v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

For makers who have purchased an Adafruit Starter Pack, get help with the tutorials here!

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
User avatar
stettin
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:49 pm

v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by stettin »

I started my first project and was confused because I could not find the 2 pin headers the guide mentions. I checked the supply list and didn't see it there, however if a guide is being sold with a kit, it should include 2 pin headers, right? They are used in every project.

I tried using wires in place of the 2 pin headers and that kept the board from even powering up. I pulled them and then tried again and the project worked, CIRC-01. Do those headers do anything besides hold the paper template down? Should I look around for some at another site, or maybe radio shack?

Also, with the UNO SMD, the nut/bolt provided contacts the corner solder on the 6 pin block near the USB port. You can see this in a pic provided in the post just before mine. Check out the second pic here http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=19220. I'm no electronics expert, but metal touching a solder point doesn't sound good to me.

I decided to use the two screw holes on the far side and put rubber feet under on the usb/barrel power side. It's not a big deal, but maybe the breadboard template should be updated for the SMD. There is a hole near the barrel power on the circuit board, but none on the breadboard holder.

Anyway, I got my first project done, so I'm happy. Any comments would be appreciated.

adafruit
 
Posts: 12151
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by adafruit »

Stettin wrote:I started my first project and was confused because I could not find the 2 pin headers the guide mentions. I checked the supply list and didn't see it there, however if a guide is being sold with a kit, it should include 2 pin headers, right? They are used in every project.
there is a piece of header it looks like this
http://www.ladyada.net/images/parts/headerm36.jpg
you can break it apart into 2-pin parts
Also, with the UNO SMD, the nut/bolt provided contacts the corner solder on the 6 pin block near the USB port. You can see this in a pic provided in the post just before mine. Check out the second pic here http://forums.adafruit.com/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=19220. I'm no electronics expert, but metal touching a solder point doesn't sound good to me.
it is not a problem/issue since it only touches one in not shorting two

User avatar
stettin
 
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jan 22, 2011 11:49 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by stettin »

Ah, thanks for the answers. I didn't realize the larger block of headers could be broken down :)

adafruit
 
Posts: 12151
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by adafruit »

they are, (we swear) called 'break-away' headers

hank
 
Posts: 1
Joined: Tue Sep 01, 2009 1:02 am

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by hank »

I just got my experimentation kit today and there's definitely a problem with the SMD layout - both the bolt and nut hit the 6-pin header near the USB port, making it impossible to get a flush fit with either the bolthead or the nut. (The head hits the plastic part of the 6-pin header, the nut hits the pins that stick through the board.) If there were a 4th hole in the mounting board, it would be possible to switch the two bolts, but as it stands, that's not an option. Unfortunately, my smartphone only seems to want to take super blurry pictures. :P

I'm going to go ahead and go with the "put feet on the bottom of the Arduino and don't bother trying to have a nut between the Arduino and the mounting board" solution, but I just wanted to chime in and mention that I was having a similar problem. At least for my board, it is not possible to construct it following the provided instructions. I suppose that's good for an early entry into "find a way to make it work." ;)

kruzan
 
Posts: 55
Joined: Fri Feb 11, 2011 7:17 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by kruzan »

hank i had the same issue, i worked around it by using 6 very small o-rings, six standoff type screws (like or on each side of serial port or vga port on a pc motherboard) and 3 of the nuts that came with the kit.
its like this

standoff (the screws in kit are too long to use)
arduino
o-ring
standoff
o-ring
clear mounting plate
nut

the head of the stand off is just small enough to tighten without it interfering with the plastic part of pin header. the o-rings keep everything from touching the pins on bottom and the bottom of the board itself

adafruit
 
Posts: 12151
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 4:21 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by adafruit »

thats right, the new SMDs are a little different, we'll check it out and redesign the mounting plate and maybe use nylon screws if metal wont work!

McSummation
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:29 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by McSummation »

I got my RDX today (6/20/13) and the screws still have the problem of being too long and not fitting through the board properly. What fix does LadyAda suggest?

McSummation
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:29 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by McSummation »

Do you stock nylon screws? If so, how can I order them?

User avatar
jad
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:58 am

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by jad »

I've bought some of your Adafruit ARDX - v1.3 Experimentation Kits to teach a basic class and I was wondering what the wattage rating is for the resistors that you include in the kit? I have searched and can't find any reference to their wattage rating.

Thanks,
JAD

McSummation
 
Posts: 12
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2013 5:29 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by McSummation »

It does not appear that anyone from Adafruit monitors this forum. :(

The resistors are either 1/8 or 1/4 watt. Does that help?

User avatar
adafruit_support_mike
 
Posts: 67446
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm

Re: v1.3 Experimentation kit comments

Post by adafruit_support_mike »

It's generally better to start a new topic than add comments to an existing one. We try to hit the zero-reply threads first, and get to the ones where people are carrying the conversation themselves when we have time.

The power rating on the resistors is 1/4-Watt.

Locked
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.

Return to “Arduino Starter Pack”