Step 4 Capacitors
Step 5 Push Buttons
Step 6 IC Sockets… which when soldered into place do not fit flush with the board because the capacitors are too tall.
I now have 4 IC sockets which are not fitted to the board properly. Being a programming board those sockets are going to have chips going in and out frequently putting stress on the solder joints. I’ve just tried desoldering the 28pin socket with no luck. Obviously I don’t want to damage the PCB tracks either.
VELLEMAN: You put the components on the board in ORDER of height to stop this happening.
What do I do now?
This is how it looks after soldering:
http://test.safrane.info/pcb/030909190911.jpg
Wondering why I flipped it over and found this:
http://test.safrane.info/pcb/030909190949.jpg
HOW could you do this? The kit is supposed to be simple to put together yet you’ve made a HUGE fundamental mistake.
The 28pin IC socket will not move now I’ve desoldered it. What do you want me to do with it? - I paid £23 for this.
Although I DO have some issue with the outer packaging not clearly stating that USB/RS232 converters aren’t compatible with this kit, I’m going to have to disagree with you due to your assembly method here.
The capacitor at C8 is standing far too high from the PCB and that is most likely the source of your poorly-seated DIP sockets, rather than the instructions.
C8 on my PCB sits well enough below the top of the DIP sockets…
In future, when soldering DIP sockets (or any multi-pin through-hole component) to a PCB it is best to solder two opposing corner pins, flip the PCB over, apply slight pressure & re-heat the solder to fully seat the component. Once this is done, continue to solder the remaining pins.
P.S. Don’t expect any immediate answers from Velleman - nobody is on hand to provide 24/7 support.
Hi
Well I spent many frustrating hours desoldering the pesky IC sockets… god that was awful work…
Anyway got it all constructed and now the pic programmer software gives me a ‘COM-Init-Error’ message when trying to write. For some reason it’s not communicating via serial.
I also noticed in the manual that the description of the LEDs polarity left something to be desired…
I must agree about the caps being too tall but I do not think thats down to me really seeing as the leads on them have a minimum width in order to fit through the PCB holes at the shortest length. Doesn’t really matter now anyway as I’ve got it bloody done but the com error is annoying now…
