NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers -

Breakout boards, sensors, other Adafruit kits, etc.

Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
Locked
User avatar
westmarkm
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 02, 2022 1:38 pm

NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Drivers -

Post by westmarkm »

In my application, the pads of this product tend to pop off the circuit board when a small amount of tension is applied to the soldered wire.
Image of the pad stuck to the wire after popping of the NexPixel stick pcb
Image of the pad stuck to the wire after popping of the NexPixel stick pcb
solder.jpg (109.53 KiB) Viewed 217 times
In my case, some tension on the wire is required to get the board/wiring correctly mounted/routed inside the enclosure. It's really frustrating. I have spent days trying to get devices built with this product and have had to throw away numerous sticks.

Perhaps I am doing something wrong in my soldering technique. In any case, I feel that a through hole version of this product would make life easier. Outside of that, do you have any general soldering recommendations?

Regards, Mark

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88089
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

Judging by the deformed insulation on the wire, I suspect you have an overheating problem. Too much heat for too long will weaken the adhesive that bonds the copper to the PCB.

It may sound counterintuitive, but a good hot iron is helpful here. Also make sure that the tip is clean and well tinned. It should take only a couple of seconds for the solder to flow. I usually set my iron to 700F/375C for 60/40 solder. Or 750F/400C for lead-free.
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-gui ... -soldering

Also, thinner gauge stranded wire will be more flexible and put less stress on the joint.
https://www.adafruit.com/product/1970

User avatar
westmarkm
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 02, 2022 1:38 pm

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by westmarkm »

Thanks for the quick, detailed reply. I placed an order for the stranded wire that was recommended. Also, I'm using lead free solder, so I will try the 750F/400C setting. Thanks as well for the soldering tutorial. I will give that a good read.

Regards, Mark

User avatar
paulskpt
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:30 pm

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by paulskpt »

I have a similar problem. Recently bought from Pimoroni Ltd. the ADA2867 NeoPixel stick - 8 x 5050 RGBW LEDs - Warm White. I mounted the stick on a Pimoroni Pan-Tilt HAT kit. I soldered a strip with 4 pins to the right side of the stick. Everything worked fine until yesterday, during tests the 4-pin strip with three connected wires detached spontaneously. As you can see on the first image, complete or part of the solder pads broke off the pcb too. I don't understand. I used a light soldering iron. Didn't heat too long.
I think this is a construction problem. Why not have coppered solder holes through the pcb ? That would have been much more secure!
My life long I've been soldering electronics. Don't tell me that I soldered wrong please! See also the image of the solder iron and the solder wire (I don't remember which type/quality it is, but I the past two years I soldered may[be a thirty microprocessor boards and accessories with it without any problems.

What does Adafruit suggests to me to have this stick connected, working and useful again?
At first I sent an e-mail to Pimoroni Ltd. They suggested that I write a post on this forum. So, I did with this post.
Regards,
Paulus


attachment=0]IMG_5242.JPG[/attachment]
IMG_5241.JPG
IMG_5241.JPG (859 KiB) Viewed 158 times
IMG_5258.JPG
IMG_5258.JPG (965.18 KiB) Viewed 158 times
Attachments
IMG_5242.JPG
IMG_5242.JPG (673.38 KiB) Viewed 158 times

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88089
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

The header pins - combined with the long shells of the connectors will multiply any stress applied to the connecting wires. Better to use a flexible wire such as silicone coated stranded wire, and stress relieve the joints with kapton tape or hot-glue.

https://www.adafruit.com/category/282

User avatar
paulskpt
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:30 pm

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by paulskpt »

adafruit_support_bill wrote:The header pins - combined with the long shells of the connectors will multiply any stress applied to the connecting wires. Better to use a flexible wire such as silicone coated stranded wire, and stress relieve the joints with kapton tape or hot-glue.

https://www.adafruit.com/category/282
Thanks for the reply. However it contains an advice how one should connect it (in the first place).
It does not answer my question: "What does Adafruit suggests to me to have this stick connected, working and useful again?"
I mean to say: there are no solder joints any more on that side where they detached.

User avatar
adafruit_support_bill
 
Posts: 88089
Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

There are 5v and GND connections at both ends of the stick. Working around a destroyed DIN pad is the problem.

You can try scraping away the solder-mask to expose the copper trace going from the pad to the first pixel and solder to that. Or you could follow the trace to the DIN pin of the first pixel and solder directly to the pin.

In either case, you would want to use a thin wire (e.g. 30 AWG) and apply something like E6000 or hot glue to strain relieve the joint.

User avatar
paulskpt
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:30 pm

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by paulskpt »

Thank your for the advice. I am going to try it.

I just learned from Pimoroni Ltd U.K. that they are going to send me a replacement.
Excellent service from Pimoroni!

User avatar
westmarkm
 
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon May 02, 2022 1:38 pm

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by westmarkm »

Paulskpt,

I've had success soldering the wire below to the NeoPixel Stick, which Adafruit recommended for my application. The flexibility of the 26 AWG wire alleviated the stress placed on the pads. I had been using 22 AWG wire. Good luck with your project.

https://www.adafruit.com/product/1970

Regards, Mark

User avatar
paulskpt
 
Posts: 30
Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 7:30 pm

Re: NeoPixel Stick - 8 x 5050 RGB LED with Integrated Driver

Post by paulskpt »

Thank you Mark. Unfortunately, until yet I've been unsuccessful finding a same type of wire (here in Portugal, EU). Continue my search. Already sent an e-mail to a local electronics shop where I (also) a client.

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

Return to “Other Products from Adafruit”