Step 1Starting construction.

When I design PCBs I always try to make them single sided with big chunky pads and tracks. This makes them much easier to build, modify and repair. The downside to this is that sometimes links are needed, but with a bit of care you can minimise the number required.

The two links on this board carry the full current of the red and green channels, so they should be fairly thick links. You can use a bit of solid wire or component lead off-cuts. I like to use off-cut leads from diodes because they are nice and thick.

I strongly recommend the use of traditional lead-tin based solder for my projects. The modern lead-free stuff is nowhere near as easy to use or as good as the lead based stuff. Lead has effectively been banned from mass produced consumer products for safety reasons but it's still perfectly acceptable to use it for DIY stuff like this.

Step 2The diode.

Now comes the diode. This is a polarity sensitive device that limits the direction electricity can flow. It's function in this kit is to protect the circuitry from damage if power is applied to the unit with the wrong polarity.

The diode has a band round one end and should be inserted into the PCB so that it matches the graphic.

The module can use just about any diode in the 1N400X range.