(Assembly) I can't get the MS3 board to stay in the 40 pin, also pots question
 

I can't get the damn MS3 board to stay in the 40 pin connectors (U1 i believe). Is it safe to put some solder on the tips of a few of the pins so they'll click in and be more secure? I can't see them using the screws for it on the westfield guide, and the supplied fasteners don't seem to work properly with the power bank jawn on U5 - it just pulls one side of the 40 pin down and the distal side gets pulled out of the connection.

Another question so I don't have to make two posts: When trying to adjust the pots on the MSXpander, I kept turning and could never hear or feel a click that would tell me that the potentiometers were at the end of their cycle. I understand that they're 5 turn pots but I just have no clue where I am to get them set correctly.

Also trying to put small electrical components together with three cats trying to rummage through the parts box is interesting.

Thanks y'all

Mine didn't click, I just turned them about 8 times and then set them accordingly. I'm still working on my install so you might want to wait for the pros to post the final word. As for the 40 pin, mine worked nice, have you checked for obstructions in the socket? post a pic or two.

The 40 pin takes a stupid amount of force to click.

does it even click? just look at it and you can see if it's sitting flush.


the pots on the expander are 6-turn pots. make sure to back them both at least 6 full turns before turning r11 back 3.5

Does it click at all? I'm afraid of breaking something

no. just press evenly in the middle.

i was pressing it pretty hard but didn't want to break anything. I don't know how much abuse thse components can take.

So for the pots i can just turn them back a bunch and then forward. I was reading about making sure I have them set correctly by measuring R11 for 0-2.5V i believe by having + on TSEL and - on some form of ground. This is electronics for dummies level but where do I find ground in this case?

i hope I'm not asking for spoon feeding, electronics are foreign to me and I'm trying to learn the language. I can put mechanical components together and figure out how they work, but this is a bit more abstract to me.

It goes into the 40 pin just fine but it doesn't secure, it just kind of goes in unless I really push it, but even then I'm not confident it won't come out partially. Did you use the spare 40 pin that they sent?

that's the point of the two standoffs and screws...

it's a very tight squeeze, i cant imagine it "popping off"

I used both 40 pins. Stacked them. When they are stuck together it takes an act of God to disconnect them. I bent some pins the last time I took them apart.

Alrighty I'll give it another go tonight. I found myself thinking how am I going to get this car together and working if I'm having trouble just putting a few connectors together lol. Confidence is hard to gain until I see results, also just trying to be cautious as heck

Great success in getting the 40 pin in - it took about 15% more pressure than what I was applying to get the thing in. I was able to get the whole thing together and in the case just to see what it looked like, still have to adjust the pots, but it was satisfying to have it all together. Next up is putting the N76 together and figuring out how to get the pigtails wired in.