Screw terminal versus solder?
- Use screw terminal
- Solder as recommended
0 voters
I’ve just spent a very frustrating half hour soldering the first four leads (Group 1) of the multicoloured ribbon cable to the ends of the wires plugged into the PCB. (English manual p339).
The next two wires were marginally easier, but the method seems flawed.
Surely there ought to be an easier way of wiring up the multistrand ribbon cable? Securely connecting (mechanically and electrically) two thin wires floating in space 15cm above the assembly bench is VERY tedious and tricky. I found it very difficult to get the ends to lie close together, to stay in place, and get good flow of solder to ensure a good mechanical connection, even when I fixed one wire to the aluminium upright to stop it moving about.
Could the kit be redesigned to use either a small screw terminal block (say a 3A or 5A mains terminal block) or a punchdown jointing block (Insulation Displacement Connector)? The block could mount easily on the right hand upright just above the PCB, screwed just like the PCB itself onto one or two small plastic insert(s) in the channel. It would be MUCH easier to assemble, and much easier to check that the connection is mechanically and electrically sound.
Or is this either too expensive, or not as good a connection electrically?
Advice welcome. I’ll continue with the recommended method (I’m actually quite good at soldering!). And I did eventually succeed, but it is far too tedious to be enjoyable.
John McC