A Cold Solder

Through this assignment I used to solder through the Starlight Water Design kit. I used a Hankco soldering iron using a ceramic tile, helping hand, and 0.8mm rosin and practiced on an old PCB Circuit Board to create good Hershey-kiss shaped solders with a consistent connection on the board.

The PCB Circuit Board

Step 1

Using a Hankco soldering iron set to 750 degrees Fahrenheit, I soldered a 10K Potentiometer, 10K Ohm Resistor, Barrel Jack, 104pF Capacitor, 10uF Capacitor, and a 220 fF Capacitor onto the PCB Circuit Board with 0.8mm Rosin solder. While soldering I ensured my solders were all cone shaped (like a volcano), contained no bubbles, dark solder coloration, or burning, and touched held a good connection with the board by having a flush, consistent placement. I then used wire cutters to trim the wires as close the the face of the board as possible.

Step 2

Next, I soldered ten 3-pronged Triodes onto the PCB Circuit Board and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 3

I then soldered both the larger Integrated Circuit (IC- CD4014) and the smaller Integrated Circuit (IC- NE555) onto the PCB and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 4

Next, I soldered nine 200 Ohm Resistors onto the PCB and used wire cutters to trim the ends of the wires on the back of the board.

Step 5

I then soldered 11 1K Ohm Resistors onto the PCB and used wire cutters to trim the wires.

Step 6

Next, I soldered a red LED on the middle of the center square of the PCB Circuit Board, aligning the longer, positive prong with the square shape on the board and the shorter, negative prong with the circle shape on the board. I then repeated this alignment on the uppermost vertical line with eight alternating red and yellow LEDs and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 7

Then I soldered alternating red and yellow LEDs on the upper-left diagonal line following the same prong procedures as in Step 6 and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 8

On the lower-right diagonal line I soldered LEDs onto the PCB board following the same procedures as in Step 6 and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 9

Now on the lower-left diagonal I soldered LEDs onto the board and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 10

Along the middle-lower vertical line, I soldered LEDs following the same procedures as in Step 6 and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 11

On the right horizontal line, I soldered LEDs following the same procedures as in Step 6 and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 12

Along the upper-left diagonal line, I soldered LEDs using the same procedures as in Step 6 and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

Step 13

I then soldered LEDs along the left horizontal line following the same procedures as in Step 6 and trimmed the wires with wire cutters.

The Final Product

IMG_2953.MOV

Time lapse recording of the Starlight board

Front of the PCB Circuit Board

Back of the PCB Circuit Board

Using eight yellow LEDs and the same placement procedures as mentioned in Step 6, I soldered the final LEDs onto the PCB Circuit Board. Flipping to the backside of the board, I trimmed the wires flush to the board, making them as close to the board and tip of the volcano-shaped soldering as possible. Under the microscope I checked the solder connections and ensured there were no solder bridges or wires touching one another. I then plugged the DC-in Socket into the Barrel Jack and plugged its USB plug into a PC-jack. While testing the Starlight Board I also unplugged and replugged the board momentarily to check the board's functions.

Incorrect Soldering Direction

Fixed Soldering Direction

Problems Encountered

While soldering the 3-pronged Triodes onto the PCB Circuit Board, I accidentally soldered one of the Triodes (Q6) on backwards. To fix my mistake I, with the help of two friends, heated all three holes the Triode wire went through with the Hankco soldering irons and used tweezers to pull the Triode out from the board. After removing the Triode, I heated one hole at a time with the soldering iron and used a solder sucker to pull the solder out of all three of the PCB Circuit Board holes. I then grabbed another 3-pronged Triode from the teacher's spare piece container and soldered the new 3-pronged Triode onto the board, ensuring the curved part of the component aligned with the curve on the board and the flat side of the component aligned with the straight line on the board. Following similar soldering methods as before, I completed my solder and cut the wires on the back of the board as close to the surface as possible.

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