Soldering Basics

Overview

The Aegis-Beacon is a through-hole and pigtail build - no surface-mount work is strictly required beyond what comes pre-soldered on the modules. A few reliable joints are all the electronics need.

Minimum Tools

Tool	Purpose
Soldering iron, 30-40 W with fine tip	General joints
Leaded solder (63/37 or 60/40)	Easiest to work with, lower melting point
Flux pen or paste	Clean, fast wetting on oxidised pads
Helping hands or a small vise	Hold modules and wire
Desoldering wick	Fix mistakes
Multimeter	Verify every joint

Technique

1. Tin the iron tip, then clean it on a damp sponge.
2. Heat the pad AND the wire together for 1-2 s.
3. Feed solder into the joint, not onto the iron.
4. Remove the iron and hold still until the solder freezes.
5. A good joint is shiny and cone-shaped; a dull, balled joint is cold.

Joint Checklist

Check	How
Continuity	Multimeter beep pad-to-pad
No bridges	Inspect between adjacent pins under light
Insulation	No stray whiskers of solder across tracks
Mechanical	A gentle tug does not move the wire

Project-Specific Joints

• Module pins: solder headers onto the ESP32 and the OLED first, then wire between headers. Removable and reworkable.
• E22 module: it has castellated pads. Tin each pad, then tack the wires one at a time. Do not overheat - 2-3 s per pad max.
• 18650 holder: use heavy 20-22 AWG wire; the cell can draw an amp while charging.
• Audio and SMA: the SMA on the E22 is mechanical; never strain the solder joints by bending the cable at the connector.

Rework Rules

Symptom	Fix
Cold joint (dull, cracked)	Reheat with flux, add a touch of solder
Bridge between pins	Wick it away, then re-solder cleanly
Pad lifted	Stop; use an adjacent pad or a bodge wire

Related Pages

• Assembly Guide
• Breadboard Prototyping
• Circuit Description
• Wiring and Connectors