Just learning PCB

@t-maxxracer32-Z2sUlm • Oct 26, 2024

Oct 26, 2024

1.4K

hey guys im 17 and have been thinking about doing engineering now for about a year and i think its time i learn some of the basics before college!!

i downloaded expresspcb and WOW it is confusing. i basically understand nothing.

i still dont understand what diodes capaciots resistors and all that really do on the board. i dont understand why certain things are placed in certain areas. and i was wondering if there was a good place to learn about all of this stuff?

thanks for any help! it is greatly appreciated.

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LORD_EC

@lord-ec-EvZ5RZ • Nov 29, 2007

You are trying to chew the nut before time.Dude it will lead to nowhere.There is a time for everything.
You cant learn softwares and tools that you are going to use in your job,you can have babies for practice so that you can have them later.
Dont try to attain the phase of life earlier by forcing yourself.
Enjoy this moment of your schooling life.

Rest is upto you.
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t-maxxracer32

@t-maxxracer32-Z2sUlm • Nov 29, 2007

that didnt really make sence. why would i not want to learn about what i will be doing in the future?
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Nov 29, 2007

Max, welcome to CE.

...and welcome to the world of Engineering 😁 I'm glad that you're trying to learn the things yourself, but don't get disheartened if diodes, capacitors and those highway-like lines on PCB don't make sense. Probably, that's what CEan - Lord_EC wanted to tell you.

Here's the action plan that I'd recommend (I'm assuming that you're an absolute newbie to electronics)-

1. The Basics: Search the internet for what these tiny devices actually do. For example, you must know what 'capacitance' is or why do we need to put the resistance in place.

2. Theory: Learn the basic laws of electricity. Can you design very simple circuits? (ask for ideas if you want).

3. If you face any difficulty in learning, post a question on CE. There are lots of electronics dudes & dudettes over here to help you.

All the best & have fun!

-The Big K-
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t-maxxracer32

@t-maxxracer32-Z2sUlm • Nov 29, 2007

ya i basically know nothing as far as most of the things here go..

ill try and do as much research as possible then post here if i got questions.
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Kaustubh Katdare

@thebigk • Nov 29, 2007

Hi
i think u asked about the placement of components..

certain rules are there

read this post

and visit that blog ..u can get something.....

#-Link-Snipped-#

thanks..

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Nimish

@nimish-m6kdSp • Dec 19, 2008

Basics of diodes can be found at
😁 #-Link-Snipped-#😁

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bill190

@bill190-VhqyZT • Dec 19, 2008

If you learn what words mean, then you understand what someone is saying when they talk to you. When you were young, you did not understand certain words people said. Then you learned what the words mean, so now you understand!

Same thing with electronics. Learn what all the parts do, then you are off to a good start on understanding this stuff!

First of all PCB boards do not only have conductors on the surface, many also have conductors on the inside of the board as well! These are inside "layers".

On to the parts. Let's make an LED light shine with a 12 volt DC power supply...

Alternating current...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternating_current" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Alternating current - Wikipedia</a>

Mains electricity...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mains_electricity" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Mains electricity - Wikipedia</a>

Transformer...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transformer" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Transformer - Wikipedia</a>

Diode...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diode" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Diode - Wikipedia</a>

Bridge rectifier...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridge_rectifier" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Diode bridge - Wikipedia</a>

Capacitor...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capacitor" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Capacitor - Wikipedia</a>

Zeiner diode...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zener_diode" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Zener diode - Wikipedia</a>

Voltage regulator...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Voltage_regulator" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Voltage regulator - Wikipedia</a>

Transistor...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transistor" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Transistor - Wikipedia</a>

Direct current...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Direct_current" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Direct current - Wikipedia</a>

Switch...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Switch" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Switch - Wikipedia</a>

Resistor...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resistor" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Resistor - Wikipedia</a>

LED...
<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Led" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">LED (disambiguation) - Wikipedia</a>

Then we have a circuit: 240 Volts AC mains input (Europe) and 12 volts DC output to go to our switch, resistor and LED (not shown)...
#-Link-Snipped-#

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sauravgoswami

@sauravgoswami-UAfTlI • Dec 19, 2008

hope you got your replies!!!
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karenclave

@karenclave-7MDi4s • Dec 20, 2008

dude..
ask me a QUESTION!!😎

then i will answer in my best..if that makes plenty doubts in ur head then i'm ready to clear them..:smile:
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Ashraf HZ

@Ash • Dec 21, 2008

Other than disassembling stuff, how I learnt electronics was making PCBs in Design and Tech classes in high school 😉 I had no idea how some components really worked (like a transistor), just knew it HAD to be there to function properly to do some interesting things. Not sure if thats the best way (I prefer practical before theory), but it sure helped me 😛

Dont worry too much about the theory. You'll learn all that stuff later in university. What's important is their application. Also, analogies really help too (eg. a diode as a one way cat flap, where the cat is the current).. and makes electronics more interesting to learn!
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hinduja.prasad

@hindujaprasad-OxDtiD • Dec 23, 2008

same problem here. i am a first year student in ECE. i don't understand the logic behind circuts. i don't think i can ever design one in life. anyways i have a few doubts
1)what is a comparitor
2) O-AMP
3 timer
thank u
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