Solderless Solution for RPi Zero Header
Please note: we can’t be held responsible for any damage that you may cause to your Pi Zero, headers or anything else while fitting them. If you follow our guide carefully then you should be fine. If this worries you, then get yourself a soldering iron instead! This remains the easiest solderless solution for RPI
Absolutely no soldering required! All that’s needed is a few gentle taps with a tack hammer and bazinga! your header is securely attached to your Pi Zero or pHAT.
The hammer header jig is for you if you do not yet have a soldering iron, or do not yet know how to solder. They come in male and female flavours. The hold on to the PCB using little retaining nubbins.
The installation jig kit contains two acrylic base pieces, onto which your Pi Zero or pHAT sits, two Nylon bolts, an acrylic top piece onto which you hammer, and both a male and female header. Make sure you carefully follow our guide for fitting hammer headers.
We strongly recommend our solderless solution using our installation jig! If you want to try without it then godspeed to you but it is a delicate and tricky process! The male headers are particularly tricky without the jig.
video available using the jig.
Fitting hammer headers
Our hammer headers allow you to fit a male or female header to your Pi Zero or pHAT with absolutely no soldering required. Nifty! Here, you’ll learn how to fit them using our jig that comes with the kit.
It’s important to hammer on a sturdy, stable, well-supported surface like a worktop or a solid wood table. Preferably an old one.
The jig comes in three pieces, and has two nylon bolts. Snap apart the acrylic pieces, and peel off the protective film (although this isn’t absolutely necessary).
Note that newer versions of the hammer header kit come with black metal bolts and nuts. The only difference is that the nuts go on top of your Pi Zero / W or pHAT to hold it securely to the baseplate while you hammer the header in.
Male headers (for Pi Zero)
Push the nylon bolts through the larger plastic piece with the long rectangular hole cut in it for the GPIO pins. It doesn’t matter which way up this piece is.
Next, put the other rectangular acrylic piece below it, so that the heads of the nylon bolts fit neatly into the two holes. This piece prevents the pins from being pushed too far through.
Now, push your Pi Zero PCB, right way up, onto the jig.
If you have a kit with metal nuts and bolts, then screw the nuts onto the bolts now, to hold the PCB securely to the baseplate.
Place the hammer header on top of the pin holes on your Pi Zero, making sure that the longer ends of the pins (without the retaining nubbins) are pointing upwards.
Now, place the last acrylic piece on top of the pins and push it down until it touches them.
Using a hammer, gently tap back and forth on the top acrylic piece to push the pins through. Pushing one end of the header all the way it can cause the other pins to bend when you hammer them in. It’s worth taking your time over this part of the solderless solution.
Full Tutorial on using the jig