Problems soldering and cable size

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musty_666
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Problems soldering and cable size

Post by musty_666 » Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:13 am

After a few months with all things bought, finally I started with my GBZero in my holidays cause I had a lot of work and I think my cable is too fat.

My first problem was with Helder AIO 2.2, I soldered the USB data lines to my RPi Zero and was too hard, and I think I destroyed the USB data line, because of this:
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I tried to resolve this and this was the result (untested yet):
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Then, I continued soldering and it was too hard, don't know if I'm bad at soldering or my cable is too fat, this is an image of my cable soldered and the cable I bought:
Image
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(yes, my nails are ugly xD)
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My problem was to fit the cable inside the hole, it entered but it was too hard to put it in the hole. In other things like microUSB hole and Camble safe shutdown it doesn't enter. And trying to put the data lines in my RPI Zero was nearly imposible, the cables touched and didn't fit with my tin.

I tried to use the internal cable of and old microUSB cable and I found it too thin:
Image

What do you think guys? I have to buy a middle size of my two cables? Or I have to learn to solder? Any tutorial about this?

And the most important question: do you think my helder AIO will work?

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Eccho
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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by Eccho » Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:16 am

Hi there,

Please, check out Abrugsch's soldering guide. He has a part one and a part two. Pay attention to his "flux" and "technique" section, this will be the most useful for you.
http://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=21465

Also, make sure you have proper equipment. A temperature regulator on a soldering iron is an absolute must-have. Regarding wires, it looks way to thick for me. People on this forum recommend 24-28 awg wire for internals and 20-24awg for power distribution. This changes a lot from one forum member to another.

My advice on your current work is that you should focus on soldering better your wires. I don't know if this is your first project, but you will run a lot of test (screen, AIO, Pi, powerboost, etc... all depending on your build) meaning that well soldered wires will not break during the process.

Regarding the datalines, well they are twisted, but we cannot tell if it will work as long as you didn't connect it to your Pi.
Let us know about your progress.

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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by Eccho » Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:34 am

Also, come on Discord:
Eccho #1736

musty_666
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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by musty_666 » Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:39 am

Eccho wrote:
Mon Aug 21, 2017 10:16 am
Hi there,

Please, check out Abrugsch's soldering guide. He has a part one and a part two. Pay attention to his "flux" and "technique" section, this will be the most useful for you.
http://www.sudomod.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=21465

Also, make sure you have proper equipment. A temperature regulator on a soldering iron is an absolute must-have. Regarding wires, it looks way to thick for me. People on this forum recommend 24-28 awg wire for internals and 20-24awg for power distribution. This changes a lot from one forum member to another.

My advice on your current work is that you should focus on soldering better your wires. I don't know if this is your first project, but you will run a lot of test (screen, AIO, Pi, powerboost, etc... all depending on your build) meaning that well soldered wires will not break during the process.

Regarding the datalines, well they are twisted, but we cannot tell if it will work as long as you didn't connect it to your Pi.
Let us know about your progress.
I think I will buy thiner cable and the actual cable maybe be used for energy to the AIO. Tomorrow I will go to a store and I will see the AWG of the cable, I think 24 will be better.

About my soldering iron yes, it has a regulator temperature and I have been solderind around 250 Cº.

I will try to remove the actual data lines and put again the internal tape of the AIO(I don't know how to call it) that I released. If i can't I will use another AIO, I have two more because I promised another two GBZero to friends (yes, I'm crazy, I have no idea about soldering and I promise two more xD), and when I finish this, I will buy another AIO for my third GBZero.

Thanks for Abrugsch's guide, I will see it later to review if I'm doing everything ok. I'm testing it with a polimeter and everything makes current, but I prefer to do it with thin cable now that I have seen this is too fat and you've confirmed it.

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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by Lphillimore » Tue Aug 22, 2017 5:23 am

These wires are far too thick. This also makes them harder to work with. The wires inside the USB cable are definitely the type and thickness you should be going for generally. These also fit through the pinholes pre soldered and twisted.

As Eccho says, check out the soldering guide and practice on something other than the AIO first.

Hopefully those copper rings are still intact through the data holes??

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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by YaYa » Tue Aug 22, 2017 11:21 am

As advised by Eccho, you should use 28AWG for everything except for powering cables. Thoses needs to be either 22 or 20AWG.
Look at this link, the AMP allowed per diameter is explained. Keep in mind that a GBZ is consumming between 600mAh and 1500mAh (max if overclocked) depending on the internal components

https://www.powerstream.com/Wire_Size.htm
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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by Helder » Wed Aug 23, 2017 1:24 am

One of the USB data line traces is lifted off the board and unless you soldered directly to it and it doesn't break nothing usb wise will work. There are some alternate usb points in one of the images in my support thread which you might have to use. Use 26 or better yet 28AWG for these connections.
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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by musty_666 » Wed Aug 23, 2017 7:24 am

Thx guys.

The powering cable 20 AWG goes for the AIO, the RPi and also the screen? The screen default has very slim cable, I put 20 AWG too for the screen?

And what about the cable size of micro USB charger, 20 AWG too?

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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by YaYa » Wed Aug 23, 2017 8:40 am

Put 20awg to All positive and ground DC wiring.
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Re: Problems soldering and cable size

Post by Richb77 » Wed Aug 23, 2017 10:55 pm

Buy a flux pen. I used to struggle with soldering until I spent €3 on one. Splash some flux on the board, cable or pad before applying the solder and it flows so much better. Thinner leaded solder is also a good idea. Lead free is a P.I.T.A and leaded solder is perfectly safe unless you want to suck on it.

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