http://www.sr20forum.com/rom-e...hange/
HOW TO: Build a Consult Beta Tester Box
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Schematic and Parts List are attached to this post!
This guide is for the Consult beta test box that some of you guys are (hopefully) soon going to try to build. Builders: please post your comments, questions, and pictures in this thread. When I'm satisfied that these things are actually buildable by people that don't wield a soldering iron on a daily basis and most of the bugs are ironed out these pieces should be available for sale on the forum store front.
The schematic for the board is attached to this thread. It should match the boards you are building on. Also attached is a parts list in excel format with links to
http://www.mouser.com where you can purchase all of the components. I will supply the circuit board, the white consult-wanna-be plug, and the pins. Note: the box and LEDs are not needed for this board to work. If you want, you can do something kind of slick and mount the board under the dash and use a panel-mount DB9 connector, as shown in the photo below. The board is pre-drilled for standoffs for this kind of mounting, or using other enclosures. These holes are not used for the box I spec, it has internal rails that hold the board. If you do this one piece of advice: mount the DB9 connector a little farther back on the shifter console, if you mount it as pictured when the seat slides forward if you've got a cable plugged it it will hit the cable and bend the connector. Don't ask how I learned this.
Anywho, on with the box. What your trying to build is shown in the picture below. Note that this one does not have LEDs. I haven't yet built a box and actually mounted the LEDs to it as I always get lazy and just call it finished without the flashing lights. The LEDs I've speced are snap-ins, and should mount just by drilling the proper size hole in the box. If I get a chance to build a box with them I'll document this. Ok, for those of you that don't have a box, what you can't see is that this is an extruded aluminium anadized black box, and its built like a little brick. I really like it, especially considering how cheap it is. I think you could drive an se-r over it and it would survive.
Ok, I've broken the construction down into three different tasks: assembling the circuit board, doing the fabrication necessary on the box, and finally building the consult plug. I think its actually easier to do these out of order and do the second task first, but I've got more photos right now for the board assembly so thats what I'm listing first. For the second task, it helps to be using a board thats not already stuffed just for mocking things up.
Also note, there should be hi-res versions of these pictures in my gallery if you need a better view of something.
TASK 1: Assembling the circuit board
Ok, first off print yourself a good color copy of the schematic. You don't have to know what everything on there is doing, but it helps to follow it along as you build.
Step 1 - Solder in the resistors and the single diode. Resistors can be soldered in any direction, they don't have a front or back. On the circuit board you will see a R# where a resistor needs to be placed. If you fold the leads of the resistor as shown in the picture below it should go in the holes on either side of the marking. The resistors always go in the same direction as the text, and lay directly on top of the text.
Make sure you put the right resistors in the right spots, and put the ends in the right holes. Don't mix up your resistors! Unfortunately I think I'm using slightly different values in the photos than what the parts list calls for, but look at the photos to make sure your putting them in the right spots.
when you get done soldering the components, make sure to cut the dangling leads off with a small pair of cutters. You need to trim them kind of short to fit in the box correctly.
Ok, the diode is directional. You need to place it facing "forward", as the next two photos show. The dark side of the diode is the "front". I actually forgot to place the diode in this step so I'm substituting a later photo, ignore the rest of the components.
Step 2 - Place the ICs and the Transistor
All the little chips are labeled U#, with the label in the top portion of the chip. Each chip has a notch on the center top part, this denotes the top of the chip. Aslo, the writing always goes down direction, and pin 1 is always the top left pin. Note on the circuit board pin 1 is always designated with a square pad. Anywho, place the chips as shown below.
