Troubleshooting§

Hardware Problems§

Symptom	Suggested Solution	Image
After uploading filesystem and firmware the display flickers but stays dark	This problem could often be resolved by redoing cold solder joints. If you own a multimeter you can check connections between the ePulse Feather board and the bigger connector board, pin by pin. The ground pin (GND) allows you to do an even better test: check if the metal housing of the USB-C plug is electrically connected to the GND pin on the big board. If there is no connection you should try to heat the solder joint again to properly connect the pin to the pad
The display shows text but no icons	This probably means that the filesystem upload was not successful, as the icons are loaded from there. Make sure that you have followed the Upload the file system to device step
The display shows a white screen	This is most likely caused by a bad solder joint. Check these pins for cold solder joints: TFT_DC (IO02) TFT_RESET (IO04) TFT_SCK (IO05) TFT_MOSI (IO18) TFT_MISO (IO19) TFT_CS (IO15) Also check these which can be involved: TFT_LED (IO32) 3V3 GND
Board powers on (LEDs lit) but does not show up as USB device on the computer	If the board receives power but the USB interface never enumerates (no COM port, no new device in Device Manager), try these steps: Disconnect the ePulse Feather from the connector board and try flashing it standalone. The connector board might have a short that affects USB communication. Check the TX and RX pins for solder bridges that might affect serial communication. Inspect all solder joints on both top and bottom of the boards. Reheating problematic joints frequently fixes the issue. Make sure you are using a USB data cable, not a charge-only cable. Make sure the CH9102F USB-to-serial driver is installed. Follow Adafruit's CH9102F driver installation guide if needed.
TestBed installation remains at 0% and the serial console repeatedly displays dots, dashes, or connection errors	The installer can see the USB-to-serial adapter, but it cannot establish communication with the ePulse Feather. Try these steps in order: Try another USB cable and USB port. Some USB cables provide power but do not carry data, and damaged or marginal cables can fail during flashing. If possible, verify the replacement cable by using it to transfer data to another device, such as a smartphone. Verify the CH9102F driver. Install or reinstall the correct driver by following Adafruit's CH9102F driver installation guide, then reconnect the board. If the same failure occurs on another computer where the driver works, the driver is less likely to be the cause. Remove the ePulse Feather from the connector board and try flashing it standalone. If flashing then succeeds, a solder bridge or short on the connector board is interfering with communication. Inspect the soldering. Check both boards carefully for solder bridges, especially around the serial and adjacent pins, and rework any suspicious joints. A short can also be on the ePulse Feather itself, so a standalone failure does not completely rule out a soldering issue. If the board still cannot be flashed standalone with a known-good data cable and driver, the ePulse Feather may be damaged. Contact support and include clear, in-focus photos of all solder joints on both boards.

Software Problems§

Symptom	Suggested Solution	Image
`Please install git client from https://git-scm.com/download` is displayed in the PlatformIO log	The Weather Station project has a Git-hosted library dependency, so PlatformIO needs a working Git client even if you downloaded the project itself as a ZIP file. Install Git from git-scm.com/install and completely restart Visual Studio Code. Open a terminal and run `git --version` to confirm that Git is installed and available on the system `PATH`, then build the project again.

Self-Test Tool§

We provide an online Self-Test Wizard that helps you diagnose issues with your Color Kit Grande.

How to use the Self-Test§

Remove both FPC ribbon cables from the connector board (display and touch)
Use a jumper wire to connect the two test pads indicated on the connector board
Follow the instructions in the Self-Test Wizard

About Quality Assurance§

All boards are flashed with a self-test firmware and the displays are verified in a test harness before shipping. This means that at the time of shipping, all components were confirmed to be working correctly.

Most issues are caused by bad solder joints that can occur during assembly. These can typically be fixed by:

Re-heating the problematic solder joint with your soldering iron
Using a solder wick to remove excess solder
Using a de-solder pump to clean up bridges or shorts

When in doubt, carefully inspect all solder joints on both the top and bottom of the boards, and reheat any that look dull, lumpy, or don't have a proper cone shape.

Tip

If a part is damaged beyond repair, check the replacement parts page before buying a complete new kit.

Contact Support§

If none of the above measures resolved your issue, please contact us at info AT thingpulse.com.

To help us diagnose the problem quickly, please include the following information in your email:

Subject: Color Kit Grande - Troubleshooting Help

Hi ThingPulse Support,

I am having issues with my Color Kit Grande and need assistance.

**Symptom:**
[Describe what happens - e.g., display stays dark, white screen, no USB connection, etc.]

**What I have tried:**
- [ ] Inspected and reheated solder joints
- [ ] Checked for solder bridges on TX/RX pins
- [ ] Tested with different USB cables
- [ ] Disconnected ePulse Feather from connector board
- [ ] Ran the Self-Test Wizard
- [ ] Other: ___

**Attached photos:**
Please find attached in-focus photos of:
- Top side of the connector board (all solder joints visible)
- Bottom side of the connector board
- Top side of the ePulse Feather board
- Bottom side of the ePulse Feather board

Thank you for your help!

Photo Tips

Good lighting and sharp focus on the solder joints help us identify issues quickly. We can often spot problematic pins in photos that might not be obvious in person.