trouble disconnecting PSU connector from Performa 475 logic board

[Bench]

I recently removed the logic board from a Performa 475 for recapping.

The hardest part of removing the board was disconnecting the power supply connector. I could not get a good grip on it. And I did not have a pliers that opened wide enough to grip it. I used a putty knife to try to pry back against those black barbed retainer arms that hold the connector--hoping to relieve pressure on the connector--but broke off one barbed retainer at the first ground pin position. I finally managed to carefully pry the connector away from the board with a long narrow screwdriver to the point where I could finally grip it and pull it away by hand.

Just wondering if there is a trick to more easily disconnect that power supply connector.

thanks

 

[mrpippy]

Yeah I was working on my Q605 this week, it is tricky getting that connector off. The black retainer arms are at least rounded off on the bottom side, so they will flex out by themselves just by pulling the PSU connector off. Having the PSU connector on that little leg on the bottom of the board makes it feel like pulling on the connector is flexing the board too...ugh.

The Q605/LC475 is a neat design for how small it is, but there's some real weak points in the design (see also: getting the floppy drive out without sending spindler-plastic fragments across the room)

 

[Bench]

It looks like this has generally not been a problem.

Anyway, I reinstalled my recapped Performa 475 logic board into the case. Then pushed the PSU connector back onto the board. Then immediately attempted to pull it off again. Plenty of friction but I disconnected it by hand more easily this time. Seems maybe because the PSU was loose this time--not yet set into the case--so the short bundle of wires wasn't restricting grip in the same way. So I don't expect it to be a problem next time I have to disconnect the PSU.