Build Instructions (Kit V1.x)

This section covers assembling the eChook PCB

If you have a later V2 board (Black PCB), skip this section and go to the V2 Build Instructions Section.

In its simplest form, building the board consists of soldering all components in their correct places, as shown in the table below.

To make the process of soldering the board as easy as possible, it’s best to start with the smallest components first. All components sit on the top of the board, none on the bottom. The bottom of the board has the eChook logo and board version number printed on it, the top has the component outline and values.

High resolution photos of a finished board can be found here. Note that this is a slightly earlier board where the Bluetooth wires are soldered directly to the board instead of connected via a header. Also the components appearance may differ slightly to those supplied in the kits, as the suppliers may change between manufacturing runs.

Glossary of Terms

If you are new to this, here is a little introduction to some of the terms used ahead:

• PCB - Printed Circuit Board, the white board in the kit that components are soldered to.

  • Soldermask - this is the white layer on the PCB. It stops solder sticking to areas it's not wanted (and makes the board look pretty)

  • Silkscreen - this is the black text/logos on top of the soldermask giving component references, values, text and logos.

• Solder Sucker - a tool that sucks up melted solder, good for removing components if they've been soldered in the wrong place.

• Solder Wick - a braided copper wick that can be used to soak up solder as an alternative to a Solder Sucker. Nicer to use but more expensive to buy.

Video Instructions

Ian recorded the process of building up an earlier v1.2 board - with useful tips along the way:

PCB Component Reference Table

Each component position on the PCB has a component reference next to it. The table below identifies the component for each reference.

The Graphical BOM and images on the next page direct you through the build process.

Ref Name	Description	Value / Type
BT	6 way Pin Header
C1	Electrolytic Capacitor	22uF
C3	Ceramic Capacitor	1u
C4	Ceramic Capacitor	1u
C5	Ceramic Capacitor	1u
Current	Pluggable Terminal 5.08mm 4pin	-
D1	Diode Schottky 1A 40V DO41	1N5819RL
Expansion	-	-
Ext	4 Pin Connector, Pluggable Terminal, 5.08mm	-
FS1	Polyfuse, 250mA	250mA
MotorPWM	2 Pin Connector, Pluggable Terminal, 5.08mm	-
PowerIn	3 Pin Connector, Pluggable Terminal, 5.08mm	-
PWM	LED 5mm	-
Q1	Transistor	BC547
R1	Resistor	82K
R2	Resistor	16K
R3	Resistor	82K
R4	Resistor	16K
R5	Resistor	10K
R6	Resistor	1K
R7	Resistor	10K
R8	Resistor	1K
R9	Resistor	1K
R10	Resistor	1K
R11	Resistor	1K
R12	Resistor	1K
R13	Resistor	1K
R14	Resistor	1K
R15	Resistor	470R
R16	Resistor	1K
R17	Resistor	1K
R18	Resistor	1K
R19	Resistor	1K
R20	Resistor	4K7
R21	Resistor	4K7
R22	Resistor	10K
R23	Resistor	10K
R24	Resistor	47K
RPM	Pluggable Terminal 5.08mm 4pin	-
Therm	Pluggable Terminal 5.08mm 3pin	-
Throttle	Pluggable Terminal 5.08mm 3pin	-
U1	Arduino Headers	-
U2	Voltage Regulator, 5v 1A.	TSR_1-2450
U3	Dual Op Amp	MCP6002

Once the board is fully populated there will be a few components remaining. These are the sensors that fit to the car. Your kit will also have a few spare components - mostly spare resistors.

Current Sensor Breakout Board (Kit v1.4+)

From kit v1.4 a PCB breakout board for the LEM current sensor is included. This carries the two 47nF capacitors, the 4.7nF capacitor and the current sensor as shown below:

Pin-outs for the connectors on the eChook can be found in the Connecting the eChook to the Car section of the documentation.