MassiveOverkill Registered User Thread OP

Mini-HowTo MassiveRC ZMR PDB MassiveRC ZMR 250 PDB Instructions

These instructions are written with the premise that you have some basic soldering and electro-mechanical skills. It isn’t too difficult to install but you should plan out the installation of your components and check clearances before trying to install anything. It’s important to use flux (not just rosin core solder but a have a tub of low corrosion flux) on all your connections. Higher heat may be required for some connections such as the ESC power leads and especially the LiPo battery connector. It's also very important after each soldering step to check your work for shorts. As with any instructions you use, ALWAYS read them from beginning to end before attempting any work.



Thanks to Michael for also doing a pictorial:



http://imgur.com/a/Cucf8



The benefits of our



This diagram shows the locations of the solder bridges that must be removed before installing the regulators. Use a solder sucker or wick to remove the bridges (notice the use of flux):







In addition, if you're not using an OSD, you must install pins and jumper in the diagram above. Finally the direction of the regulators is shown by the large outlined red arrows.



Here is a close up of the 5V bridge







and after the bridge is removed:



:



The 12V bridge:







12V bridge removed:







We're now going to prep our 5V and 12V pads by applying a little flux:







And putting down a small solder ball at each corner:







Apply some flux to the regulator contacts. You can put some solder in the through holes now or add the solder when you mount the board:







5V regulator positioned into place (make sure you have the in/out positioned correction as show in the pictures):







Side shot after it's soldered into place:







Both regulators soldered into place:







If you got the 5V and 12 volt regulators mixed up, you can remove the glue locking the adjustable potentiometer and adjust the voltages as necessary.



We're now going to install the female headers for the FCB for an Acro pin layout. When cutting the headers you're going to sacrifice 1 pin hole when you cut it so if you need a 6 pin hole, cut it 7 holes wide. Don't worry, you have 2 sets of female headers, which is enough for screw ups. If using a CC3D board you'll install the headers on the CC3D through holes. Use tape to secure them in place and make sure they're square with the board before soldering into place. Remember, flux is your friend:







Buzzer and Micro Mini OSD header installed:



.



I've installed the TX/RX BT header and here's a trick to installing the pins onto your Acro FCB; insert the pins into the female header first:







and then mount your board and then solder the pins on. This will ensure that when you insert\remove your FCB, it does so easily as the pins will be aligned:







If you're using the SPRacing F3, don't install the 3x2 or 2x1 pin headers. The SPR F3 board will sit slightly askew from the 30.5 mm mounting holes if you enable Servo Tilt which moves motor outputs 2 positions out (I'll have to verify this with Dominic). The pins alone should be enough to hold the board in place with maybe a zip tie and tubing to help secure the other side.



To clarify: Even if you don't plan on using Servo Tilt, install your SPRacing F3 in this configuration and enable Servo Tilt in Cleanflight. If you do plan on using servo tilt, install headers top side so you can plug your servo tilt leads.







Adding flux to the battery pads:







Some solder:







There's been some concern about creating a tension relief with the pads where they are. You can zip tie the battery lead to one of the mainframe standoffs or here's another solution. Install the battery lead facing inwards:







Zip tie it to the frame and then fold it back over:







Another zip tie holds it in place. You can see I've added the servo lead pins for the ESC servo leads and VTX and camera 3 pins headers. If you want to play it safe, remove the center pins so you don't risk running BEC and supplied regulators at the same time:







Now would be a good time to do a check for shorts and then hook up your LiPo to verify regulator output (nothing else hooked up). If the LEDs come on then you know the 12V is probably OK:









For installing the ESCs, you can mount them on the arms or mount them inboard. I plan on mounting mine inboard so what I've done is feed each ESCs power via the opposite side's ESC power pads. Just make sure you plug your signal wires into the proper header and make sure the signal wire (white wire) matches up with the S(ignal) on each ESC servo header:







This should be enough to get you going with the PDB. If you're using a micro mini OSD here's how it is mounted:







For general assembly of the ZMR frame itself, please see the ZMR thread:



Concerns about shorts:



As far as shorts around the standoff holes like in other ZMR PDBS, The bolt holes have an inner copper trace that is neutral, but far from the stock round standoffs so it's not a concern. The battery strap and camera mounting slots have positive trace near the edges but not right up to it. The battery strap doesn't concern me as most will run the strap through the bottom plate slots if they're even running the flight battery below (most run up top) and battery straps aren't conductive anyways. The camera mounting plate slots, if you're using the stock FPV camera plate it wouldn't hurt to file the bottom tabs down slightly so they don't rub the coating off on the PDB.



Basically, the only concern I have with shorts is if you're using the stock FPV camera plate. I would file the tabs down a little so they don't rub the coating off the PDB (the valleys that sit directly on the PDB face, not the positioning tabs).



This shows where the camera plate can rub through the protective coating on the PDB (red shaded area):







You want to file down or insulate (thin silicon tubing) the recessed tabs shown below:



These instructions are written with the premise that you have some basic soldering and electro-mechanical skills. It isn’t too difficult to install but you should plan out the installation of your components and check clearances before trying to install anything. It’s important to use flux (not just rosin core solder but a have a tub of low corrosion flux) on all your connections. Higher heat may be required for some connections such as the ESC power leads and especially the LiPo battery connector. It's also very important after each soldering step to check your work for shorts. As with any instructions you use, ALWAYS read them from beginning to end before attempting any work.Thanks to Michael for also doing a pictorial:The benefits of our ZMR PDB is that it comes with 5V and 12V regulators already included as well as buzzer and headers so they're no need to purchase additional Pololu regulators. Each regulator can handle 3A load. If you have ESCs with BEC circuits you could use them instead of the provided regulator, but the provides ones will produce cleaner power in addition to a 12V tap so you should use them instead. It's very important you don't try to use both your ESC BEC and the included regulators at the same time. If for some reason you don't want to use the regulators, then leave the solder bridges intact.This diagram shows the locations of the solder bridges that must be removed before installing the regulators. Use a solder sucker or wick to remove the bridges (notice the use of flux):In addition, if you're not using an OSD, you must install pins and jumper in the diagram above. Finally the direction of the regulators is shown by the large outlined red arrows.Here is a close up of the 5V bridgeand after the bridge is removed:The 12V bridge:12V bridge removed:We're now going to prep our 5V and 12V pads by applying a little flux:And putting down a small solder ball at each corner:Apply some flux to the regulator contacts. You can put some solder in the through holes now or add the solder when you mount the board:5V regulator positioned into place (make sure you have the in/out positioned correction as show in the pictures):Side shot after it's soldered into place:Both regulators soldered into place:If you got the 5V and 12 volt regulators mixed up, you can remove the glue locking the adjustable potentiometer and adjust the voltages as necessary.We're now going to install the female headers for the FCB for an Acro pin layout. When cutting the headers you're going to sacrifice 1 pin hole when you cut it so if you need a 6 pin hole, cut it 7 holes wide. Don't worry, you have 2 sets of female headers, which is enough for screw ups. If using a CC3D board you'll install the headers on the CC3D through holes. Use tape to secure them in place and make sure they're square with the board before soldering into place. Remember, flux is your friend:Buzzer and Micro Mini OSD header installed:I've installed the TX/RX BT header and here's a trick to installing the pins onto your Acro FCB; insert the pins into the female header first:and then mount your board and then solder the pins on. This will ensure that when you insert\remove your FCB, it does so easily as the pins will be aligned:If you're using the SPRacing F3, don't install the 3x2 or 2x1 pin headers. The SPR F3 board will sit slightly askew from the 30.5 mm mounting holes if you enable Servo Tilt which moves motor outputs 2 positions out (I'll have to verify this with Dominic). The pins alone should be enough to hold the board in place with maybe a zip tie and tubing to help secure the other side.To clarify: Even if you don't plan on using Servo Tilt, install your SPRacing F3 in this configuration and enable Servo Tilt in Cleanflight. If you do plan on using servo tilt, install headers top side so you can plug your servo tilt leads.Adding flux to the battery pads:Some solder:There's been some concern about creating a tension relief with the pads where they are. You can zip tie the battery lead to one of the mainframe standoffs or here's another solution. Install the battery lead facing inwards:Zip tie it to the frame and then fold it back over:Another zip tie holds it in place. You can see I've added the servo lead pins for the ESC servo leads and VTX and camera 3 pins headers. If you want to play it safe, remove the center pins so you don't risk running BEC and supplied regulators at the same time:Now would be a good time to do a check for shorts and then hook up your LiPo to verify regulator output (nothing else hooked up). If the LEDs come on then you know the 12V is probably OK:For installing the ESCs, you can mount them on the arms or mount them inboard. I plan on mounting mine inboard so what I've done is feed each ESCs power via the opposite side's ESC power pads. Just make sure you plug your signal wires into the proper header and make sure the signal wire (white wire) matches up with the S(ignal) on each ESC servo header:This should be enough to get you going with the PDB. If you're using a micro mini OSD here's how it is mounted:For general assembly of the ZMR frame itself, please see the ZMR thread: https://www.rcgroups.com/forums/show....php?t=2180331 Concerns about shorts:As far as shorts around the standoff holes like in other ZMR PDBS, The bolt holes have an inner copper trace that is neutral, but far from the stock round standoffs so it's not a concern. The battery strap and camera mounting slots have positive trace near the edges but not right up to it. The battery strap doesn't concern me as most will run the strap through the bottom plate slots if they're even running the flight battery below (most run up top) and battery straps aren't conductive anyways. The camera mounting plate slots, if you're using the stock FPV camera plate it wouldn't hurt to file the bottom tabs down slightly so they don't rub the coating off on the PDB.Basically, the only concern I have with shorts is if you're using the stock FPV camera plate. I would file the tabs down a little so they don't rub the coating off the PDB (the valleys that sit directly on the PDB face, not the positioning tabs).This shows where the camera plate can rub through the protective coating on the PDB (red shaded area):You want to file down or insulate (thin silicon tubing) the recessed tabs shown below: