DipTrace troubles with PCB

[MikeRamsey]

One critique and only because if I had started doing it earlier I’d have been happier:

@Robert taught me to connect grounds with a ground pour rather than manual tracing.

I’d recommend this.

Identify your ground net and then create a ground pour attached to that net. Then you don’t need to concern yourself with routing grounds because the pour does it for you.

I can post the ground pour settings Robert gave to me sometime tomorrow, unless he has them handy.

Yeah, I noticed from other threads and posts (yours and Robert’s specifically) about ground pours. I do have one on top and bottom, I just didn’t set the state to poured in my screenshots. It definitely does make it easier, if I have them set up correctly of course.

 

[Harry Klippton]

The rullywow stuff used switched anode for their LEDs and that's how their library is set up. I made that mistake on the first board I made, and then I stopped using that library

 

[MikeRamsey]

The rullywow stuff used switched anode for their LEDs and that's how their library is set up. I made that mistake on the first board I made, and then I stopped using that library

Hmm. Good to know! Thanks!

 

[Big Monk]

Yeah, I noticed from other threads and posts (yours and Robert’s specifically) about ground pours. I do have one on top and bottom, I just didn’t set the state to poured in my screenshots. It definitely does make it easier, if I have them set up correctly of course.

I just mentioned it because I noticed you hade manually connected grounds, and a few vias from the auto router connecting them.

If you have a ground pour in place, you can delete the ground traces. The pour connects all the grounds together.

 

[Robert]

It looks like C4 might be reversed.

 

[MikeRamsey]

I just mentioned it because I noticed you hade manually connected grounds, and a few vias from the auto router connecting them.

If you have a ground pour in place, you can delete the ground traces. The pour connects all the grounds together.

/facepalm!! I see what you’re saying now. Don’t need those ground traces because they’re connected to the pour. Makes sense!!

 

[MikeRamsey]

It looks like C4 might be reversed.

dammit, yes it is. Uggh. I swear I’m not blind, I think!

Thanks!!

 

[MikeRamsey]

Found one of the sources of my problems.. I was using Connect to nets by Name instead of Connect Net to Pins By Name for the GND net. this was causing anything connected to GND to be part of that, so when updating the PCB, several components were grounded that should not have been. After combing over the schematic about 20349032 times, I think i've fixed all my goofs and have a PCB layout that may work. I used the schematic and threw it on breadboard and it sounds great.. compared it to the clone version I built and it's sounds very similar (a little noisier due to wires and shielding but I expected that).

so I THINK/HOPE the updated PCB layout from my schematic is correct. I did my best to compare mine to the actual PCB and all traces appear to be correct..

I have learned a great deal in the last few days all thanks to everyone on this thread (and members on other threads!!) Immense thank you!!

 

[Big Monk]

Found one of the sources of my problems.. I was using Connect to nets by Name instead of Connect Net to Pins By Name for the GND net. this was causing anything connected to GND to be part of that, so when updating the PCB, several components were grounded that should not have been. After combing over the schematic about 20349032 times, I think i've fixed all my goofs and have a PCB layout that may work. I used the schematic and threw it on breadboard and it sounds great.. compared it to the clone version I built and it's sounds very similar (a little noisier due to wires and shielding but I expected that).

so I THINK/HOPE the updated PCB layout from my schematic is correct. I did my best to compare mine to the actual PCB and all traces appear to be correct..

I have learned a great deal in the last few days all thanks to everyone on this thread (and members on other threads!!) Immense thank you!!

You want to make sure you set thermals as well:

 

[MikeRamsey]

You want to make sure you set thermals as well:

View attachment 78622

Perfect. Thanks. I had them set to Direct. Time to study the difference between them.

 

[Big Monk]

Perfect. Thanks. I had them set to Direct. Time to study the difference between them.

In general it is VERY difficult to solder to direct connections to the ground plane given the thermal "capacity" of the plane itself, i.e. it's like trying to solder to the WHOLE ground plan rather than a pad connected by thin thermals.

 

[MikeRamsey]

In general it is VERY difficult to solder to direct connections to the ground plane given the thermal "capacity" of the plane itself, i.e. it's like trying to solder to the WHOLE ground plan rather than a pad connected by thin thermals.

Makes sense. I’d imagine heat transfer with Direct would be the reason, where Spoke would focus on the pad itself not the plane.