Author Topic: $50 Robo power to regulator step help (Read 5246 times)

SkinnyDog · « **on:** January 28, 2008, 10:42:55 AM »

Hi guys noob here

OK i know u must all be sick of people like me asking dumb questions but i just want to make sure i got this right.

I'm wiring up my PCB and I'm at the step with the 3 pin header for the power pack (got an RC pack) to the 5v regulator, where it says the pins should be one hole over. dose that mean that both pics. bottom one is wrong and is my board right as i have seen some in the forums that look right and wrong

. i don't have the connecting wires in yet just as long as the rows line up

thanks guys

SkinnyDog · « **Reply #1 on:** January 28, 2008, 10:46:28 AM »

one from the top

Trumpkin · « **Reply #2 on:** January 28, 2008, 06:18:27 PM »

yep that's good!

Trumpkin · « **Reply #3 on:** January 28, 2008, 06:30:16 PM »

plug the negative wire of the battery pack into far right pin and the black wire of the battery pack into the middle please some 1 alse tell me if i'm wrong.

ed1380 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 28, 2008, 07:32:45 PM »

IDK if right or left pin. admins thing tells you which goes where. also depends which way you look at it. but yeah ground is middle

Trumpkin · « **Reply #5 on:** January 29, 2008, 09:44:57 AM »

yes, please look at the schematic

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #6 on:** January 29, 2008, 12:54:01 PM »

That setup is 100% correct

Your soldering ability looks pretty decent accept it does need one critical tweak. I can see that on several of the solders, the solder does not completely cover the tab. This can be corrected by making sure you touch your soldering iron to the pad as well as the wire for the component youre soldering. From the looks of it, it appears your not getting enough heat to the pab and almost all the heat is only going to the wire. Take a look at this post and watch that soldering guide video. It is absolutely amazing... even I learned a thing or two by watching it

Great work so far

keep it up!

Trumpkin · « **Reply #7 on:** January 29, 2008, 01:22:15 PM »

I wish I had good soldering skills!

oh well

Admin · « **Reply #8 on:** January 29, 2008, 01:30:57 PM »

soldering takes practice, you will get better

I remember frying half the components I tried to solder when I first started . . . that was 8 years ago . . . I was a late starter

SmAsH · « **Reply #9 on:** January 29, 2008, 02:44:48 PM »

well i just got my dad to help show me how. and that helped a lot. also most of the videos and info from here.

Trumpkin · « **Reply #10 on:** January 29, 2008, 02:48:25 PM »

I'm improving a little bit. I think my first joint was a year ago!

time goes fast

javafiend · « **Reply #11 on:** January 29, 2008, 02:51:25 PM »

I've been burning things with a soldering iron off and on for 20 years or so and just recently am actually using a soldering iron for what it's meant for.

SkinnyDog · « **Reply #12 on:** January 29, 2008, 06:46:38 PM »

Hay thanks guys

This is the first real soldering job Ive ever done, like some i used to use them for melting or burning stuff. thanks for the tip and video link will watch it now. i started to solder the wires in but that was a absolute nightmare, burnt fingers and the plastic kept melting, i think DHL what you said about heating the PCB more may be my problem. i didn't want to turn my soldering iron up to high in case i fried the components, well i guess i will find out later.

I'm sure i will be back here asking question an i still got to learn how to program, only good at programming CNC machining centers they easy 99 "G" codes and a few M codes an X, Y, Z, B, A, for directions and your done

Well thanks again.

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #13 on:** January 29, 2008, 07:01:02 PM »

No problem

Always glad to help

You shouldn't really have to worry too much about heating up the components unless they are particularly sensitive to heat damage. In reality you should only need to touch the wire and solder pad for about 4 to 5 seconds. Some components do heat up faster than others though. What wattage is your soldering iron rated for?

SkinnyDog · « **Reply #14 on:** January 29, 2008, 07:47:21 PM »

Iron is adjustable, 50W max, colour bar every 10 watts.

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #15 on:** January 29, 2008, 07:50:27 PM »

Mine is a 40 watt and it works awesomely. I suggest setting it to 40 watts. Tell me if you see any improvements

Admin · « **Reply #16 on:** January 31, 2008, 09:05:14 PM »

I prefer to use say 80 watts for 2 seconds than 40 watts for 4 seconds . . . same amount of energy, but less heat actually reaches the component because higher temperatures cool faster to the air.

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #17 on:** February 01, 2008, 11:28:28 AM »

... darn that is a really good point... Ive only a 40w iron...

would you recommend getting an 80 instead?

SmAsH · « **Reply #18 on:** February 01, 2008, 05:22:30 PM »

i think mines 80W because i hold it there for about 1 sec and the solder melts? i usially fry my leds if i hold it there for more than 3 secs tho

Rebelgium · « **Reply #19 on:** February 02, 2008, 08:03:02 AM »

In my experience in electronics, 40W is more than enough.
I have a 40W and a 15W (for SMD)

For normal electronics, 25 or 40W is enough. 80W is too much, you'll fry your components if you don't have enough skill.

ed1380 · « **Reply #20 on:** February 02, 2008, 09:38:34 AM »

so me being succesful with a 150watt means I have uber skill. right?

Rebelgium · « **Reply #21 on:** February 02, 2008, 10:39:04 AM »

Quote from: ed1380 on February 02, 2008, 09:38:34 AM

so me being succesful with a 150watt means I have uber skill. right?

Nah it just means you have a crappy 150W...

More than 40W is ok with components with long legs, or robust components, but it'll fry more delicate components. Not to mention the thin copper tracks of a circuit board.

Trumpkin · « **Reply #22 on:** February 04, 2008, 01:01:51 PM »

I'm thinking of getting this soldering station (rework station) http://gsmserver.com/repair_tools/repair_tools_details.php?id=7119
do you think it looks good?

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #23 on:** February 04, 2008, 01:09:32 PM »

It looks good but also looks like overkill IMO. I dont think youll need something like that but if you REALLY want to spend $90 dollars plus shipping on it the by all means go for it. But I advise against it.

Trumpkin · « **Reply #24 on:** February 04, 2008, 01:11:16 PM »

are there any other soldering stations that you would recommend?

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #25 on:** February 04, 2008, 01:33:40 PM »

Well im assuming you already have a soldering iron right? And do you already have a desoldering iron?
Heres what I use for my setup:
Helping Hands
* This features two clips to hold your work for you, a magnifying glass, and a soldering iron stand. It is EXTREMELY helpful and all attachments are removable and reattachable as you please. It also supplies a tiny sponge in an indent in the base for cleaning the tip after each solder(the yellow thing in the picture). This is an amazingly helpful little tool that I recommend for anyone.
Desoldering Iron
* This is very easy to use and quite affective. Simply hold the iron away from your work, squeeze the red bulb, place the nozzle on your work piece for about 1-2 seconds, and release the bulb to suck the solder up into the iron. Then simple discharge the iron again by placing it on a metal surface about 1 inch from the surface and squeeze the bulb about 3 times until your sure the solder has come out.... but make sure you dont accidentally tin plate your finger

Desoldering Braid
* This is as easy as soldering and is extremely affective. If you have a joint that is still connected even after use with the desoldering iron, simply touch the desoldering braid to the soldered joint, and touch your soldering iron to the top of the soldering braid at the point of contact between the braid and the joint for a count of about 3 or 4 seconds. The solder will leech up into the desoldering braid via capillary action and ensure a perfect desoldering of the joint.
40w Soldering Iron
* It heats up.... and files my taxes.

For heating up my heat shrink and such, I just hold the shank of my soldering iron under the heat shrink by about 1-2 inches and it very affectively and safely shrinks the heat shrink.

If you want just a holder for your soldering iron:
Just get this

Hope this helped at all

Oh, and of course dont forget your High quality solder

Trumpkin · « **Reply #26 on:** February 04, 2008, 07:12:58 PM »

i have a soldering iron but its like 30 years old (it's my dad's), its the kind you get from radio shack for $10. I don't have a desoldering iron but i do have helping hands. I would kinda like to get variable heat soldering staion something a little nicer than what I have. I have solder (of course). don't have a desoldering braid i just use the automatic push-button pump kind. so i basically have everything you listed. I'm not a complete noob about this ya know.

HDL_CinC_Dragon · « **Reply #27 on:** February 04, 2008, 07:19:17 PM »

lol I know, im just trying to be as helpful as can be. Better to be too helpful in some cases than not helpful enough right?

try this?

Trumpkin · « **Reply #28 on:** February 04, 2008, 07:34:37 PM »

Hmmm that looks pretty good, i'll have to think about it. $:-\$

Admin · « **Reply #29 on:** February 17, 2008, 11:29:15 AM »

for small components, low heat is fine . . .

but for larger items that are designed to dissapate heat like the 7805 voltage regulators, mosfets, or even header pins, they require much more heat . . .

edit: also, soldering batteries requires tons of heat!

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Author Topic: $50 Robo power to regulator step help (Read 5246 times)

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