ESC to PDB Soldering
Mounting the Power Distribution Board and Soldering ESC Wires
Mount the PDB
First, clean the contact surfaces on the frame with alcohol. Once dry, place the PDB on the frame using double-sided tape. Make sure the board faces the correct direction as shown in the image; the "front" is marked by the circled tape.
Pro Tip
Use a flat head soldering iron for better surface contact on the pads.
Wire the ESCs
You will use eight pads on the PDB to connect the four ESCs. It is crucial to solder the wires in a counter-clockwise (CCW) order, following the scheme shown in the images below. Depending on the location of the pad, you may need to pre-bend the ESC wire so it reaches without excess slack or tension.
Follow the Soldering Procedure
Follow these steps carefully to ensure a solid and reliable connection. First, clean the soldering iron tip using brass wool. Apply a tiny bit of flux only if the brass wool doesn't clean it fully.
To tin the pad, touch it with the iron tip and feed in a small amount of solder. Hold the tip in place for about 10 seconds for the solder to melt, then tilt the iron to use its slanted surface to spread the solder and completely cover the pad.
Check Soldering Order
If pads are not soldered in a counter-clockwise order, there may not be enough physical space to lay the iron flat and use its slanted side effectively on later pads.
To place the ESC wire, use tweezers to hold the wire tip on the tinned pad. Press the iron tip against the wire until the solder on both the wire and the pad melts together. If they don't melt easily, apply a tiny bit of flux to aid the process.
To bond the wire, hold it steady with tweezers and lift the iron away. The wire should stay put as the solder cools and solidifies.
To reinforce the joint, press the slanted surface of the iron onto the bonded wire again and feed in a little more solder to fully cover it. Be careful to avoid creating solder bridges to adjacent pads or wires.
To cool and check the joint, lift the iron and continue holding the wire with tweezers until the solder is completely cool. A good joint will have a smooth and shiny surface.
Finally, test the connection by gently tugging the wire with tweezers to confirm it is solidly bonded.
Repeat this process for all remaining pads. If a connection fails, clean any flux residue from the pad and try again. It’s completely normal to not get a perfect joint on the first attempt, so take your time.