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Step 5Installing the LEDs
Take each of the LEDs and bend one lead 90 degrees, and the other 90 degrees the other way (see photos 1/2). Make sure you make the bend close to the resistor/LED otherwise the leads might touch another row once installed.
If you did this consistently, the leads of the resistors should overlap when placed into the cardboard backing.
Tip: mark the division between words on the back of the cardboard - this will help when connecting LEDs.
Solder together all of the positive leads (the resistor side) in each row and solder together all of the negative leads leaving a gap (discontinuity) between words (photos 3/4/5). Finally, bend the positive lead (resistor) on the end of each row down and solder it to the lower row to connect all of the resistors together (photo 6).
You can then attach a single wire to any positive lead (since they're all connected), and attach a wire to a negative lead for each of the words. Make sure you test each of the words at this point - I had a few loose solder joints which caused only parts of words to light up.
Solder groups of 7 of the cathode wires to male pin headers (photo 8) - this will make it easy to connect and disconnect the LED board from the controller board. However, don't include the "IT IS" cathode in one of the groups of 7 - it will be connected separately.
If you did this consistently, the leads of the resistors should overlap when placed into the cardboard backing.
Tip: mark the division between words on the back of the cardboard - this will help when connecting LEDs.
Solder together all of the positive leads (the resistor side) in each row and solder together all of the negative leads leaving a gap (discontinuity) between words (photos 3/4/5). Finally, bend the positive lead (resistor) on the end of each row down and solder it to the lower row to connect all of the resistors together (photo 6).
You can then attach a single wire to any positive lead (since they're all connected), and attach a wire to a negative lead for each of the words. Make sure you test each of the words at this point - I had a few loose solder joints which caused only parts of words to light up.
Solder groups of 7 of the cathode wires to male pin headers (photo 8) - this will make it easy to connect and disconnect the LED board from the controller board. However, don't include the "IT IS" cathode in one of the groups of 7 - it will be connected separately.
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