Soldering a PSX controller for a dance pad

[KrnMax]

I'm planning on making a metal dance pad, yet can't seem to understand the soldering points.

A few questions:

What is the ground wire, where is it connected, and what should it be composed of?

Do i solder the wires tot he light green circuits or to the circular/golden button things

Also, if someone could explain the general circuitry of the PSX controller to me, that'd be great.

Thanks

[kuto_kento]

Might wanna check the Home built DDR pad thread.[/url]

[KrnMax]

I did, but i can't find the info i want

[Mukan]

Try posting in that thread, where it belongs.. You'll get more/faster responses that way.
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[SuRfReAk]

http://www.angelfire.com/d20/ddrhomepad/controller.html

Go to that site, scoll down until you see the circuit board.

Now for an overview of what's happening. Solder is composed of metals, usually lead and zinc, or silver (correct me if i'm wrong here <-->); and the "golden shiny stuff" on the controller is actually copper tape, which is connected to the circuits, which is connected to the "brain" of the controller, which is connected to the foot bone, the foot bone's connected to the leg bone... just kidding . Usually circuits are made of silicon, and solder will not stick to that, but sticks well to copper and some other metals. Flux is a chemical cleaning agent that is included in most electrical solders, since a solder joint MUST BE CLEAN! Now, to solder, you need some wire and electrical solder (make sure it has rosin core flux in it, acid flux will destroy circuitry). You can test your controller for ground points with a wire to make sure you have the correct point (a ground point, if you follow the circuitry, connects to all other "directions"). When you press down on a button, there is a conductor on the bottom, which connects the grounded copper foil (contained in every large copper circle, that's why the circuits run from the ground point to every one) to the "directional" foil (sorry if i'm abiguous, its a little difficult to explain), thus completing the circuit and activating the direction. Now back to soldering. You want to solder to the smaller circle in that picture at http://www.angelfire.com/d20/ddrhomepad/controller.html. Just touch the soldering iron to the solder until a little solder covers the wire and the copper foil (try not to use too much, it can really mess up your pad).

Right, almost done. Now, you want to connect 4 wires to the ground wire you just soldered, and connect each of those 4 to a metal panel, on seperate arrows (e.g. connect each wire to every piece of sheet metal on lexan). The connect the directional wires to the other piece of sheet metal. THUS, when you step onto an arrow, the two pieces of sheet metal touch, THUS completing the circuit, and THUS activating that direction.
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[Shinmizu]

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