Back Panel Assembly Reading Assignment

Read entire reading assignment (including diagrams) before starting assembly.

Back panel assembly involves the mounting and electrical wiring of the transformer, AC power
receptacle, fuse holder and power switch.

Mount and wire back panel components in the following order:

First, mount transformer, then mount AC power receptacle. Solder and heat-shrink wire to the
receptacle before mounting fuse holder. Once solder and heat-shrink of receptacle is
completed; mount, solder and heat-shrink fuse holder. Lastly, mount, solder and heat-shrink
switch. In other words, work from the bottom of the chassis to the top of the chassis when
mounting and wiring the back panel components. By following this order, it is less likely youll
burn or melt wire and/or do a poor job of heat-shrinking.

Back panel assembly details follow:

Mount transformer to chassis as shown below. Before mounting, make certain the metal flange
of the transformer is flat. If the flange is not flat, use a hand-seamer tool to flatten. If the metal
flange is not flatten, the transformer hardware (screw, nut and lock-washer) will not tighten
fully and the transformer will likely not be secured properly; i.e. loose mounting.
Side View












Note: If your transformer has a total of five wires (two wires on one side and three wires
on the other side), an additional hole needs to be drilled into your chassis. Consult an
instructor or TA for proper guidance.

Next mount the AC power receptacle. Orient the receptacle as shown in the 120V Wiring
Diagram with the middle terminal closest to the chassis bottom.

If the AC power receptacle is mounted upside down, your project will be quarantined
on evaluation day and will need to be fixed before taking your power supply home.
AC power receptacle orientation is an electrical code item and is considered a safety hazard
if not done properly.
Transformer
Metal Flange
Chassis
#6 hex nut

#6 star lock-washer
#6-32 x 3/8
machine screw
Now connect a 16 gauge 3 green wire between the middle terminal of the AC power
receptacle and the paint free ground as shown in the 120V Wiring Diagram. First, solder
one end of the green wire to a solder lug with built-in star washer. The proper method of
soldering wire to a lug is shown.

After soldering one end of the green wire to the lug, now solder the other end to the AC
power receptacle middle terminal. A wire is properly soldered to a terminal in the same
manner as properly soldered to a lug; i.e. wrap wire around terminal, wire straight and
solder fills hole and covers wire.

Next solder an 8 green wire to a solder lug with built-in lock washer. Put this wire with
lug attached aside until later. Both 8 green wire and 3 green wire will eventually connect
to the paint free ground with a screw and nut.

To finish the wiring of the receptacle, two more wires need to be attached as shown in the
120 V Wiring Diagram. Both wires are covered with heat-shrink after soldering. Refer to
Heat-Shrink Steps page.

Note: Solder AND heat-shrink one wire before soldering and heat-shrinking the second
wire. In other words, do not solder both wires first and then attempt to heat-shrink since it
is very likely youll inadvertently heat both heat-shrinks at the same time and end up with
at least one poor heat-shrink connection.

All wire used to connect back panel components must be 16 gauge by electrical code.
If not, project will be quarantined on evaluation day.

Before mounting fuse holder, insert 1 amp fuse. The fuse is inserted before mounting to
ensure the spring loaded terminal of the fuse holder is pushed out before a wire is
connected. If the fuse is inserted after a wire is soldered and heat-shrunk, the connection
will be ruined and will have to be redone.

To secure the fuse holder to the chassis, its hardware (wing nut and white washer) are
applied from the inside of the chassis.

As shown in the 120V Wiring Diagram, solder and heat-shrink wires to the fuse holder in
the same manner as the AC power receptacle was.

Before mounting switch, identify which switch lever position is the on position. This can
be done using a continuity checker, ask an instructor or TA for assistance if need be. The
continuity checker will beep when the switch is in the on position.


Once the switch on position is found, be certain to match the switch on position with the
on engraved on the chassis.

The switch will likely need hot glue to secure it tightly to the chassis. Apply a bead of glue
between the top of the switch and chassis using a hot-glue gun. Do not apply glue to the
outside of the chassis.

Note: The switch is the only back panel component that requires hot glue. Do NOT use
glue on the fuse holder or AC power receptacle.

As shown in the 120V Wiring Diagram, solder and heat-shrink wires to the switch in the
same manner as the fuse holder and AC power receptacle were.

Once all heat-shrinking is done, check to see if more than the thickness of a credit
card (or your Cal Poly ID) of metal is still visible. If so, apply liquid electrical tape to
cover. Ask the instructor or TA for assistance.

All heat-shrink connections must be covered properly by electrical code.
If not, project will be quarantined on evaluation day.

Regular electrical tape can NOT be used! It will peel off over time and create an electrical
hazard. In addition, any burnt or melted wire has to be replaced, i.e. can NOT use
electrical tape (liquid or regular) to cover.

Lastly, the PCB can be mounted at any time. Best time to mount PCB is after back panel
assembly and front panel assembly are completed, this allows more space to work inside
chassis. However, many students prefer to mount the PCB earlier in the assembly process
for ease of transport i.e. they dont need to carry the PCB separately to and from class.

As shown below, the PCB is mounted the same as the transformer except nylon standoffs
are used to raise the board above the chassis bottom to avoid PCB copper traces electrically
shorting to the chassis metal. Screws for mounting PCB are often nylon (white plastic)
instead of metal.













PCB
Chassis

Side View

#6 hex nut
#6 star lock washer
#6 x 3/8
nylon standoff
#6-32 x 3/4
machine screw
120V Wiring Diagram

All > 50V connections MUST have heat-shrink protection.
Y
Y
X
X
X
X
X
X
1 or 2 Black
Transformer Wires


1 or 2 Red
Transformer Wires
Heat Shrink 6 connections marked X.
NOTE: If transformer wires
must be extended, the
junction must be soldered
and covered with heat shrink.
Switch
Fuse: Insert fuse into
fuse holder before
heat shrinking.
AC Power
Receptacle

3 Green 16 gauge Wire,
Separate Paint Free Ground,
Solder wire to ground lug,
attach to chassis with
screw and nut. DO NOT
heat shrink!
Black
16 gauge Wires
Heat Shrink 2 connections marked Y only if
transformer comes with no wires already
attached.
Note: If both Transformer Wires
are the same color (red for
example), does not matter which
one connects to switch and which
one connects to receptacle.
Heat Shrink Steps







Solder the Lug
To Create Secure Contact
Heat Shrink
Pushed Up Against
Plug to Cover All Metal
Needle Nose Pliers
Keeps Pressure on Heat Shrink
During Heating To Prevent It From
Pulling Away From Plug Surface.
120 Volt Plug
Side View


L N
E
120 Volt Plug
(Isometric View)
Correct
(Straight
Continuous,
Gentle Pressure
Step 1: Strip Wire 3/8
Step 2: Tin Wire With a
LIGHT Coat of Solder
Step 3: Slide Heat Shrink
Over Wire
Step 4: Slide Wire Through Lug or Contact and Wrap It
Around Contact. Wire Should Stick Straight Out,
Not at a 90 Degree Angle. Solder the Connection.
Incorrect
(90 Degree Angle)
Step 5: Using Needle Nose Pliers, put continuous
pressure on heat shrink while using heat gun to
shrink the heat shrink.
Heat-shrink length = enough to entirely
cover all metal & solder plus inch to
compensate for shrinkage.
1. Which back panel component is required to be hot-glued to chassis?
2. Which back panel component has its hardware (wing nut and white washer) applied from
the inside of the chassis?
3. Which back panel component is checked with a continuity checker before mounting to
chassis?
4. True / False The AC power receptacle ground wire (green wire) is heat-shrinked.
5. True / False Only 16 gauge wire is used to connect back panel components.
6. True / False After mounting, the orientation of the AC power receptacle does not
matter.
7. All connections with ______ Volts or greater must be heat-shrink protected.
8. To flatten the metal flange of a transformer use what tool?
9. True / False Insert fuse into fuse holder for the first time after wire has been soldered
and heat-shrink applied to the fuse holder connections.
10. Mount and connect wire to back panel components in what order?
11. What is the proper method of soldering a wire to a lug?
12. What is the criterion to determine whether or not liquid electrical tape is needed?
13. If not done properly, these three back panel assemblies can get your project quarantined
on evaluation day?
14. True / False In our lab, liquid electrical tape and regular electrical tape is considered to
have the same effectiveness.
15. You burn or melt a wire, you should do the following
16. What does it mean to tin a wire?
17. How much heat-shrink should be used to cover a connection?
18. True / False Before applying heat-shrink to a back panel connection, make sure the
wire is at a 90 degree angle.
19. While applying heat to heat-shrink apply gentle pressure with what tool?
20. If your transformer has a total of five wires, what additional step must be done before
mounting your transformer?