Re: Etched vs Fab PCB

[K3yPr0gg3r]

Hi,

This is a VERY stupid question...BUT. I just received an etched copy of Pepper Spray, (copper on one side, plastic or whatever on the other). I re-read some old tip material, and saved myself a wasted PCB. I always thought that the "body" of the component sat on the copper side, (leads through to the blank side). Now I know I've got to feed the leads from the blank side to the copper, and the components sit on the blank side. TRUE?
Also, on a silk-screened PCB where I can see outlines and markings of various components. I match up the individual component, (i.e. diode with black line facing left), with the diagram on the PCB, and solder to the non-silked side. Again, TRUE?
My biggest concern is PCB mount Pots/Switches. Do I solder on the silk side?
I believe from observation/drawings that when soldering Non-PCB Pots/Switches one would feed the wire in through the silk side, and solder to the other. Is this true as well. Sorry for so many parts to this question.
Answers can be, if correct, True, True, True, and solder to silk side or "top", or whatever is correct if I have a False in there somewhere.

Thank you!

[Tdub]

They're not stupid questions at all! Better to ask and get going quicker IMO

Yes, you put the component on the blank side and solder the legs to the copper.

Yes, on a dual layer silk screened PCB you match up the diagram with the component and solder to the non silk-screened side. This will work 95% of the time - things to watch out for are IC's and transistors as sometimes you need to check the right pins are going to the right places - this is why you'll often get recommended to use little sockets. It makes for an easy fix if you get it wrong and allows experimentation.

Yes, generally you'll solder pcb mount pots and switches on the dual layer pcb silk side so they'll face towards the front of the enclosure, the other components will face the back.

Soldering non-pcb pots and switches with wire comes down to preference really but I personally prefer soldering them to the silk side on a dual layer pcb.

[K3yPr0gg3r]

Thank you Tdub! Very helpful!!

[EATyourGUITAR]

single sided boards sometimes do put the components on the same side as the copper but this is usually when there is no drilling. you see it on quick and dirty builds or builds that have mixed SMD and through hole components. it is somewhat easier to solder a radial cap this way laying it down flat than it would be to solder a resistor or diode.