Sol 1 Build guide

Parts list

• Sol keyboard PCB

• Included M2.5 x 4mm screws

• LED PCB (with or without LEDs)

• A case, plate or CNC

There is a patch wire on the right hand PCB. Please be careful to not damage it. The wire should be safe after assembly.

You will need

• 2u PCB-mount Stabilizers (0-4, depending on layout)

• Switches: 68-74 MX or Kailh Choc

  • Kailh Choc switches not compatible with CNC case

• Keycaps, all Ergodox sets are compatible

• Type C cables, one for the PC and one to connect the halves

  • Your interconnect cable must be data capable (at least USB1.0)

  • The PC cable should be at least 3A capable

• Feet: Rubber sheet or pads

• (Optional) For DIY LEDs, you will need 74 WS2812B LEDS and 74 100nF 0805 Capacitors​

• (Optional) Compatible OLED panels must use the SSD1306 Driver

• (Optional) Rotary Encoder, most marked for Arduino will work, no PCB

Assembly

Install stabilizers first! (and OLED/rotary encoders)

1. Install stabilizers, rotary encoders, or OLED panels.

   1. OLED panels must be soldered flush with the pcb or as close as possible. Trim the header pins and do a fit check before moving forward.

2. Assemble the switches and PCB onto the case/plate, without soldering any switches.

3. Install some keycaps to make sure your layout works (specifically the areas with multiple layout options).

4. Make sure the switches are pushed completely into the PCB, and that the PCB sits properly inside the case. If you have a CNC case, screw on the LED PCB and push until it sits flush with the bottom.

5. Solder in the switches. There are many guides online for this, Adafruit has a good reference guide.
6. If you are soldering your own LEDs, you can follow the Zen guide for that step.
7. Configure the DIP switches according to the guide on the LED PCB, shown below. The default firmware has left as the master and right as the slave.

   1. If you wish to use a custom firmware (like Kageurufu's WIP keymap) that supports per-key animations on both halves, set switches 1-2-3 on the master to Off-On-On and on the slave to On-Off-Off.

8. Attach rubber feet and/or tenting feet to LED PCB.

9. Screw in standoffs for the plate case, and install the LED PCB.

Be cautious of the pin I had to fix. You can see on the image below that I had to cut the pad because of a misplaced wire on the PCB.

DIP SWITCH CONFIGURATION

Low profile soldering notes: You will need to bridge some pads, specifically for the H, Y, and P keys. Backspace is missing the holes, so you need to either bend the pins, or turn the key 180deg and solder some jumper wires to the pins. Sorry about that.

Flashing:

Flashing is the same as Sol 2, but use /rev1 files.