Up one level Next page   Page:    1    2    3 

Assembly Procedure for newer PCBs with OLED display

The HBG3 has evolved a bit since the original assembly pictorial. So here is a re-spin, showing assembly of one with OLED, button switch, and GPS etc. As will ALL versions of the HomeBrew stuff, soldering is all simple through-hole connections. No surface-mount work needed, as that has already been done at the PCB factory!
The full parts kit, including OLED, is shown.The kit also includes a short AUX cable (not shown).Even simpler builds are possible. The bare minimum would be the PCB, the ESP32, the 5V buck power supply module, and the RJ12 jack. Everything else is optional.
pxl_20240321_010624324 		Form a temporary sandwich of the ESP32 and HBG3 PCBs, but do NOT solder anything yet!
pxl_20240320_184129213 		Use needle-nose pliers to remove all of the unnecessary pins, those without a white circle around them on the HBG3 PCB.
pxl_20240320_184235158 		Use pliers to push the pins flush on the ESP32 side. This gets rid of any need to trim them short at the end, so that they don't puncture the heat-shrink wrapper.
pxl_20240320_184303747 		Still keeping the sandwich tight together, trim the excess of each pin flush to the HBG3 PCB, except for the one (GND) pin needed for the WiFi mode switch!
pxl_20240320_184411533.mp 		Here it is all trimmed, with the one (GND) pin for the WiFi mode switch still in place (leave it!).
pxl_20240320_184822332
HBG3 side of the sandwich, showing which pins remain (with white circles), and which have been removed. Note again, the un-trimmed GND pin needed later for the WiFi mode switch.
pxl_20240320_184838714 		After disassembling the sandwich now, this is what the two headers will look like.
pxl_20240311_154948755 		Begin the soldering, by positioning the 3-pin buck converter (green) and trimming its pins flush to the underside of the HBG3 PCB.
pxl_20240311_155234456 		Solder the three buck pins, and trim them flush if not already done earlier. Now snap the Nunchuck socket into place. If the plan is to later attach a GPS to this side of the HBG3, then now is the time to trim the Nunchuck's six pins and four tabs flush to the HBG3 PCB before soldering.
pxl_20240311_155730084 		Solder the six pins and four tabs of the Nunchuck socket.
pxl_20240311_160004281 		Attach and solder the 6-pin RJ12 connector, giving this partially assembled unit.
pxl_20240311_160234702
Time for the MUSB switch now. Take a 2-pin header (left), and push the pins through to give the result shown on the right.
pxl_20240311_160426170 		This is where it goes, in the two holes next to the RJ12 AUX connector. Solder it in place, nice and straight. Tricky!
pxl_20240311_160617647 		Trim the protruding pin from the underside, and bend the other pin as shown here, to line up with the switch.
pxl_20240311_160754060 		Solder it. I do the bent pin first, while holding the switch with one finger. Then solder a blob onto the other two pins. Finally, touch up the bent pin if needed.
pxl_20240311_161152080 		Next is the extra-long header for the OLED. Position it as shown, splayed outward from the side of the HBG3 PCB.
pxl_20240311_161240759 		Solder it in place. It should end up looking like this.
pxl_20240311_161450578
Click on any thumbnail to view larger images, or click on the Page numbers (at top) for more photos.