ESP32-S3 Prototyping Box

[trek2120]

Now that I’m moving into the ESP32 realm, I decided to take the time to build another prototyping box. I purchased the Lonely Binary ESP32-S3 with the PinPulse breakout board. Similar to the box I built for the Mega 2560, I incorporated real time clock and micro SD modules inside, already connected to the backside of the PinPulse board. The box also includes 2.42” and 1.3” OLEDs, push buttons, switches, trim pots, RGB LEDs, and three voltmeters. Having all of these components already connected really speeds up the development process. There’s also a pair of voltage regulators inside set to 3.3 and 5.0 volts, and their connected to the breadboard through two switches (on/off/on) that allow the choice of voltage on each rail of the breadboard. The regulators are powered by a 12v DC wall adapter that plugs into the side.

I built a big laser engraver/cutter three years ago, and it’s great for making the enclosures. It took less than 15 minutes for it to engrave all of the text and cut all of the pieces. As usual, the wiring is the tedious part!

[LarryD]

• Wonderful, thanks for letting us see your work.

[gilshultz]

Nice project, I expect you will get lot of enjoyment from it. The lead dressing soldering etc shows a lot of skill, very nice job.

[trek2120]

Using a quality soldering iron with an ultra thin tip makes a big difference! I've always wished for a third arm to make it easier…. ;-)

[gilshultz]

The bigger tips work for me, I just have to hold it to the joint for a few seconds longer and watch the solder flow. The bigger tip gets the heat there, a fine one may take to long. Practice will tell which is best. All of my irons are temperature controlled soldering stations.

[LarryD]

@trek2120

I've always wished for a third arm to make it easier…. ;-)

• Not sure what you are saying, look at these:

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Magnetic Hold Down Clamp Soldering Method part 1 Soldering Method Explained I was asked to elaborate on soldering SMDs using the Magnetic Hold Down Clamp. The attached images and YouTube video should be self explanatory. [A] [B] [C] [D] [Magnetic Hold Down Clamp, SMD soldering.]

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Circuit Prototyping Construction A new user eventually asks: “Now that I have made my circuit work on a solderless breadboard, how do I make it permanent.” The following images show a technique I use to make a one time, Point-to-Point circuit on a prototyping PCB. This is a valid way of wiring up a project circuit board; when you need to make several such circuits, it might be time to get PCBs made. If others have additional suggestions they can pass on, please do. The first thing we need…

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SMD Hold Down While Component Testing One of my favourite tools is the ESR02 Pro component tester. There are a lot of other offerings on the internet, some with coloured displays. When testing SMD components, tweezers are normally used to hold the component against the tester’s PCB test board. Sometimes my tweezers slip, my component is launched into the room never to be seen again. When vacuuming the floor, it feels quite satisfying to hear how productive the cleaner’s beater bar is. …

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Soft Hold Down Attachment for Component Soldering Further to Post #813 The old sharp tipped Hold Down tool, works well for most SMD components like 1206s etc. When it comes to bare wire busbars or MELF diodes, it can be quite challenging to solder them properly on your prototype PCBs. The following images describe how to fabricate a new attachment that makes your soldering jobs easy and faster. [A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K]

[trek2120]

@gilshultz

I learned to put the soldering iron tip to one side of the component, and the solder to the other side. As soon as it’s hot enough, the solder flows. This prevents overheating.