Note: Recent Testing has shown that overheating the magnetometer can undermine calibration validity and cause loss of heading accuracy. Caution should be exercised while soldering pin headers or other connectors to the USFSMAX board. We specifically recommend:

• Use fine gauge, high quality 60-40 or 63-37 Pb/Sn electronic grade flux-core solder
• Sn-based ROHS-compliant solders are not recommended due to their higher melting/flowing temperatures
• Use a good quality soldering iron with a fine, clean tip. It should be the right temperature to cause solder to flow between the pin and plated through-hole in a few seconds. Too cold will require excessive contact time for the solder to flow, overheating the board. Too hot can cause damage to the plastic pin header block and delamination of the plated through hole pads
• Insert both rows of solder pins on both sides of the USFSMAX board, align them properly and hold them in place
• Verify that the soldering iron and solder quickly make a good joint by testing on the “INT” or “ADO” pins first
• The “GND” and “3V3” pins are the closest to the magnetometer; try to keep soldering iron contact down to 1 – 2s. Only electrical contact is required for these pins
• DO NOT solder the pins sequentially “In a row” down one side. This concentrates too much heat into a small area of the USFSMAX board. Instead, solder one pin and then skip to the next pin that is furthest away. If there is any question that the board is getting hot, stop and let it cool