BUILDING CIRCUITSINTRODUCTION TO ELECTRICITY AND SOLDERING

COLLIN MATTHEWS - 2016

OVERVIEW

• Basic Electrical Theory

• Safety

• Basic Tools

• Traditional Technique

• Troubleshooting

• Advanced (Modern) Soldering

WHAT IS ELECTRICITY?

• All starts with the Atom – The building blocks of the universe

• Charge (Electrons) Move, this is called Current

WHY/WHEN DO ELECTRONS MOVE?

• Like Magnets, Differences attract and Same repels.

• Charges Attract or repel.

MAKING ELECTRICITY WORK FOR US

• Using Circuits, we can control where and how electricity (Electrons) flow

BASIC ELECTRICAL THEORY

• Electricity is like water in many ways.

• Three Main terms

• Voltage

• Current

• Power

V=I•R – Ohms Law

P=I*V – Power

BASIC ELECTRICAL THEORY

• Main Component types

• Resistor

• Capacitor (Watch Polarity)

• Inductor

• Transistor / IC

• LED/Diode

SCHEMATIC

• Universal way to show electrical circuit.

• Simple or Complex

SAFETY

• Always assume an iron is hot. (Don’t burn yourself)

• Always wash your hands before eating or drinking. (Solder contains lead)

• Don’t leave your soldering iron unattended and on. (Fire hazard)

• Try not to melt the soldering iron cord. (Easier then you think)

TOOLS – SOLDERING IRON

• Heats up to melt the solder.

• Many different ‘sizes’.

• Some are temperature controlled, others are not.

• Bigger jobs need bigger irons.

• Would you cut a tree with a butter knife or a chain saw?

TOOLS – SOLDERING IRON MAINTENANCE

• Keep the tip shiny.

• To clean it apply some solder then wipe it on a wet sponge.

• You will do this every ~5 minutes.

TOOLS – SOLDER

• Alloy of metals – produces low melting temperature.

• 63% tin, 37% lead.

• Lead free – various alloys with tin, copper, silver (but no lead)

• Flux core

• Rosin flux helps clean the surface so the solder “flows” over the surface.

• Different sizes

• 0.032” to 0.02” is common for circuit boards.

TOOLS – OTHER

Solder Sucker

Wire Cutters

Iron Stand & Sponge

DMM (Digital Multi Meter)

3rd Hand

Solder Wick

X-acto Knife

TECHNIQUE

• The iron heats up the ‘pad’ and component pin.

• Apply solder to the ‘pad’ and ‘pin’, not so much the iron.

• Solder flows towards heat, even up hill!

MOUNTING COMPONENTS

• Insert component with leads hand bent, don’t make sharp corners.

• Components should be mounted flush to the board in most cases.

To High

Good

Good - Different

REWORK

• Term means to fix a board or component.

• Often the component is removed.

• Heat up the solder, and remove it with wick or a solder sucker.

• Be careful not to pull off the copper solder pad. (Easier then you think)

OSCILLOSCOPE

• Shows electrical signals to help diagnose problems!

• Out of the scope for this class…

Check out “Exploring electricity for this and more!”

SMD – SURFACE MOUNT DEVICES

• How all modern circuits are done.

• No/few “Through Hole” components.

• Use different soldering techniques and tools.

TIME TO BUILD THINGS!

Solder Kit

1. The soldering kit

2. Experimental “Slayer Exciter” (Very Optional)

Snap Circuits available for fast creators!

Feel free to contact me after class if you have any questions!

Collin@c-tek.net