Parallel or Series

[Michael L]

I like the power interface boards. What is your source?

I made them. PM me your address, I'll send you some, no charge. I have a few different versions. The latest has a small LED that indicates when the buss has power on it. I'm not convinced that is useful since the mag switch I use has an LED. If I use any other switch I would use the LED board and try to orient it so that it lines up with a hole in the switch band (or wherever).

If someone wants to look at these on a commercial level I'll send my Eagle files to them. I am wary of turning my hobby into a business. I tried that with photography and it about stole all of the joy from my hobby. I got over it though

They are very simple to build. The battery boxes are 3D printed. There's not much to them either. They bolt to the sled and a ty-wrap holds them in place.

 

[Michael L]

0603's are just about the limit to what humans can hand-solder, IMHO 0402's require reflowing in an oven. That's why the smallest parts we use are 0805's... but we prefer 1206's because you can almost solder them without magnification (unless you're an old guy with crappy eyes like me).

A few years back I wrote the attached PDF for the EEVBlog website. I had just finished installing one 0201 resistor on a Ham radio project. I warmed up with the little board in the photos in the PDF. I think I used 7 or 8 of the 0201's and I was pretty frustrated. The funny thing about that post was that it descended into total unrelated chaos due to two guys have a differing opinion on something. One guy started it and the other one wouldn't let it go

Today... 1206 is fine, 0805's and 0603's ok... 0402's bad language escapes. I have an eBay reflow oven. That makes 0402's better but not great. 0201's... are the spawn of satan. That's why I prefer working on tube gear Giant parts and high wattage soldering irons are fun.

 

[tsmith1315]

0603's are just about the limit to what humans can hand-solder, IMHO

After assembling a Proton, my first tryst with surface mount stuff, I thought it wasn't too bad.
So I ordered some LED's, thinking I wanted them sized to match fin-thickness. 0603, and I don't know that I could do any smaller with a Radio shack iron. Tiny stuff, but cool.

If I use any other switch I would use the LED board and try to orient it so that it lines up with a hole in the switch band (or wherever).

Funny, I just sketched out pretty much the same exact thing Sunday evening. I left off at deciding whether I needed a switch, and if so, what type would make the most sense.

 

[AllDigital]

My real pride and joy workbench is back in TX. I can work with 0204 components there because I have a microscope.

I bow to your skills

 

[Michael L]

After assembling a Proton, my first tryst with surface mount stuff, I thought it wasn't too bad.
So I ordered some LED's, thinking I wanted them sized to match fin-thickness. 0603, and I don't know that I could do any smaller with a Radio shack iron. Tiny stuff, but cool.



Funny, I just sketched out pretty much the same exact thing Sunday evening. I left off at deciding whether I needed a switch, and if so, what type would make the most sense.

The Eagle board and schematic files are attached. There are multiple iterations. I'll try to remember to add a parts list when I get home. It's basically JST PH2 and JST PH3 for the switch. It's 3 legs because of the ground (or my misunderstanding) on the mage switch board. The outside pins are the actual switch connection point. That makes the switch more versatile

 

[Michael L]

I bow to your skills

Eh... if I had that much skill I wouldn't have called an 0201 part an 0204 part

 

[Michael L]

One more... and then back to the regularly scheduled programming.

The links are versions of the board that can be ordered from Osh Park (most people that make boards use OshPark because the minimum order is three and sometimes the board isn't what we expect it to be)

Simple Version
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/j3pX2dVk
2 outputs, 2 battery's, one switch
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/NFuNu9pw
Added the power buss LED. You can leave the LED and resistor (220 ohm for lowest current draw / lowest brightness) off and it functions like the board above this one. Both are 1206 components.
https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/F3Wce7gE

 

[tsmith1315]

The Eagle board and schematic files are attached.

Cool, thanks!

 

[Michael L]

JST-2 connectors. This is from Mouser. 6.9 cents each. Order more and they are cheaper. Amazon has them. Digikey has them. Mfr part number below too. I can't find where I bought the JST 3 cables. I'll update that as soon as I find it.

Mouser #:	571-440054-2
Mfr. #:	440054-2
Desc.:	Headers & Wire Housings Headers & Wire Housings 2.0mm HDR 2pos VERT HPI

There are numerous LED's to choose from. Here's a sample:

Mouser #: 604-APTR3216QBC/D Mfr. #: APTR3216QBC/D Desc.: Standard LEDs - SMD Standard LEDs - SMD Blue 470nm Water Clear 100mcd		100	$0.15	$15.00	100 Shipped​ 15-Sep-21​ 63632425​
​	Mouser #: 604-APTD3216QBC/D Mfr. #: APTD3216QBC/D Desc.: Standard LEDs - SMD Standard LEDs - SMD Blue 470nm Water Clear 500mcd

Power board to flight computer: https://www.adafruit.com/product/4714