EggTimer Quasar not working....

[darrenf]

Since there is a thru-hole pad right there this is an easy fix. solder a thin wire (28 -32 ga) into the hole, place the resistor and solder to the good pad. Let cool then solder the wire to the resistor.

That resistor looks to be the LED current limit so should not cause your main problem.

Did Cris supply solder with the kit? Did you use that solder?
The solder he has supplied is excellent and creates very clean solid joints.

I did use the supplied solder, and yeah, I did manage to connect to that hole as that seemed like the easy solution to me. But of course the board still isn't working.

Edit to add, just took it outside and now the orange LED does blick indicating that the solder for that resistor managed a connection and that issue is resolved. Unit overall still doesn't work though.

 

[darrenf]

The pic marked 7 still has an end pin that is not soldered to the pcb. Lead free solder is difficult for experts. Buy a roll of kester 44 60/40 tin lead. It will be a lot easier for you. The grainy blobby solder is what tin looks like when it's full of oxides. Get a bottle of flux.

Are you talking about one of these pins, because they all look connected to me.

 

[darrenf]

So, does anyone know what 10uF caps I should order. I really want to build the second unit to have it ready before the weekend.

Thanks.

 

[Kallahan11]

The important part is the capacity and size, the quasar only takes 2 or 3 cell lipos so max 15 volts, any capacitor rated higher voltage than that should work.

 

[darrenf]

The important part is the capacity and size, the quasar only takes 2 or 3 cell lipos so max 15 volts, any capacitor rated higher voltage than that should work.

Thank you.

 

[cerving]

Well, Not sure this is the only problem, but I definitely found A problem. Resoldering the right side of the resistor, as soon as the right side melted the resistor moved. That's not good. I get the tweezers and remelted the right side and the resistor lifted right up, exposing that the pad on the left side was gone. Any idea how to fix that?

The left side of that 331 resistor goes to GND. It's the current-limiting resistor for the LED.

 

[StreuB1]

The pic marked 7 still has an end pin that is not soldered to the pcb. Lead free solder is difficult for experts. Buy a roll of kester 44 60/40 tin lead. It will be a lot easier for you. The grainy blobby solder is what tin looks like when it's full of oxides. Get a bottle of flux.

He is using the solder supplied by Cris in his kits. Cris supplies Kester 245 (leaded), its the good stuff. The guy is not using lead free, he is/was using too low of heat and not getting good wet out due to the joint being cold.

FWIW I set my Hakko to 710°F when doing his kits and it seems to do well, save for soldering the ESP-12 board. That's always a PITA but it is what it is.

Cris' kits are great, I have built about 20 of them so far and at this point have more flights on them than any other and have had zero failures.


OP, keep at it, you'll figure it out. Its not a write-off, there are much worse builds out there that work so you're likely good. Its just likely something silly. If I place an order with Cris, I usually get it in 3 days, I am in northern Illinois. The serial data cable will help determine if the problem is on the board or on the microcontroller and that will help narrow down the problem.

Also, you're def not going to bother Cris. If you are having issues or struggling, contact him! He will try and help you.

 

[StreuB1]

Picture 12, the bottom pin(s) on the left side of the ESP-12F board. The bottom pin is pin 1, reset (RST) pin and it looks dodgy as does pin 3 (Enable), pin 4 (WAKE), pin 5 (SPI Clock) but I don't think Cris uses SPI.

Poor connections on RESET/ENABLE/WAKE will cause issues.

RESET and ENABLE are pulled high to VCC so you can check resistance from pin 1 and 3 to the large VIA/thru hole adjacent to pin 8 on the ESP-12F. You should get ~10k ohms to pin 1 and 3. If you don't, there is a problem. You can also power the unit up and look for 3.3V on pin 1 and 3 relative to 0V and you should see voltage there. If you don't, then thats a problem.

Refer to this pinout.....

 

[darrenf]

Picture 12, the bottom pin(s) on the left side of the ESP-12F board. The bottom pin is pin 1, reset (RST) pin and it looks dodgy as does pin 3 (Enable), pin 4 (WAKE), pin 5 (SPI Clock) but I don't think Cris uses SPI.

Poor connections on RESET/ENABLE/WAKE will cause issues.

RESET and ENABLE are pulled high to VCC so you can check resistance from pin 1 and 3 to the large VIA/thru hole adjacent to pin 8 on the ESP-12F. You should get ~10k ohms to pin 1 and 3. If you don't, there is a problem. You can also power the unit up and look for 3.3V on pin 1 and 3 relative to 0V and you should see voltage there. If you don't, then thats a problem.

Refer to this pinout.....

View attachment 590018

Thank you. After your advice I redid those solders but no dice. I'm reading 15.4k ohms between 1 and 3. I didn't power up to read it voltages. Attached is an updated image of that spot.

 

[Grog6]

on the 3rd photo, the top right pin is not soldered in.

 

[darrenf]

Got a cable, it appears to stall at "Testing Memory". It has been stuck there for 5 minutes. @cerving , you said it was probably the memory, so what's next?

 

[cerving]

Resolder the memory joints, and it wouldn't hurt to use some desoldering wick and remove any excess solder first (DO NOT remove the chip from the board!). Make sure that you get solder UNDERNEATH the leads, and not just ON TOP of them. I recommend that you turn up the temperature on your iron, too... my experience with Hakko irons is that they tend to run a bit low. My old Velleman station runs fine at about 690F, I have to turn the Hakko up to 720F to match it, even with the same sized tip.

 

[darrenf]

Resolder the memory joints, and it wouldn't hurt to use some desoldering wick and remove any excess solder first (DO NOT remove the chip from the board!). Make sure that you get solder UNDERNEATH the leads, and not just ON TOP of them. I recommend that you turn up the temperature on your iron, too... my experience with Hakko irons is that they tend to run a bit low. My old Velleman station runs fine at about 690F, I have to turn the Hakko up to 720F to match it, even with the same sized tip.

@cerving I assume you are talking about the eeprom.

Edit to add... I resoldered the eeprom after removing the solder on the worst joints. Still no dice. And on one lead I'm not sure the solder is getting underneath it to the pad. It just seems to bubble on top of the lead and not wick around. That is the second lead from the left on the bottom of the picture. Really starting to feel frustrated unfortunately.

 

[cerving]

If it's bubbling like that, you're either 1) Not heating the joint and heating the solder instead; 2) Not using enough temperature; 3) Not applying the tip and solder to the right place. Remove the excess solder and start again... your tip should be laying on the SIDE of the lead, wait 3-5 seconds for the lead to heat up, then apply solder to the OTHER SIDE of the lead, near the junction of the PC board. If your tip is not the right size, this is not going to work... that's why recommend a 1/32"/.8mm conical tip. The "needle" tips don't transfer enough heat, the larger tips tend to cause solder bridges between the pins.

 

[StreuB1]

Thank you. After your advice I redid those solders but no dice. I'm reading 15.4k ohms between 1 and 3. I didn't power up to read it voltages. Attached is an updated image of that spot.

I meant read the resistance from Pin 1 to the VIA/thru-hole and Pin 3 to the via/thru-hole. What you are doing is checking that the pin is connected to the pull-up resistor and the VCC trace.

 

[darrenf]

I meant read the resistance from Pin 1 to the VIA/thru-hole and Pin 3 to the via/thru-hole. What you are doing is checking that the pin is connected to the pull-up resistor and the VCC trace.

Pin 1 is 9.95K ohm. Pin 3 is 15.45 k Ohm.

 

[SolarYellow]

Been soldering as needed since I was a kid. Trying to do it without flux seemed like a silly waste of time, once I learned about flux.

Before diving into my first Quark, having never done SM stuff before, I read and read and read. Twenty seven posts where Cris says flux isn't necessary. A handful by other people saying it makes things better. Tried following Cris' advice. Spent way too long and a huge amount of frustration soldering on the first driver chip and it looked like your joints. Asked one of our electronics gurus at work about it, and he said to use the Chipquik flux that was sitting on the shelf above where I was working. https://www.amazon.com/Chipquik-Tack-clean-syringe-plunger/dp/B00CM2A97S The second driver went quickly and easily, as if I knew what I was doing (sort of), with the solder wetting out everything it needed to wet out and leaving a nice, smooth, shiny surface. Went back and reflowed the first chip with flux, and it went the same way. The rest of the board also went smoothly and productively, with good looking joints. I'm no pro, and for me, trying to do it without flux seemed like a silly waste of time. Doing it with flux was pretty reasonable. Other people far more experienced than me have posted similar thoughts.

Also, changeable tips are for changing. Most of the board, I did with the 1/32 cone like Cris recommends. On bigger components, I changed to a little bigger flattented tip, which dumps more heat into the joint, faster. Works a lot better for me.

 

[waltr]

I have build a number of Eggtimer kits and never needed to add flux to the solder Cris supplies.
And always have gotten very nice solder joints.

 

[darrenf]

So, since this build kind of destroyed my confidence, I built an Ion today, and thankfully it works like a champ.

 

[waltr]

So, since this build kind of destroyed my confidence, I built an Ion today, and thankfully it works like a champ.

Yea.....
hope that brought your confidence back.

 

[darrenf]

Yea.....
hope that brought your confidence back.

I think the worst thing about this is thinking that while my solders aren’t pretty, they should work. I have looked at them all from every conceivable angle. I won’t have the ability to desolder until my copper braid arrives tomorrow, and not having the knowledge to troubleshoot and waiting is killing me. Maybe I’ll finally learn to troubleshoot complex circuits this way.

 

[darrenf]

If it's bubbling like that, you're either 1) Not heating the joint and heating the solder instead; 2) Not using enough temperature; 3) Not applying the tip and solder to the right place. Remove the excess solder and start again... your tip should be laying on the SIDE of the lead, wait 3-5 seconds for the lead to heat up, then apply solder to the OTHER SIDE of the lead, near the junction of the PC board. If your tip is not the right size, this is not going to work... that's why recommend a 1/32"/.8mm conical tip. The "needle" tips don't transfer enough heat, the larger tips tend to cause solder bridges between the pins.

@cerving ,

Today I desoldered with copper wick and redid the EEPROM connections. No change. Maybe I have a bad memory chip.

 

[darrenf]

Started on my 2nd one. How does this look? I'd like to get some ideas before I continue.

 

[darrenf]

Okay everyone. Look closely. If I'm not mistaken, I think I found the problem, though I'm not sure how I'm going to solve it. Is the 8 pin device on the left upside down?

 

[tsmith1315]

think I found the problem, though I'm not sure how I'm going to solve it.

Wick and a flat tip on your iron will take it off. Be patient.

edit: I can’t tell if it’s upside down.

 

[Worsaer]

This is from a known working unit. I don’t think yours is upside down.

 

[darrenf]

Yeah, it's this part of the directions that screwed me up(see images), so now that I started my second, one of them is definitely wrong. This just keeps getting worse.
@cerving , it would be great if you could clarify this.

 

[Voyager1]

I have never received a data cable Cris. What temperature would be too hot? Can you give me a specific temp?

I typically use 350 C (~660 F) when soldering most components to boards like these. You really need to preheat the pad and component lead for a couple of seconds with the tip near flat against the two surfaces before applying the solder.

Before soldering, I generally clean the tip and apply a little fresh solder to just wet the tip. This will help to transfer heat more effectively to the surfaces to be soldered. When applying the solder (typically to the opposite side of the lead) let it flow using surface tension to form a nice meniscus between pad and component lead. The whole process should take only 4-5 seconds. Be careful not to apply too much heat for too long.

Additionally, when using solder wick, I generally wet the end of the wick with a little flux from a flux pen. This helps distribute the heat and improves the solder flow into the wick.

 

[tsmith1315]

Is the 8 pin device on the left upside down?

Your image:



Image from the Quasar assembly cropped and rotated to match yours:


The writing orientations match and the logo on the PCA is at board location pin 1 in both pics.

FWIW:
My soldering iron is a yard sale Radio Shack 20W/40W, on 20W setting for soldering, and I use the supplied solder with no added flux. Soldering regimen exactly as @Voyager1 states above, except the first sentence. I find good lighting and magnification the most critical part, to be sure you're applying heat in the right place.

 

[cerving]

All the silkscreened writing on the board faces the same way, and that includes the legends for the EEPROM and port expander chips. The writing on the board is upside-down compared to the writing on the chip... I think the pictures clearly show the orientation. It would be nice if the port expander chip had a detent mark on Pin 1 like the EEPROM does... but it would be nice if I won the lottery, too.