Assembling the Bright Pi -- LEDs for Your Raspberry Pi Camera

In this instructable you will learn how to assemble the Bright Pi circuit board with steps and images.

Step 1: Gather the Parts and Your Tools

The Bright Pi kit can be purchased here: https://www.pi-supply.com/product/bright-pi-bright...

You'll need:

soldering iron
solder
side cutters
small Phillips screwdriver

Optional, but helpful:

"helping hands"-type of clamp
magnifying glass
light
small pliers
iFixit Magnetic Project Mat (https://www.ifixit.com/Store/Tools/Magnetic-Projec...

Step 2: Put the Infrared (IR) LEDs in Place Around the Inner Circle

Place the infrared LEDs in their spots around the inner circle.

From the Bright Pi assembly instructions: "The cathode of the LEDs (short leg) needs to be on the same side as the arrows point to on the PCB."

I found it helpful to bend the LED legs outward before soldering so they would stay in place.

Go around the circle and solder each of the legs to the corresponding pad. When you're done soldering use the flush cutters to snip off the legs as close to the circuit board as you can. Don't worry if you trim a bit of solder off with the legs too -- the solder joint will hold. Be careful when snipping off the LED legs! They can fly off with considerable speed. Consider putting a finger on each leg as you snip it to dampen that speed.

Step 3: Now Place the White (visible Light) LEDs Around the Outer Circle

Same as before I recommend bending the legs of each LED after you insert them to hold them in place before you solder them. Snip the legs as before, being careful to not let them fly off and hurt someone.

In this step also hook up and solder the 90-degree angle pins to the pads on the edge of the circuit board. It doesn't matter which side you solder these to, but I chose the non-LED side (which is recommended but not critical.)

Step 4: Install the Plastic Bolts and Nuts

Congratulations! You're done soldering and that was the hardest part.

Now you can install the plastic bolts and nuts that will attach the board to the Raspberry Pi camera. Insert each bolt through the top of the board (the side with the LEDs) and fasten them with a nut. Add another nut to act as a spacer for the Raspberry Pi Camera board.

Step 5: Attach the Raspberry Pi Camera Board

With the nuts attached to the Bright Pi board, thread them through the Camera board. Then attach the last two plastic nuts to the bottom of the Camera board to hold both boards together.

Attach the wires to the angle pins and you're done.