7.1 Swapping Microcontrollers: Bluetooth (Version 2022-07-01)
(10 min read)
Unplug any cords or batteries before swapping your microcontrollers.
7.1.1 Necessary tools and components
Double check the LiPo battery for your microcontroller! Different microcontrollers may require different batteries. Using the wrong battery can lead to explosions!
Make sure that your JST-PH is correctly wired! The black wire and red wire should be in the correct orientation on the JST-PH connector, as shown in Figure 7.1.1.
It's recommended you use batteries from Adafruit or Sparkfun. You can use other vendors, but note that some vendors sell LiPo batteries with their wires reversed. See video on this issue by Adafruit here.
7.1.2 Adding Bluetooth
If your keyboard shipped after 2022-08-01, follow the steps below.
Step 1
Remove the plastic cover and take out the default microcontroller that came with the keyboard.
Step 2
Insert the Bluetooth enabled microcontroller.
Optional: If you want the USB-C port to be closer to the edge of the keyboard, you can loosen the screws counterclockwise with an 3mm Allen Key by a half circle. Then slide the PCB forward. Tighten the screw again afterwards by turning it clockwise.
Step 3
Insert the LiPo battery.
No special instructions for inserting the battery. As long as you obtained the correct battery, the connector will insert correctly. This is because the JST-PH socket can only accept the battery header in one direction.
Step 4
Put the cover back on. You did it 🎉! Proceed to the section on flashing your keyboard with ZMK.
Step 1
If your keyboard was shipped prior to 2022-08-01, you have 2 choices.
Choice 1: Add a switch onto the keyboard
Crimp the Dupont connectors onto the On-Off switch. To see how this is done, check this excellent guide from Instructables.
Choice 2: Use a wire
It's not the most exciting, but it works. Although the keyboard would remain 'ON' until you disconnect the wire or the battery runs out.
Step 2
a. Swap in your Bluetooth enabled microcontroller.
b. Attach the LiPo battery to the JST-PH socket indicated by the green arrow in Figure 7.7.
c. Attach the female pin headers of the on-off switch as indicated by the purple arrow in Figure 7.7. It should attach to the two male pin headers on the top right as indicated by the red arrows in Figure 7.8. The orientation doesn't matter.
If you are using a wire, connect one end to position 1 and another to position 3 as indicated in Figure 7.8. Note that if you use a wire, the keyboard would remain 'ON' until you disconnect the wire.
d. Put the cover back on. You did it 🎉! Proceed to the section on flashing your keyboard with ZMK.
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