Vectronics VEC-8218K User Manual

Page 2

VEC-8218K Owner’s Manual

Counter-Surveillance Monitor Kit

Universal Kit-building Tools: No special tools are required to complete this
kit beyond common items normally used for bench construction. We
recommend the following:

! Soldering Iron (grounded-tip and temperature-controlled preferred)

! High-temperature Iron Holder with Cleaning Sponge

! Solder, 60/40 or 37/63 with rosin or "no-clean" flux (.031" dia. is good size).

! Needle Nose Pliers or Surgical Hemostats

! Diagonal Cutters or "Nippy Cutters"

! Solder Sucker (squeeze or vacuum pump type), or Desoldering Braid

! Bright Desk Lamp

! Magnifying Glass

BEFORE YOU START BUILDING

Experience shows there are four common mistakes builders make. Avoid these,
and your kit will probably work on the first try! Here's what they are:

1. Installing the Wrong Part: It always pays to double-check each step. A 1K

and a 10K resistor may look almost the same, but they may act very
differently in an electronic circuit! Same for capacitors--a device marked
102 (or .001 uF) may have very different operating characteristics from one
marked 103 (or .01uF).

2. Installing Parts Backwards: Always check the polarity of electrolytic

capacitors to make sure the positive (+) lead goes in the (+) hole on the
circuit board. ICs have a notch or dot at one end indicating the correct
direction of insertion. Always double-check--especially before applying
power to the circuit!

3. Faulty Solder Connections: Inspect for cold-solder joints and solder

bridges. Cold solder joints happen when you don't fully heat the connection--
or when metallic corrosion and oxide contaminate a component lead or pad.
Solder bridges form when a trail of excess solder shorts pads or tracks
together (see solder tips below).

4. Omitting or Misreading a Part: This is easier to do than you might think!

Always double-check to make sure you completed each step in an assembly
sequence.

Soldering Tips: Cleanliness and good heat distribution are the two secrets of
professional soldering. Before you install and solder each part, inspect leads or