Tools

Common Tools

• Wire cutter (flush cutter)

  

• Wire stripper

  

  • AWG = American Wire Gauge
  • Smaller number = bigger wire

• Ratcheting Crimper (Anderson, Dupont, and general)

  

  • Build those arm muscles 💪

• Soldering Iron

  

  • Join two components (usually wires) together
  • Good tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qps9woUGkv
  • Use heat shrink tubing to insulate exposed conductor

• Heat Gun

  

  

  • Hot hair dryer to shrink heat shrink tubing

• Flathead screwdriver

  • Always missing when you most need it

Multimeter 101

• Measure Current, Voltage, Resistance, Continuity in AC and DC
• Make sure that you got the correct ports!
• Make sure you have DC selected!
• COM and V ohm port
  • This configuration makes it so that the DMM has infinite resistance so current only flows through the branch of what is being measured
  • Measure branch in parallel
  • Continuity: Checks for the presence of a complete path for current to flow
  • Voltmeter: measures voltage
  • Ohmmeter: measure resistance
• COM and A port
  • This configuration makes it so that the DMM has ideally no resistance so current flows through the ammeter to measure the branch’s current
  • Measure branch in series
  • Ammeter: measures current

Connectors

• Anderson connector

  

• Dupont connector

  

• XT90/XT60 connector

  

• Wago connector

  

  • Good for when there is no time to solder, but it is not a replacement for soldering
  • Good for quick testing