Angry Storm Cloud Guide

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Overview

This little cloud may look mean, but we promise it’s fun and easy to solder up!


This is a super fun and simple storm cloud blinky board. It has 3 self-flashing LEDs that act as the clouds lightning bolts, an on/off switch, and includes a CR2032 battery.  This is Robyn's second circuit board design (Happy Rain Cloud was her first), and she thought it was a fun opposite.  It remains the most popular of the Cloud kits.


V1 boards use "after dark" circuit boards - the fiberglass is black and soldermask is clear.  This means you can see all the pretty copper on the back, and the boards photo'd in the instructions below are this version.  V2 boards use standard fiberglass with black soldermask, so the back of the board looks entirely black.

$
5.47
 
$
10.95

Solder the Switch

The design on this board is super simple so you can solder the components on in any order. Personally, I like to start with the switch.


If you're having trouble keeping the board from moving when soldering you can use a piece of tape to hold the board down. Just be sure not to have the tape too close to where you are soldering your joint!


*Note: The switch is made of metal so it gets hot when soldering. Be careful touching it during and directly after soldering!


** Updated board design now has a 3-pin switch that is easier to solder!

Solder the LEDs

I find it helpful to solder the 2 outer LEDs first and the middle on last. I usually use a spool of solder wick to support the other side of the board while soldering. (you can use anything that's a similar height to the board)


The long and short is referring to the lengths of the LED legs. The long leg should go through the hole labeled long and the short leg through the hole labeled short.

Solder Battery Holder

I made the holes for the battery holder snug so with a little pressure it should snap into place for easy soldering!


*Note: The battery holder is made of metal so it gets hot when soldering. Be careful touching it during and directly after soldering!


*I like to add a bit of extra solder so the clouds eyes look nice and smooth.

Insert Battery and Turn On!

The switch is marked with ON and OFF.

Match the + side of the battery to the + side of the battery holder.

Place Magnet or Adhesive Pin (optional)

The magnets are very strong, use caution when handling. Place magnet on the battery holder, this will only work if the battery is installed. You can then attach it to any magnetic surface like your fridge.


If you'd like to wear your badge, you can use the ahdesive back pin provided in your kit. Remove the strip covering the adhesive and firmly press to the battery holder. You can then pin the badge to your shirt.

Downloads

How to download our BOM from GitHub:
1. Click the BOM button above
2. Right click over the raw data
3. Select save as and save the CSV file
Have any questions?  Contact us!