Raspberry PI Zero Pogo Pin USB Serial Programmer

Are you tired of your RPI Zero and PC constantly fighting over the keyboard and monitor? Do you get tired of the plugging and unplugging, the swapping back and forth? Ever wish they could coexist in an electronic utopia and live in harmony. If so, now you’re in luck. Introducing the RPI Zero Pogo Pin USB Serial Programmer.

Step 1: Parts:

1. 6 pcs: M2.5x6mmx3.5mm Female Thread Brass Knurled Insert Embedded Nuts https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BHDXYUG/ref=...

2. 4 pcs: Stainless Steel Countersunk Hex Socket Knurled Bolt M2.5x20mm

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NQ9XYGY/ref=o...

3. 4 pcs: Steel Hex Nut, Zinc Plated Finish, Class 6, DIN 934, Metric, M2.5-0.45 Thread Size, 5 mm Width Across Flats, 2 mm Thick

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009EFLIWG/ref=o...

4. 4 pcs: P75-T2 Dia 1.30mm 100g Spring Test Probe Pogo Pin

http://us.banggood.com/Wholesale-Warehouse-100pcs-...

5. 1 pc: CH340 USB To RS232 TTL Auto Converter Module Serial Port Arduino STC TA-02L

EBAY

6. 1pc: 3” W X 5” H with a thickness of .118 inch / 3mm board

(Big Box Store)

7. Scrap Cat5e wire about 4 inches

All the parts are left over from previous projects.

Step 2: Tools/Equipment:

1. Laser Cutter

2. Soldering Iron

3. Heat Shrink tube

4. Pliers

5. Super Glue

Step 3: Laser Cut the Attached SVG File.

Laser cut the wood parts with the provided SVG File. You might have the adjust template for wood piece 2 and 3 to match your USB Serial Adapter. Number 2 is the height and length cut out of the USB adapter, with the metal part of the USB lined up to be flushed with the wood. Number 3 to hold the down the USB Serial adapter, so it doesn’t slide out. It is the length minus the difference of the header pin.

Step 4:

Start with the 4 screws and insert them into holes of wood part 1. I have mine with the white side of the board facing down. This doesn’t matter if your wood is the same on both sides.

Step 5:

Now stack on wood part 2, making sure the four pogo pin holes line up. Its missing from the picture but its fixed on the included template.

Step 6:

Screw on the four embedded nut.

Step 7: Connection Pin Outs

Time to prepare the USB Serial Adapter with the pin outs to match the RPI Zero. This one matches my model of the USB Adapter.

5V will go to Pin 4 of the RPI

GND will go to Pin 6 of the RPI

RXD will to Pin 8 of the RPI

TXD will to Pin 10 of the RPI

*RXD and TXD has to be crossed.

Step 8: Preparing the Wires.

Here is a little trick I use to solder the wire. I grab a pair of pliers and a something that is the same thickness as the header pin. In this case an extra piece of header pin. Strip about half an inch wire. Clamp down both wire and header pin with the pliers.

Step 9:

I wrap the wire around the header pin but not too tight. Then I removed the wire from the header pin and trimmed off the excess wire.

Step 10:

Here are all the wires ready to be soldered.

Step 11:

After being solder. Green wire has little bit too much.

Step 12:

The wires are finished with heat shrink tubing so they don’t touch each other. We do a little bit of wiggling later on.

Step 13:

Place the USB Serial adapter onto the programmer. Do a rough lay out of where the wires will connect and mark them where they meet the pogo pin holes. Strip the wire leaving them long.

Step 14:

Afterwards I wrap the wires like before. The picture shows the header pin but then I used the pogo pin because it’s a little bit thicker.

Step 15:

Doing a dry run with the wires and pogo pins in place.

Step 16:

Dry run success. Remove all pogo pins and place wood part 3 on top of the USB serial adapter.Notice the edge of the wood is right up against the header pin. This will block the USB serial from sliding out.

Step 17:

Place wood part 4 on top and screw it down with the four hex nuts.

Step 18:

Insert the pogo pins one at a time from the top, lining up with the correct wire. Then I staggered the wire and bent it against the wood so it would be easier to solder.

Step 19:

Soldered and trimmed off the excess wire. Make sure the gold part of the pogo pin is flushed with the wood. Once adjusted, super glue can be applied to the bottom side to hold it in place. Never try to glue from the top side.

Step 20:

To use the programmer. Lay the RPI on top programmer with the RPI header pins facing down. Start to screw from the lower left hand corner first. Then gently press down on the right hand side and screw in the last nut. This is demoed in the video.

Step 21:

Now we can fire up favorite terminal program (putty) and start using the RPI.

Here are the settings for the putty. Your Serial Line (Com Port might be different).

Step 22: Demo Showing Reboot With the Pogo Pin Adapter.