Instruction manual

LPA1 • 11
Now we will begin building our kit. There are just a few more things to know
before we put the first components in.
For each part, our word “Install” always means these steps.
1 Pick the correct value to start with.
2 Insert it into the correct PC board location.
3 Orient it correctly, following the PC board drawing and the written
directions for all parts - especially when there’s a right way and a wrong
way to solder it in. (Electrolytic capacitor polarity, transistor shapes,
dotted and notched ends of parts, and so forth.)
4 Solder all connections unless directed otherwise. Use enough heat and
solder flow for clean, shiny, completed connections.
Please take us seriously when we say that good soldering is essential to the
proper operation of your amplifier!
• Use a 25 Watt soldering pencil with a clean, sharp tip.
• Use only rosin core solder intended for electronics use.
• Use bright lighting, a magnifying lamp or bench-style magnifier may be
helpful.
• Do your work in stages, taking breaks to check your work. Brush away
any wire cuttings so that they don’t lodge between solder connections.
Since you may appreciate some “warm-up” soldering practice as well as a
chance to put some “landmarks” on the PC board, we’ll first install some
“hardware” components. This will also help us to get acquainted with the up -
down, left - right orientation of the circuit board.
❒ 1. Install J2, the output RCA jack. Mount it flush with the board, making
sure that it is sitting on the “component side.” The component side is the
side that is almost completely covered with copper. The bottom side, or
foil side, is the one with traces on it. Solder each lead to the bottom side
of the board, making sure that the solder “flows” around all three
connections.
❒ 2. Turn the board over to the top side and solder the connector mounting
flange securely to the board. There is no need to use a ton of solder, but
use enough to hold the connector firmly in place.
❒ 3. Install J3, the input RCA jack. Mount it the same way that you did the
first one. Remember to solder the connections on the right and left sides
to both the top and bottom sides of the board.