My PWM5 Solar Charge Controller (www.256.co.uk) uses 3 surface mount devices (a capacitor and 2 resistors) on the PCB. Attaching them takes a steady hand and lots of patience, but I've found a technique that works on the single sided printed circuit boards.
The capacitor in this video is an 0805 type meaning that it's 80 thou by 50 thou (about 2mm by 1.3mm). They're not much bigger than large grains of sand. The part is manoeuvred into position using a wooden cocktail stick. One end of the component is heated to melt the tin plating on the PCB which forms a weak weld onto the component. Then the opposite side can be soldered and then the first side soldered.
The capacitor in this video is an 0805 type meaning that it's 80 thou by 50 thou (about 2mm by 1.3mm). They're not much bigger than large grains of sand. The part is manoeuvred into position using a wooden cocktail stick. One end of the component is heated to melt the tin plating on the PCB which forms a weak weld onto the component. Then the opposite side can be soldered and then the first side soldered.
Can someone please suggest an easy to use PCB design program for hobbyist's who want to design single sided boards?
how i do it is i put a bit of solder on the pcb trace then i slide the resistor in to place with a pair of tweezers then i just solder the other end of the resistor
Great video, man! keep up the good work!
Very useful tip, thank you.
Hi Ray- wow, thanks for all your comments! For the wave soldering process, components are glued in place before soldering – I don't fancy trying that either. For re-flow, the component is held by the sticky solder paste on each pin then put in an oven whereupon the paste turns into molten metal. But for home assembly, the cocktail stick and soldering iron technique works OK.
I was under the false impression surface mount components were glued on before soldering. Now I know why I got myself in a mucking fuddle mounting them. Haven't done a lot but had a go and gave up. Because the glue was getting everywhere. Thanks a million for this extremely useful and tutorial video. I am now going to go and view every one of your videos. To find out what other dumb things I have been doing. Even at 63 I am still learning and want to learn. Many many thanks.