When you buy a pack from Adafruit, it comes with the fully tested and assembled backpack as well as a 7-segment display in one of the colors we provide (say, red, yellow, blue or green). You'll need to solder the matrix onto the backpack but it's an easy task.

Prepare the header strips:

You'll need a 16-pin and a 12-pin strip of header to attach the Featherwing to your Feather. Cut the header strip to length if necessary. It will be easier to solder if you insert it into a breadboard - long pins down

Add the FeatherWing PCB:

Place the circuit board over the pins so that the short pins poke through the breakout pads

And Solder!

Be sure to solder all pins for reliable electrical contact.

(For tips on soldering, be sure to check out our Guide to Excellent Soldering).

Do both strips completely!

Check your solder joints visually and continue onto the next step

Next we'll attach the LED matrix
Check the Matrix and line it up next to the FeatherWing

Be careful to NOT PUT THE DISPLAY ON UPSIDE DOWN OR IT WONT WORK!! Check the image to make sure the 'decimal point' dots are on the bottom, matching the silkscreen.

Slot the LED module on top, check again that you have it right way up!

Solder the matrix in place. Note this will be a little tougher because there's not as much space. Go slow, do one pin at a time and you can clip it after each point if you need!

Once soldered, clip each wire short

You're done! You can now install software and get blinking

This guide was first published on Apr 27, 2016. It was last updated on Mar 08, 2024.

This page (Assembly) was last updated on Apr 26, 2016.

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