Tools Required
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Wire cutter
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Wire stripper -- 26-22 AWG
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Needle nose pliers
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Soldering iron, with a soldering iron stand
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Lead-free solder, SAC305 alloy: Sn (tin) 97%, Ag (silver) 3%, Cu (copper) 0.5%
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Desoldering braid
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Safety glasses
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Soldering fume exhauster
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Full size breadboard, for use as an assembly fixture
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Computer: A computer running either Apple Macintosh or Microsoft Windows operating systems
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3D printer, fused filament type, 20 cm cube printing volume
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Printer filament: black, white, blue
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Ruler
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Thin film double stick tape, for mounting the power buttonOptional
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Solder sucker: suction desoldering toolOptional
Build Steps - Part 1 Wiring
Step 1: Ground (black wire):
Front: Connect each to (-) bus below A row.
☐ A1
☐ A6
☐ A17
☐ A32
☐ A56
Front: Connect point to point.
☐ E32 - F33
☐ I33 - I35
☐ H35 - H36
Step 2: Power (red wire):
Front: Connect each to (+) bus below A row.
☐ A2
☐ A8
☐ A19
☐ A28
☐ F41
☐ A58
Front: Connect point to point:
☐ J34 - J41
Back:
☐ Connect A34 to (+) bus below the A row.
Step 3: Enable (grey wire):
Front: Connect point to point.
☐ E39 - F39
☐ G39 - G42
☐ F42 - F54
Step 4: Pushbutton wiring (blue wire):
Front: Connect point to point.
☐ H37 - H43
☐ G43 - G51
Step 5: SCK (I2C Serial ClocK) (green wire):
Front: Connect each to the (-) bus above the J row.
☐ J1
☐ J20
☐ J32.
Front: Connect point to point
☐ E31 - F32.
Back: Connect to the (-) bus above the J row, on the back of the board.
☐ J45
Step 6: SDA (I2C Serial Data) (white wire):
Front: Connect each wire to the (+) bus above the J row.
☐ J2
☐ J21
☐ J31
Front: Connect point to point.
☐ E29 - F31.
Back: Connect to the (+) bus above the J row, on the back of the board.
☐ J44
Step 7: Connect the UART lines between the microcontroller and the NIR sensor.
Connect the UART lines between the microcontroller and the NIR sensor.
RX (receive from NIR sensor) (yellow wire):
Back: Connect point to point.
☐ A46 - A10
TX (transmit to NIR sensor) (violet wire):
Back: Connect point to point.
☐ A45 - A9
Build Steps - Part 2 Header Pins
Step 1: Prepare headers
Trim or snap to length.
☐ 2 pieces at 6 pins long
☐ 3 pieces at 7 pins long
☐ 1 piece at 8 pins long
Step 2: Push headers into breadboard
Push the shorter end of the pins into the breadboard. It's a bit tricky to get them to stay.
☐ 6-11 B (6 pins)
☐ 6-11 I (6 pins)
☐ 17-23 B (7 pins)
☐ 17-23 H (7 pins)
☐ 28-34 B (7 pins)
☐ 27-34 H (8 pins)
Step 3: Confirm the header placement.
Temporarily place the sensors, as a fit-check. DO NOT solder the sensors to the pins at this step. Remove the sensors after the fit check.
Step 4: Solder the header pins onto the breadboard.
☐ Lay the protoboard on top of the pins on the breadboard. Use the helper spacer under the far end of the proto board to keep the board flat.
☐ Confirm the alignment by checking pins show in holes B6-11, B17-23, and B27-33.
☐ Solder. B6-11, I6-11, B17-23, H17-23, B28-34, H27-34.
☐ Remove the protoboard from the breadboard, by rocking gently but firmly, to separate the two without bending the header pins.
Build Steps - Part 3 Capacitor, Resistor, LED and Buttons
Step 1: Solder 10µF capacitor.
Back: Install at two points. Be careful to install in correct polarization.
☐ - lead into I36 (white stripe)
☐ + lead into I37
Step 2: Install the 100Ω resistor.
Back:
☐A60 to (+) bus.
Step 3: Build bend LED leads
☐ Identify the negative lead: locate the flat on the case. That's the negative side.
☐ Bend the positive lead at 5 mm (1/4") from the case
☐ Slip a piece of heat shrink tubing, 15 mm long, on the negative lead.
☐ Bend the negative lead at 18 mm (3/4") from the case.
Back: Connect two places:
☐ positive lead to B60
☐ negative lead to B55
Step 4: Pushbutton, 4 leads
☐ Trim off the plastic posts.
Front:
☐ Solder. G35, G37, D35, D37
Step 5: Power button, 2 leads
☐ Optional: Apply thin film double stick tape to the back of the switch, to hold it in place on the board.
Front:
☐ Solder. A39, (-) bus.
Install the the pushbutton switch cap.
☐ Press the cap into place.
Build Steps - Part 4 Assemble Datalogger board, NIR Sensor Modification
Step 1: Modify and assemble the datalogger board.
☐ Cut the circuit trace , marked SDCS, on the front of the board.
☐ Run a new SDCS line to the pin number 11 (yellow wire). Solder.
☐ Push the headers into breadboard, inserting the longer end of the pins into the breadboard. You may want to use something flat to push with to keep the pins from sliding in their plastic holders to different heights.
☐ Place the data logger board on the headers, on top of the breadboard.
☐ Solder the header pins to the data logger card, 12 places and 16 places.
☐ Separate the datalogger board from the breadboard.
*SDCS = Secure Digital card Chip Select line, part of SPI (Serial Peripheral Interface) communications
Step 2: Processor
☐ Push a set of stacking headers onto the datalogger card, to use the datalogger as a fixture to keep the headers at right angles to the processor board.
☐ Mount the processor on the headers.
☐ Solder each pin of the headers.
☐ Place the processor spacer on the processor.
☐ Mount the processor to the protoboard, from the back, into C44-59, and I44-55.
☐ Carefully solder the header pins to the protoboard. The exposed pins act as the connection to the display, so it's important to keep the ends of the pins FREE of solder.
Step 3: Processor placement
☐ Place the processor spacer on the processor.
☐ Mount the processor to the protoboard, from the back, into C44-59, and I44-55.
☐ Carefully solder the header pins to the protoboard. The exposed pins act as the connection to the display, so it's important to keep the ends of the pins FREE of solder.
Step 4: Modify the NIR sensor
☐ Remove solder from jumper set JP1 (on the component side of the board)
☐ Add solder to the jumper JP2 (on the back of the board)
Build Steps - Part 5 Install sensors
Step 1: Install the Air Temperature sensor
☐ Install the Air Temperature sensor face up, on the back of the main board, on the header with 8 pins. Orient the sensor so that it sticks out towards the SCK and SDA connections. To get it to sit flat, solder one pin only, at first. Then remelt that solder connection and lift the sensor board by hand to make it flat. Remove the soldering iron and let the connection cool. Then solder the rest of the connections. Solder 8 places total.
Step 2: Install the Weather sensor
☐ Install the Weather sensor face up, on the back of the main board, on the header with 7 pins, across from the AT sensor. Orient the sensor so that it sticks inwards towards the AT sensor. To get it to sit flat, solder one pin only, at first. Then remelt that solder connection and lift the sensor board by hand to make it flat. Remove the soldering iron and let the connection cool. Then solder the rest of the connections. Solder 7 places total.
Step 3: Install the Visual spectrum sensor
☐ Install the Visual spectrum sensor next to the two previously installed sensors. Make certain that the auxiliary communications chip (yellow arrow) is on the same side as the WX sensor. Solder 14 places.
Step 4: Install the Near InfraRed spectrum sensor
☐ Install the Near InfraRed spectrum sensor, next to the VIS sensor. Make certain the auxiliary communications chip is on the same side as the corresponding chip on the VIS sensor. Solder 12 places.
Step 5: Install the Near InfraRed spectrum sensor
☐ Install the Thermal InfraRed non-contact surface temperature sensor at the end of the board.
☐ Bend the leads to fit into the spacer.
☐ Insert the leads into the holes in the spacer. Push the sensor flat to the spacer, then re-bend the leads to match the holes in the board.
☐ The sensor orientation tab must protrude off one of the flat sides of the spacer. The sensor tab must point off the end of the board.
☐ Solder the leads, 4 places, on the front of the board, then trim off the excess.
Build Steps - Part 6 Final Assembly
Step 1: Install back components
☐ Datalogger card -- mount the data logger card onto the processor by carefully aligning all the pins and pressing until it seats on the processor.
☐ Clock battery -- Clean the battery surface with isopropanol and a paper wipe (paper towel, toilet paper, lens cleaning tissue) before installing it, to help keep the battery in good contact with the clock module. Drop the battery into the grey holder, starting with the side away from the gold retaining spring. Then press the battery down flat, until the retaining spring clicks onto the top of the battery to hold it in place.
☐ microSD memory card -- Press the microSD card into the connection slot. Press to seat it. Press a bit more to unlatch it, when you want to remove it.
Step 2: Install front components
☐ Display -- Very carefully position the display so that the socket connectors on the display line up with the processor pins sticking up off the main board. There are two sets of sockets on the display. The pins should connect to the innermost set on both sides of the display. Press gently on the display to seat it onto the pins.
☐ Main battery -- Plug the connector on the main battery into the battery socket on the processor.
Whether the power button is on or off, the battery can be charged by connecting the instrument, at its micro b connector, to a USB power source.
Do not attempt to charge the battery by other methods, as doing so may risk damage to the battery and/or a battery fire.
Step 3: Lower Housing Assembly
☐ Slide the protoboard into the board edge guide slots on the lower housing. ☐ Lower the battery into the cylindrical recess, as you slide the board all the way into the housing. You may need to press on the display on one side or another to get it to sit flat, so it will fit into the housing. ☐ Check that the LED is aligned with the hole, then slide the instrument into the housing completely.
Step 4: Upper Housing Assembly
☐ Install the housing cover from the top, aligning the cover over the pushbuttons. Snap the housing cover onto the housing. (Do not slide it on from the end. It's designed to align with the buttons, to install from the top. You may need to apply some light spreading force on housing cover tabs to get it to snap onto the housing.)
* Any use of trade, firm, or product names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
