AMERICAN FLAG KIT TUTORIAL
This kit was designed for the Fourth of July, which the United States’ holiday to celebrate the declaration of independence. It is a day to remember when people got together to break the bonds of the existing government to form a more perfect nation for the people within the British colonies. The preamble to the Declaration of Independence expresses many ideals that the United States was once founded on. Not least is that each person should have the opportunity to pursue life, liberty, and happiness. Take a moment and please read the preamble below and remember these ideals when you are celebrating the Fourth of July.
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America. When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.
WARNING: SOLDERING IRONS ARE HOT. SOLDERING IRONS ARE NOT TOYS. ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHILE USING A SOLDERING IRON.
Battery → The kit uses a CR2032 Battery to power the board on. This battery is a 3V lithium battery. The name CR2032 means that it is a lithium-based battery that measures 20mm in diameter and 3.2mm thick.
Resistors → The resistors in this kit are 100 Ω resistors. They are used to connect the two PCBs together and they limit the current going to the LEDs.
Light Emitting Diode (LED) → Light Emitting Diodes or LEDS are considered semi-conductor devices. They use special forms of silicon or germanium, along with a few other things, to help control the flow of electrons and, in this case, create light. LEDs and other diodes do care what direction they are connected to the board. There are two leads, the longer lead needs to go through the circular hole (positive) and the shorter lead must go through the square hole (negative). It is important to place the LED on the board correctly, if installed backwards it will not work.
PREPARATION
Count all of your parts and verify everything is in your kit.
| LED, Diffused, 3mm | 13 | Long Leg -> Circular Hole / Short Leg -> Square Hole |
| Resistor, 100 | 3 | Brown, Black, Brown |
| Battery Holder | 1 | Battery Holder -- Position matches shape on board |
| 2032 Battery | 1 | 2032 Battery |
| Push Button | 1 | Button with four legs. |
STEP 1
Install the thirteen (13) LEDs into the blue board. The Long Leg will go to the circular hole, and the short leg will go into the square hole.
STEP 2
Locate designator R1, R2, and R3. Bend the three resistor legs and install each resistor into those locations. One leg will go into the blue board, and one leg will go into the red board. Make these tight, as they hold the two boards together!
STEP 3
Match the battery holder to the shape on the back of the red board, and solder in place.
STEP 4
Grab the push button switch, and bend the four legs out flat. Apply a small amount of solder on each of the pads on the board. Hold the button over the pads, and heat up each one. The solder will stick the legs to the board (surface mount).
STEP 5
Install the battery. Make sure the text is facing OUT
STEP 6
Press the button and watch the LEDs light up! Thanks for building this fun kit with us!
SCHEMATIC OF THE KIT
