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Assemble RPI5 3AI Board Stack

These instructions show how to assemble a stack of RPI5 boards for your PicoCluster. These photos show how to assemble a 3 board stack for the Raspberry PI AI Cluster.

Please contact support@picocluster.com if you encounter any difficulties.

Step 1 – Prepare the Boards

The AI Cluster uses the official Raspberry PI heatsink/fan combo. Open the packages and apply them as shown. You need to plug the fan connector into the RPI5, then peal the backing off the heatsink and place over the CPU and other chips. Push the plastic pins through the board in 2 places to secure the heatsink/fan in place.

 

Step 2 – Assemble the Board Stack

Start with the 1/2" F/F standoffs on the bottom and the 5/8" M/F standoffs on the top as shown. Once screwed together, then tighten slightly. The standoffs only need to be snug, not wrenched tight together.

You will then need to plug the GPIO pin extender onto the existing board pins as shown.

Next add plug the PCIe cable onto the Raspberry PI 5, then to the AI Kit board as shown. Make sure that the cable is plugged in correctly and securely.

Now you can add the AI Kit to the board stack using additional 5/8" standoffs as shown.

Continue to add Raspberry PI 5 boards and AI Kits to the stack using the 5/8" M/F standoffs as shown.

 

Step 3 – Mount the PDU

Attach the PDU to the top of the stack using the 1/4" screws as shown.

Step 4 – Connect the Power Cables

Connect each power cable to each PI as shown. The RPI4 uses USB-A to USB-C cables.There is one 5.5mm DC Power cable to power the switch.

Plug each power cable into the PDU on top as shown. The cables can be tied to the standoff with a cable tie as shown.

Next Steps – Assemble Your Cube

Move on the the assembly instructions for your particular cluster cube. The Pico 10AI requires 2 board stacks and the Pico 20AI requires 4 board stacks.

 

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