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If you inserted a component incorrectly, you will have to carefully unsolder it, clear any solder
residue from the holes, and resolder it. This can range from being relatively easy for some of
the larger two-leaded components (LEDs, 10uF capacitor) to very difficult for the processor.
If you find that a component was soldered incorrectly, you will have to use a vacuum bulb or
vacuum desoldering tool to unsolder it. If it's a two-leaded component like an LED it may not
be terribly difficult, if it's the processor or even one of the 8-pin opto-isolators then you are
going to have a major chore on your hands. We cannot stress enough that you need to check
the orientation of the parts before you solder them. The Eggtimer Limited Warranty does not
cover damage to a component while attempting to unsolder it, so make take your time and
make sure you get it right before you solder.
Check Your Power Supply
Make sure that you are using one of the recommended batteries to test with. For testing, we
like to use two AA alkaline batteries in a little holder; they're really cheap and they'll last a
long time. Make sure that you have the polarity correct: The RED wires must go to the "+"
side and the BLACK wires must go to the "-" side.
Check Your Power Switch
If you have a power switch, make sure that it's a simple SPST type so that when you close it
it's simply bridging the SW terminals. You don't HAVE to use a power switch; if your
battery is removable (i.e. you are using some kind of connector between the battery and the 3V
pigtails) then you can simply solder a wire across the SW terminals. We do NOT recommend
this for complex applications like multiple deployment using pyro charges with HPR rockets,
and definitely not for airstarting. Check the Eggtimer User Guide for switch recommendations.
If It Still Doesn't Work...
There is, of course, always an outside chance that you have a bad component. We test each PC
board and the surface mounted components before they leave us, and we also test each
processor, transistor, and opto-isolator. Nevertheless, it is always possible that something may
be wrong; there may be a bridge on the PC board itself, etc. If you have gone through all of the
troubleshooting steps and the board still doesn't work, let us know at
support@eggtimerrocketry.com
. A high-resolution picture (5 megapixel or better) of both
sides of your circuit board and a description of the problem would be very helpful...
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