Guys can you please check your soldering before shipping cable assemblies.

I've bought 5 integration cables now and 2 are like this. Out of the 5 usb link cables I have, 1 needed rework.

Soldering pvc cable needs to be done quickly so the pvc doesn't melt.

When stripping back the pvc sleeve, use a properly adjusted tool to avoid these whiskers.

If those whiskers on both centre wires or the orange wire in pic 2 touched the wire next to it, the fbl would reset. Thsts not what I want on my brand new 500.

I have to re-solder these anyway because I need to direct solder to my receiver. If I'd not removed the heat shrink, this could have ended very badly.

Please check your soldering using a magnifying glass and light. Thank you.

Hello,

we are very sorry for the issue.
These PCBs are made and assembled by company that is specialized at this. Since there is already shrink tube it is quite hard to check it except for the functionality that we are doing for each cable and peripheral individually. So there should be almost zero possibility it will arrive non functioning.

Actually if these cables are really new then I am very surprised. We will send you new cables and all the cables will be examined under shrink tube.
We will change company that is producing these peripherals as soon as possible.

Previously we examined many parts and such issue was not visible. It is not soldering problem but wire cut problem.

Thank you for your report.

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Spirit System developer

They are the cables I ordered a few weeks ago. Theres no need to send out new cables. I'll be ordering 1 more integration and 3 hobbywing telem cables soon.

I'd prefer them without heat shrink if possible. Just pop the heat shrink in the bag so I can shrink it myself.

We have found the problem. It is because usage of automatic stripping tool for cables.
This tool is cutting few additional threads from the wire when stripping the ends.
But during soldering the plastic insulation is melting and moving farther from the strip point (they are shrinking a lot).

Unfortunately it is not possible to solder it a shorter time, because soldering point must be good.
If soldering shorter time, there is not firm soldering point. Please note we can't also use Pb for soldering which has lower melting point.

So the only perfect solution is to replace cable for one with a higher melting point of the insulation.
But we are using the cable for many years so it is quite issue as it can't be replaced for other easily.
Alternatively to find a stripping tool that is not cutting threads at all.

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Spirit System developer

maybe using transparent heatshrink will let us to check the situation without removing heatshrink

We have checked all the cables we have in stock and none looked like this.
So to get into this situation like at the photo the user must really very strongly wiggle with the cables.
Also at the pieces we have soldering ends right when the insulation starts, so there is nothing like at the photo.
So I guess jjuk maybe was moving with the threads a lot intentionally or unintentionally.
With shrink tube the cables are holding together, so in my opinion one can't get into this condition even with imperfect soldering.
Maybe only when moving the cables in a right angles back and forth.

To resolve the problem perfectly the company must find other way to strip the cables without touching the threads.
Then all will be OK.

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Spirit System developer

This is how the soldering looks like in our cables from supply.
From new batches we believe it will be always perfect once the company will find the new stripping way.

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Spirit System developer

Thanks for checking these.

You could use silicone cable? This is very high temperature and very flexible- it's easy to solder with lead-free temperatures too as the sleeve doesn't shrink back. Stripping is done by rolling a knife round the sleeve.

To solder pvc, heat and solder is added to the pcb, the cable is dipped into a solder bath of molten solder (tinned) then placed on the pad. The iron is not placed on the cable, preventing shrinkage. The assembly company seem to be doing it wrong and applying heat to the cable.

It would probably be easier to solder if the pad didn't have a hole in it as this causes the solder to flow through the hole (gravity) to the other side of the board; instead join the pads both sides with vias.

Having no hole would also make it easier to solder additional wires to the underside of the board, for users that need to direct solder their RX to integration cables, e.g. for the R-XSR and other s.port receivers that don't use Dupont.

I hope they know how to solder the wires.
These companies are doing it for tens of years.

But our aim is also that soldering looks good and that the certain cable is used. We have already changed few in order to fulfil our demands.
Other cables and soldering is not visually acceptable for us.

There are not too many possibilities, so silicone cables in the same colors will likely not exist.
Only two companies are producing such cables in required colors and properties, where the other one had issues with quality. But MP was much higher.

PCB pad with no hole has issue where one can destroy it by pulling the cable. So it is also not good solution.
Then you can do pads bigger but we dont really want bigger PCBs for several reasons.

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Spirit System developer