Cagey
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Sometimes ribbon cables are used to make wiring/assembly easier by removing the need for the assembly person to make any decisions. Everything will only line up one way, so it's difficult to make mistakes. If there's no anticipated need for modularity for future service, then connectors may not even be used - the ribbon is just soldered in. Sounds like that's what you have there. It's actually better, inasmuch as connectors can be a failure point. Hardwired/soldered connections are more reliable.
Unless that ribbon is really restricting your access to those sockets, you don't need to remove it. Just be careful when you're poking around in there with the soldering iron that you don't inadvertently contact the cable and burn up the insulation. When your attention is focused on the tip of the iron, it's easy to forget that the shaft behind the tip is hotter than dammit as well and will also burn whatever it touches. Usually it's your nose that tells you you're doing something wrong before your eyes do. Burning thermoplastic stinks :laughing7:
Unless that ribbon is really restricting your access to those sockets, you don't need to remove it. Just be careful when you're poking around in there with the soldering iron that you don't inadvertently contact the cable and burn up the insulation. When your attention is focused on the tip of the iron, it's easy to forget that the shaft behind the tip is hotter than dammit as well and will also burn whatever it touches. Usually it's your nose that tells you you're doing something wrong before your eyes do. Burning thermoplastic stinks :laughing7: