right tool IMO to remove a THT potentiometer.

Soldering iron and wick they must be of good material, personally i like the desoldering gun would be better.

Yes, I realised that using hot air is not a good way to remove the potentiometer. I was using the wick and desoldering gun at the start but I somehow managed to get the pins stucked. In the event if I have to do anymore replacement of the potentiometer, I will stick with either the desoldering gun or wick because I realised that the wick is only effective if I apply flux to the pins. Previously, I assumed that the wick will remove the solder without the presense of flux 

[maki]

Desoldering guns are nice, but not required, I use mine when removing the whole analog stick assembly, and since a little bit of solder is always left, I use the hot air station carefully just to make sure I can pull it out in one part.

Its all a matter of practise and I'm getting some practise.

The reason I suggested wick over a desoldering gun is that wick is cheap and it always pays to be able to use it. 

btw., the cheap knockoff analog sticks I got have plastic that will melt way faster than the original ones..

[demuffin]

Desoldering guns are nice, but not required, I use mine when removing the whole analog stick assembly, and since a little bit of solder is always left, I use the hot air station carefully just to make sure I can pull it out in one part.

Its all a matter of practise and I'm getting some practise.

The reason I suggested wick over a desoldering gun is that wick is cheap and it always pays to be able to use it. 

btw., the cheap knockoff analog sticks I got have plastic that will melt way faster than the original ones..

At what temperature do you set for the hot air? I will try to use wick more often now that I learnt that it has to be used with flux.

Yeah, I did notice that the OEM analog sticks tend to melt way faster than the original. I've been trying to source reasonably priced yet almost original analog sticks on Aliexpress but there is so few.

[maki]

At what temperature do you set for the hot air? I will try to use wick more often now that I learnt that it has to be used with flux.

My cheap hot Air station (858D+) is usually set to 400C - 440C, but I really only need it for SMD "stuff".

Btw., good wick will have flux in it.

its possible to desolder "simpler" SMD components with an iron, still new to this with okay results after some practise:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVsmwFAkf7I

tricky part is to not wipe off multiple components that weren't meant to be desoldered

Yeah, I did notice that the OEM analog sticks tend to melt way faster than the original. I've been trying to source reasonably priced yet almost original analog sticks on Aliexpress but there is so few.

Yeah I haven't been able to find real ALPS Alpine, bought fakes 3 times, the stick is moving in a wonky way, plastic melts at ridiculous low temps, they feel cheap, they are so bad that I'm not using them.

But I did find the Polyshine, at least I think that they are genuine, they move really smooth and look/feel like good quality:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001297126558.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.76a54c4dn3S2k0
This seller also marks the different analog sticks with "OEM" and "original", I got the "original" ones and really think they're the real deal.

[zis2104]

But I did find the Polyshine, at least I think that they are genuine, they move really smooth and look/feel like good quality:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001297126558.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.76a54c4dn3S2k0
This seller also marks the different analog sticks with "OEM" and "original", I got the "original" ones and really think they're the real deal.

i think it is a matter of luck, like when i bought a batch of 100pcs green sensors and they measured about 2 ohms

[wickated]

But I did find the Polyshine, at least I think that they are genuine, they move really smooth and look/feel like good quality:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001297126558.html?spm=a2g0s.9042311.0.0.76a54c4dn3S2k0

original favorshine have F logo. same with alps

[zis2104]

original favorshine have F logo. same with alps

Nope....many clone have logo f and alps.... AliExpress is not good for buy component. Better buy on seller of ebay. I buy 1 analog xbox one 3,50 euro and work fine

[maki]

original favorshine have F logo. same with alps

Thank you,  the problem is that I need to have them in my hand to check that for sure, the pics on Alii/ebay etc. might not be real.

AliExpress is not good for buy component. Better buy on seller of ebay. I buy 1 analog xbox one 3,50 euro and work fine

I bought twice fakes from ebay, once from AliExpess, most ebay traders get their stuff from Ali.

If someone has a link to genuine ALPS please share with me

Again, the Polyshine I've found seem to be real, at least they are of good quality.
It seems that there is way more fakes for ALPS than Polyshine..

[zis2104]

Again, the Polyshine I've found seem to be real, at least they are of good quality.
It seems that there is way more fakes for ALPS than Polyshine..

You have solder them?

[maki]

You have solder them?

Yes, I'm convinced the Polyshine are real, the ALPS I got were all terrible fakes.

[zis2104]

these analogs i had installed them in a ps4 pro controller that did not fix the charging, when i mounted them they were full of dead zones, and i had bought them from aliexpress, in the end i bought from an italian ebay seller 2 alps and they worked fine, and cone show the photo one has the f and the other does not.


https://ibb.co/Sx4PjQL

[maki]

these analogs i had installed them in a ps4 pro controller that did not fix the charging, when i mounted them they were full of dead zones, and i had bought them from aliexpress, in the end i bought from an italian ebay seller 2 alps and they worked fine, and cone show the photo one has the f and the other does not.


https://ibb.co/Sx4PjQL

which one did not work, the one with F or without?

[zis2104]

All them

[maki]

interesting

my Polyshine (if they are?) do not have an F

[zis2104]

The point is not whether they have f or not, the problem that many manage to make fakes practically the same, I once bought analogs for xbox one which were practically identical to the originals in appearance, but when I used them they were too sensitive and inaccurate. Unfortunately, I get the broken controllers and I try to recover only the sensors and mount them with new springs

[maki]

yeah thats why I use the controller for few hours in a fast game that I know really well, like Doom, and the issues are easier to spot than just looking at game tester 

[zis2104]

Doom, cod, apex are the best for testing.