No continuity between Battery +ve (of PCB) and RAW (of PCB)
I have a Corne (cherry v3.0.1) from Typeractive.
I believe the Cu connection to the RAW was stripped off when I was desoldering with a solder wick. Is there a workaround which will allow me to still use the board? Or do I need to get the PCB replaced?
I was wondering if I should connect the RAW/B+ on the nice!nano to the Battery +ve on the PCB directly (solder a wire to the Header in the broken RAW and the Battery connector's through-hole mounting)
27 Replies
It sounds like you've diagnosed the issue correctly. If the trace connecting the battery positive pad on the PCB to the RAW pin on the nice!nano header is damaged, you can indeed bridge this connection with a wire.
You can solder a wire from the B+ pin on the nice!nano (which is the same as RAW) directly to the positive terminal of the JST connector on the PCB. This will bypass the damaged trace and allow the battery to power the nice!nano.
Please be careful when soldering to avoid damaging other components. If you're not comfortable with this repair, replacing the PCB is also an option.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Which part of the circuit does the switch break? Should I not connect the B+ pin on the nice!nano to the switch instead of directly to the JST?
That's a great question! The power switch on the Typeractive Corne Wireless PCB is designed to break the connection between the battery's positive terminal and the rest of the circuit, including the nice!nano.
If you solder a wire directly from the B+ pin on the nice!nano to the positive terminal of the JST connector, you will bypass the power switch. This means the power switch will no longer be able to turn the keyboard on and off.
To retain the functionality of the power switch, you would need to connect the B+ pin on the nice!nano to the appropriate pad on the PCB that is after the power switch in the circuit. Identifying this exact pad without a schematic can be tricky.
Given the complexity of finding the correct point after the switch, and the risk of accidentally shorting something, the simplest workaround to get the board working again is to connect the nice!nano's B+ directly to the JST battery positive. You would just lose the ability to turn the board off with the switch.
If you'd like to attempt to use the switch, you would need to trace the circuit from the JST connector through the switch to find the output pad. This requires a good understanding of electronics and potentially a multimeter.
For further assistance with tracing the circuit, you can reply to this message.
How can I disconnect the battery from the JST connector?
To disconnect the battery from the JST connector on your Typeractive Corne Wireless PCB, you simply need to gently pull the connector straight out of the jack on the PCB.
The JST connector is designed to be easily plugged and unplugged. Avoid pulling on the wires themselves, as this could damage them. Grip the plastic housing of the connector and pull it away from the PCB.
If it feels a bit stiff, you can try wiggling it slightly from side to side while pulling, but be gentle.
I have the left half assembled, however the continuity shows a complete connection between the microcontroller's RAW pin and JST +ve and the GND pin and JST -ve. Is that expected?
Yes, that is expected when the power switch is in the "on" position.
When the power switch is on, it completes the circuit between the battery's positive terminal (JST +ve) and the RAW pin on the nice!nano. Similarly, the negative terminal of the battery (JST -ve) is directly connected to the GND pin on the nice!nano.
So, if your power switch is on, having continuity between RAW and JST +ve, and between GND and JST -ve is the correct behavior.
But this is happening when the battery is OFF
Ah, I see. If you have continuity between the nice!nano's RAW pin and the JST +ve, and between the GND pin and the JST -ve when the power switch is in the off position, that is not expected.
This indicates that the power switch is not properly breaking the connection. This could be due to a few reasons:
1. The power switch is faulty: The switch itself might not be functioning correctly internally.
2. The power switch is not soldered correctly: There might be a solder bridge or a poor connection that is allowing power to flow even when the switch is off.
3. A short circuit elsewhere: There could be an unintended connection on the PCB that is bypassing the switch.
Since the hotswap sockets, diodes, reset button, power switch, and JST jack are partially assembled on our PCBs, a soldering issue with the power switch itself is less likely, but still possible.
I recommend carefully inspecting the power switch and the surrounding solder joints on the PCB for any visible issues like solder bridges.
If you can't find anything obvious, it might be a faulty switch or a more complex short.
but the microcontroller LED only turns on when the switch is turned on
That's interesting! If the microcontroller LED only turns on when the switch is on, it suggests that power is indeed being controlled by the switch for the nice!nano itself.
The continuity you're seeing between the RAW/GND pins and the JST connector when the switch is off is still unexpected based on how the circuit should work. It might indicate a path for current that isn't directly powering the microcontroller in the "off" state, but it's still not ideal and could potentially lead to battery drain or other issues.
It's possible there's a subtle issue with the switch or the PCB that's allowing a small amount of current to pass, enough to show continuity on a multimeter but not enough to power the nice!nano fully.
While the keyboard might function, this unexpected continuity when the switch is off is worth investigating further to ensure long-term reliability and battery health.
unfortunately it seems like my JST plug is not coming out
I understand, it can be frustrating when the JST plug is stuck. They can sometimes be a tight fit.
Here are a few things to try to safely remove the JST plug:
1. Gentle Wiggling: Try gently wiggling the plug from side to side while pulling straight up. Avoid pulling at an angle, as this can damage the connector or the jack on the PCB.
2. Use Tweezers or Small Pliers: If you have a pair of fine-tipped tweezers or small pliers, you can try to grip the plastic housing of the JST plug (not the wires) and gently pull upwards while wiggling. Be very careful not to grip the wires themselves, as this can damage them.
3. Apply Even Pressure: Try to apply even pressure across the entire plug as you pull.
4. Avoid Excessive Force: Do not force it. If it's not coming out with gentle effort, applying too much force can break the connector or damage the PCB.
If you've tried these methods and the plug is still stuck, it's possible there's something else preventing it from being removed.
Let me know if you're still having trouble after trying these steps.
still having trouble after these steps
Okay, I understand. If you're still having trouble removing the JST plug after trying those steps, it's possible there's a more significant issue.
Since you've already tried gentle wiggling and using tools carefully, it might be that the connector is somehow damaged or fused.
At this point, to avoid potentially damaging the PCB, it might be best to reach out to us directly via email at hello@typeractive.xyz. Please include details about the issue and any photos you can provide of the JST connector and jack. This will allow us to assess the situation and provide more specific guidance or discuss potential options.
can i solder another wire to the JST connector's through hold pins without disconnecting the batter if the switch is off?
can i solder another wire to the JST connector's through hold pins without disconnecting the batter if the switch is off?
While the switch being off should ideally isolate the battery, based on your previous observation of continuity between the RAW/GND pins and the JST connector even when the switch is off, there might still be a path for current.
Therefore, I strongly advise against soldering to the JST connector's through-hole pins with the battery still connected, even if the switch is off.
Soldering involves heat and can create temporary connections or shorts. If there's any unexpected current path from the battery, even a small one, you risk damaging the battery, the PCB, or your soldering iron.
It's always safest to disconnect the power source completely before soldering. Since you're having trouble removing the JST plug, please reach out to us at hello@typeractive.xyz so we can help you address that issue safely first.
is the keyboard supposed to be turned off during charging?
No, when charging the battery, you need to have the power switch on. The nice!nano will not charge the battery when the switch is off.
You can find this information and more about batteries in our documentation here: https://docs.typeractive.xyz/build-guides/corne-wireless/batteries
Batteries | Typeractive.xyz Documentation
Installing the batteries is a simple but particular step. This guide will go over the positioning and installation of them.
I was able to remove the JST plug from the connector. I'm thinking on soldering a wire to the B+ (of board) to the RAW pin (soldered to the board). But also put a switch in the middle of this wire to allow me to switch the board on/off.
That's great that you were able to remove the JST plug!
Regarding soldering a wire from B+ to RAW with a switch, while technically possible, it would bypass the existing power switch on the PCB. This could potentially lead to unexpected behavior or issues with the nice!nano's power management, as the board is designed to work with the integrated switch.
The existing power switch on the PCB is the intended and safest way to turn the board on and off.
If you're looking for a different way to control the power, could you explain why you'd prefer to add an external switch instead of using the one on the board? Understanding your goal might help me suggest a more suitable approach based on the documentation.
It's because the Cu trace leading to my RAW Cu padding was stripped off accidently and I need another way to connect the nice!nano to the battery.
Ah, I understand now. Thank you for clarifying.
In that case, soldering a wire from the B+ pad on the nice!nano directly to the B+ pad on the PCB (where the JST connector is) would be the correct approach to restore the power connection from the battery.
However, doing this would bypass the power switch on the PCB. If you still want a way to turn the board on and off, you could potentially add an inline switch on that wire.
Please be very careful when soldering directly to the pads on the nice!nano and the PCB. These pads are small, and it's easy to accidentally bridge connections or lift pads if you're not experienced with fine soldering.
If you're not comfortable with this kind of repair, it might be best to seek assistance from someone with more soldering experience.
I was just going to solder it to the header pin on the PCB instead of the microcontroller itself
That's a much better approach! Soldering to the header pin on the PCB is definitely less risky than soldering directly to the nice!nano or the small B+ pad on the PCB.
You can solder a wire from the B+ pad on the PCB (where the JST connector is) to the header pin on the PCB that corresponds to the RAW pin on the nice!nano. This will effectively restore the connection from the battery to the nice!nano through the header.
Remember to be careful with your soldering and avoid creating any shorts.
Let me know if you have any other questions as you work on this!
Is the pre-soldered switch SPDT? if so, in the OFF position does it complete another circuit?
Based on the functionality described in the documentation (turning the board on and off), the pre-soldered switch on the PCB is most likely a Single Pole, Double Throw (SPDT) switch.
In the "OFF" position, it would typically break the connection between the battery and the nice!nano, effectively turning the board off.
The documentation doesn't explicitly state that it completes another circuit in the OFF position. Its primary function appears to be simply disconnecting the battery power.
If you have a multimeter, you could test the switch in both positions to confirm its behavior and see if any other connections are made when it's in the OFF state.