Question Getting started on an Ashida - Trim and Power

[deesil]

I'm getting started on an Ashida build. It's my first time portablizing but I've got some soldering experience and equipment. I've also got a $100/mo allowance, and $250 bankroll.

I'm thinking I should buy a PMS-2 so that I can get the board tested after I cut it. This also would mean I wouldn't need to do the u10 relocation.

Do I need a PMS-PD as well? It might be useful for the USB.

Can I power the PMS-2 with a 5v wire run to a sub wall wart instead of using a battery?

My goal is to MVP this and spend as little money during this month so I can save up the next $100. I probably need to get some magnet and braided wire, and some sandpaper too and some other miscellaneous stuff.

What do you think is critical to go from an uncut Wii to a cut and tested Wii?

 

[Shank]

PD2 isn't necessary, just adds extra, convenient features.

No, you need to have batteries connected to the PMS 2 for it to work, but you can charge those batteries through the PMS 2 using a 5v wall wart. 9-12v is more optimal, so the Wii's power brick would work perfectly for this.

Minimum to get a trimmed wii up and running, assuming you have RVLoader installed properly:
-Voltage regs (pms2 + battery + power supply)
-U10
-Video (composite for testing, to confirm it's working)

And to actually use it, you need these 2 connected:
-USB (to load games)
-Controller

 

[Mr Game & Cube]

I'm getting started on an Ashida build. It's my first time portablizing but I've got some soldering experience and equipment. I've also got a $100/mo allowance, and $250 bankroll.

I'm thinking I should buy a PMS-2 so that I can get the board tested after I cut it. This also would mean I wouldn't need to do the u10 relocation.

Do I need a PMS-PD as well? It might be useful for the USB.

Can I power the PMS-2 with a 5v wire run to a sub wall wart instead of using a battery?

My goal is to MVP this and spend as little money during this month so I can save up the next $100. I probably need to get some magnet and braided wire, and some sandpaper too and some other miscellaneous stuff.

What do you think is critical to go from an uncut Wii to a cut and tested Wii?

only buy the PMS-2 if you are rich, already removed the 1.8v reg, doing a trim more extreme than the standard trim, or really care about the most accurate battery percentage readings known to man. The PMS-lite does practically the same things, but it has a lower price tag, packs the same features, regulators and formfactor, minus the 1.8v reg and the super accurate battery readings that are replaced with a approximated percentage. it is the overall better choice, especially with a budget like yours.


Magnet wire is recommended for general signals, and it is optimal for soldering to vias. if you can't find it, the next best thing is wire wrapping wire. you shouldn't have to get pre-twisted wire, as you can just twist it yourself using a drill.

 

[deesil]

I already bought the PMS-2. My budget is effectively unlimited as long as I wait for the money each month. So I guess maybe I'm rich?

All kidding aside, I like the idea of fully accurate power gauges and my understanding is the 1.8v reg is more efficient on the PMS-2.

I picked up appropriate gauges of magnet wire based on Ginger's trim video. I also ordered some stranded 22 gauge wire. I had solid core on hand but everybody says use stranded.

 

[The_Smeags]

Yea you can get the screen after you confirm the wiis running if you're trying to work around a budget. Also you could buy ti pth regulators to test with the wii until you're ready to install the system on your case. And using the amp and controller from the store is also good choices imo.

 

[deesil]

Yea you can get the screen after you confirm the wiis running if you're trying to work around a budget. Also you could buy ti pth regulators to test with the wii until you're ready to install the system on your case. And using the amp and controller from the store is also good choices imo.

I think I bought all the stuff I need to get through the trim. Dremel, wire, solder, flux, etc..., pms-2, PMS-PD, 2x21700 cells,

Right now my only real unknown is how I'm going to connect the 21700 to the pms-2. I 3d printed a holder for the battery but I have to figure out how to put clips on it. I have to dig through my parts box and see if I've got something that could work. Alternatively I may just work on a model that allows me to wrap wire around some ends of the holder. I have a print like that for an 18750 sized battery.

I'm open to suggestions on this. A holder on digikey is $7. Way more than I want to spend here.

 

[CrazyGadget]

If you haven't ordered them already, you can use the same tabs used for the battery holders in the Ashida for a 3D printed 21700 holder. I did that and the setup works quite well!

 

[deesil]

If you haven't ordered them already, you can use the same tabs used for the battery holders in the Ashida for a 3D printed 21700 holder. I did that and the setup works quite well!

Any chance you have a link to the model? Or are these just completely standard and any old print should work with the clips?

I thought about doing this. I ended up putting the whole digikey order together and it's about $37 shipped for everything. I could definitely drop that down to a round of essentials but it'll mean I'm paying at least 2x for shipping (about $7 each time). Not a big deal, but I hesitated because I wasn't sure it would work. I also figure if I go this route I might get additional clips and just leave a set on the battery holder. Likely has value for the future.

 

[CrazyGadget]

I'm referring to the same clips in the Ashida BOM. Here's a direct link.

 

[deesil]

I follow. I'm saying what model did you print? Is it publicly available? The model I have mentions needing clips. I just don't know if they're the same ones.

 

[CrazyGadget]

I believe I used these, but I'm not 100% sure

 

[deesil]

Worth a shot. Thank you.