My Newb Okto2 Build Thread
- Thread starter ctbon
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ctbon
Member
When soldering the motor wires to the board the instructions state that:
"Connection of motor wires to the BL-Ctrls - CAUTION: Motor 1 and 2 have to be in front!
The order is as follows:
connect A = gray, B = blue, C = black on odd motor addresses (1,3,5,7) clockwise rotation
connect A = blue, B = gray, C = black on even motor addresses (2,4,6,8) anticlockwise direction"
I don't quite understand it as stated. Should my #1 address be soldered to the front motor on the red outrigger? I think I can figure out the rest from the picture but I need to know which one to start on. #1 seems obvious but you never know.
"Connection of motor wires to the BL-Ctrls - CAUTION: Motor 1 and 2 have to be in front!
The order is as follows:
connect A = gray, B = blue, C = black on odd motor addresses (1,3,5,7) clockwise rotation
connect A = blue, B = gray, C = black on even motor addresses (2,4,6,8) anticlockwise direction"
I don't quite understand it as stated. Should my #1 address be soldered to the front motor on the red outrigger? I think I can figure out the rest from the picture but I need to know which one to start on. #1 seems obvious but you never know.
ctbon
Member
I've been procrastinating with the soldering so I put together my camera mount instead.
View attachment 395
View attachment 395
Attachments
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ctbon
Member
Could someone tell me whether the wires from the front (red) motor are soldered into #1 or #2 in this pic? I have my wires coming out of the frame in a clockwise direction viewing from above which would have the red outrigger motor in #2 if it were to look like the pic.
I guess my main question is "Is the motor on the front (red) outrigger designated as motor #1?"
Cheers!
I guess my main question is "Is the motor on the front (red) outrigger designated as motor #1?"
Cheers!
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ctbon
Member
Okay, I'm going to start soldering the motor wires. I will solder the red outrigger motor to #1 and move clockwise from there according to the picture I posted above. If I am doing this wrong, please, please post on here and let me know. I don't want to muck this up.
Cheers!
Chris
I still need to solder the battery and buzzer and the LEDs so I probably won't get to the motors until tomorrow.
Does anyone use a mask (N95 or similar) for soldering?
Cheers!
Chris
I still need to solder the battery and buzzer and the LEDs so I probably won't get to the motors until tomorrow.
Does anyone use a mask (N95 or similar) for soldering?
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ctbon
Member
First bit of soldering went okay! I've never done it before but a friend who had a shred more experience than me (more than never) came by to help. I found that it was difficult to get the pads hot enough to melt the solder and on a couple of pads it didn't stick well until a couple of tries. The result is a clean but somewhat ugly job.
Macsgrafs
Active Member
The last phot, I would do those 2 power connections again as the sleeving has melted to much & it's now a source for whiskas, they will appear & short out & I wouldnt want to see you crash! If you can get some heatshrink as well, you can slide it on, soldier the joint, then slide the heatshrink back up to the joint.
Ross
Ross
ctbon
Member
Thanks, Ross. Those fat wires were such a pain to tin. It really takes some time to get them hot enough. Thanks for the advice! Do you think I could just tape up the exposed parts or better to re-solder?
Bartman
Welcome to MultiRotorForums.com!!
ross
when you're trying to tin large wires put a little dab of solder on the tip of the iron and when it pushes up against the wire it will help with heat transfer so the wire will get hot faster. keep putting a little dab of solder into where the iron is on the wire and it will keep getting more and more heat into it. with the wire nice and hot, prep the pad with a little heat to loosen up the solder then put the hot wire in place and get them mated up. i use the 99 cent spring clamps from Home Depot to hold the wire as I'm soldering it in place. if you need to add more solder hold a length of it in your teeth and just nudge it into place as you're adding heat with your other hand. just don't let anyone take your picture as you're doing this. it won't be flattering.
bart
when you're trying to tin large wires put a little dab of solder on the tip of the iron and when it pushes up against the wire it will help with heat transfer so the wire will get hot faster. keep putting a little dab of solder into where the iron is on the wire and it will keep getting more and more heat into it. with the wire nice and hot, prep the pad with a little heat to loosen up the solder then put the hot wire in place and get them mated up. i use the 99 cent spring clamps from Home Depot to hold the wire as I'm soldering it in place. if you need to add more solder hold a length of it in your teeth and just nudge it into place as you're adding heat with your other hand. just don't let anyone take your picture as you're doing this. it won't be flattering.
bart
DroneBuilder
Member
"Chris"- 
Let me strongly suggest that you do not rely upon tape for your insulation. I have followed many, many builds - and performed many builds - and I would have to estimate that 90% of the "Dang - I just burned up $600 worth of electronics" problems are from faulty soldering.
It looks like several of your solder joints are quite good - especially for a first timer! But I would like to pass on a tip I got from a guy here at my local hobby shop. In addition to Bart's tip about the proper way to tin the wires, I was told to try and keep the exposed part of the wire to a minimum. It would be nice if the wire insulation could extend all the way to the edge (or even over the edge) of the power pads -- this would INSURE no shorts would occur there.
Also, it looks like the exposed parts of your wire that are going to the pads next to the buzzer look a little long. Specifically, they look like they might could brush across each other, or something on the board under them (if that is an exposed pad). If those are the "scl" and "sda" pads, and if you are using an MK FC 2.1 ME (the black flight control board) you don't need to solder those wires. You can instead use that little "molex" connector that is on the distribution board, and that will also be on your Flight Control (FC) board.
Please be sure to find Buzzed's "pre-power-up checklist" (I'll try to find it, too.) He has saved many folks many dollars! The 'cliff notes' version of his advise is to NOT power the PDB (power distribution board) the FIRST time using a Lipo, but to instead rig up a 9v battery like you would get out of a smoke alarm. That way, you won't NEED a smoke alarm if there are soldering/wiring problems.
I wish you good luck!
Good luck!
Let me strongly suggest that you do not rely upon tape for your insulation. I have followed many, many builds - and performed many builds - and I would have to estimate that 90% of the "Dang - I just burned up $600 worth of electronics" problems are from faulty soldering.
It looks like several of your solder joints are quite good - especially for a first timer! But I would like to pass on a tip I got from a guy here at my local hobby shop. In addition to Bart's tip about the proper way to tin the wires, I was told to try and keep the exposed part of the wire to a minimum. It would be nice if the wire insulation could extend all the way to the edge (or even over the edge) of the power pads -- this would INSURE no shorts would occur there.
Also, it looks like the exposed parts of your wire that are going to the pads next to the buzzer look a little long. Specifically, they look like they might could brush across each other, or something on the board under them (if that is an exposed pad). If those are the "scl" and "sda" pads, and if you are using an MK FC 2.1 ME (the black flight control board) you don't need to solder those wires. You can instead use that little "molex" connector that is on the distribution board, and that will also be on your Flight Control (FC) board.
Please be sure to find Buzzed's "pre-power-up checklist" (I'll try to find it, too.) He has saved many folks many dollars! The 'cliff notes' version of his advise is to NOT power the PDB (power distribution board) the FIRST time using a Lipo, but to instead rig up a 9v battery like you would get out of a smoke alarm. That way, you won't NEED a smoke alarm if there are soldering/wiring problems.
I wish you good luck!
Good luck!
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Macsgrafs
Active Member
Why is everyone telling me??? I was informing CT, unless he's called Ross as well
CT, you will need a high wattage soldering iron, a 40W iron will not cut it on big wires, all you end up doing is keeping the iron on for longer & transferring all your heat up the wire & melting the sleeving. Get a min gas torch iron for battery connections, its instant heat & will take seconds to solder. Snip the wires back to the sleeving if there is enough to do it. Then strip 5mm off each wire, then tine then first....apply iron to wire, wait a few secs, then apply solder & run the iron up the wire, still applying solder as you go. Double check that all around the bare wire is loaded with solder. Now try attaching to the pads on the circuit board. Never use bodge tape, it will fly off & allow a short to occur, there goes your aicraft...not nice
Try this video:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cl5QI4pqKc&feature=related
Ross
CT, you will need a high wattage soldering iron, a 40W iron will not cut it on big wires, all you end up doing is keeping the iron on for longer & transferring all your heat up the wire & melting the sleeving. Get a min gas torch iron for battery connections, its instant heat & will take seconds to solder. Snip the wires back to the sleeving if there is enough to do it. Then strip 5mm off each wire, then tine then first....apply iron to wire, wait a few secs, then apply solder & run the iron up the wire, still applying solder as you go. Double check that all around the bare wire is loaded with solder. Now try attaching to the pads on the circuit board. Never use bodge tape, it will fly off & allow a short to occur, there goes your aicraft...not nice
Try this video:- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cl5QI4pqKc&feature=related
Ross
ctbon
Member
Yeah, why is everyone telling Ross?
Thanks for the tips, guys! I will get a hotter iron, I guess, because that's exactly what was happening...the solder wasn't bonding to the wire but the wire itself was getting very hot.
Cheers!
Chris
PS DroneBuilder, I did see that 9V tip on a pre-flight checklist. I will do that for sure!
Thanks for the tips, guys! I will get a hotter iron, I guess, because that's exactly what was happening...the solder wasn't bonding to the wire but the wire itself was getting very hot.
Cheers!
Chris
PS DroneBuilder, I did see that 9V tip on a pre-flight checklist. I will do that for sure!
ctbon
Member
Okay, I've fixed my solders (the new 60W iron works a charm) and added heat shrink so there won't be any chance of whiskers.
I've soldered wires into the +/- on 2 of the extra pads for powering my video Tx and FPV cam. Was that the right thing to do? Instructions are so sparse. Should I get a multimeter to test my connections?
Just to be clear, I didn't need to solder the C,D pads on the flight control and power board? I can just connect the molex? I have attached a pic of what I have.
I've soldered wires into the +/- on 2 of the extra pads for powering my video Tx and FPV cam. Was that the right thing to do? Instructions are so sparse. Should I get a multimeter to test my connections?
Just to be clear, I didn't need to solder the C,D pads on the flight control and power board? I can just connect the molex? I have attached a pic of what I have.
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I haven't seen this thread so I may be restating something that's already been said.
If you are serious about flying an expensive piece of equipment, get a decent temperature controlled soldering iron, a screw driver tip for the big wires, silicone insulated wire, heat shrink in many sizes, flux, an alligator clippy clamp thingie, a new credit card, and a regulated power supply.
I missed things but you get the idea. This topic should be a new thread here. I don't think it's been discussed yet.
EDIT: yes you need a multimeter. You can buy 6 Chinese ones in 10 years or buy a Fluke once. (Fluke is probably made in China too now though.)
<sigh>
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