AppBee assembly

skatj

Can someone guide me on how to solder in the various components of an AppBee board?

Do I just plug it in and fill the entire socket with solder?

Thanks

Mike Green

Do you know how to solder in general? If not, you need to find an introduction to soldering, probably easily with a web search and practice on some scraps of wire first, then get some cheap little printed circuit boards at RadioShack and practice with them before tackling the AppMod.

By socket, do you mean the holes in the printed circuit board? It's not clear what you're asking.

Here's one link: www.mtechnologies.com/building/atoz.htm

skatj

Yea I mean the holes in the PCB (I have this one http://www.selmaware.com/appbee/appBee-Mod_large.JPG)

I have done a lot of soldering before, but I have never done prototype or PCB assembly, just splicing wires together.

I am not really sure how to mechanically secure my components before soldering, the LED/capacitor/resistor leads are much smaller than the socket holes.

phil kenny

One way to hold the components in place while you solder is to slightly bend the
leads that protrude through the holes. Bend them just enough to hold them in
place.

Don't trim them until after soldering.

Only do a few at a time.

Don't try to stuff the whole board at once.

This technique works well for non surface mount parts.

phil

Franklin

Another tip is to start with the components that sit closest to the board and move up from there. I usually put the resistors in then use a piece of card stock to hold them while i flip the board and then solder.

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- Stephen

skatj

Thanks guys. Should I attempt to fill the entire socket hole, or just solder the leads to one side of the hole?

Mike Green

Most of the time, even a little solder will fill the PCB hold if it's properly heated because of a wicking effect. With some IC sockets where the pins are thin compared to the PCB hole, you can put a bit of solder into the hole. If you put too much in, it will wick up on the socket structure which is supposed to be made to prevent this. With a bit of practice, it's pretty clear how much to use to fill the PCB hole without getting too much outside it. I try to just fill the hole.

Martin Hebel

The trickiest thing with the AppBee-MOD is soldering on the AppMod header, as it must fit into another header getting solder up those long pins will make it difficult to push it into the next header. Heat very close to the lead/hole and go sparingly with the solder.

-Martin

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SelmaWare Solutions - StampPlot GUI for controllers, XBee and Propeller Application Boards

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Electronic Systems Technologies

American Technical Educator's Assoc. Conference·- April, Biloxi, MS. -- PROPELLER WORKSHOP!

Chris C

My experience:

The AppBee SIP was easy to put together. I used a block of foam to hold all the components to the board, flipped it over, and soldered effortlessly.

Martin Hebel

FYI, and I hope this doesn't irk anyone, but I've added the ability to purchase the parts and have assembly done by·the staff·here at SelmaWare Solutions (ok, what that really means is by me in my den at home after work).· I was getting·a lot of Email asking to have it done, and problems with some doing it themselves... I have parts coming in.· The PCB, parts kit and assembly are all seperately paid, so·buyer's call on how much·they'd like to pay.· But, you save ALOT doing it yourself - but if you make a DigiKey order just for parts, I guess shipping would eat that up.

Thanks, I am really happy to see the boards helping so many in their various projects!!

-Martin


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SelmaWare Solutions - StampPlot GUI for controllers, XBee and Propeller Application Boards

Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Electronic Systems Technologies

American Technical Educator's Assoc. Conference·- April, Biloxi, MS. -- PROPELLER WORKSHOP!

skatj

^ugh [noparse]:facepalm:[/noparse]

oh well, I gotta learn how to do it myself someday!