1. Attaching Batteries
Batteries are the most common source of power supply for most of the electronic projects. Often in many projects, batteries are preferred to be used as DC power supplies than using the complex way of converting the AC supply to DC power. We often see many people joining batteries head on playfully, sometimes - without even noticing what they have done. If you give two PP3 batteries to a person and leave him for a while, most probably, he will have a curiosity to join them together due to their symmetrical nature.
But never allow such thing to happen as it could damage your batteries.
A Few Common Mistakes While Working on Electronics Workbench
5.1 Common Mistakes while Handling Electronic Circuits
3. Misplacing Soldering Iron
Misplacing Soldering Iron
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Misplacing the soldering iron can cause a lot of damage. If you put it beside any circuit or wire by mistake, you may cause the wire to short circuit or the circuit to burn. The solder is actually a molten metal, and if it comes in connection with the wires accidently, it can short circuit the wires and also the hot-molten metal can burn the circuit. We strictly recommend you to use a good soldering iron stand and never forget to place your iron in the stand. And also, never ever try to hold the soldering iron tip with bare hands.
Overheating Of Soldering Iron 4. Soldering for a Long Time at the Same Place
Never solder a single pin for a long time. Components get overheated and may get burnt. Also for your circuit to look presentable, remember to solder the pin in an effective way so that the solder doesn’t spread to nearby places, i.e., to the other holes on the PCB. If you feel that the joint is not getting soldered properly, then try applying some flux. If you are soldering any heat sensitive component, then it is recommended to use a socket for it. If you need to solder it directly, then use a heat sink at the soldering point so that the heat is dissipated quickly and prevents the component from overheating. A simple crocodile clip will also work as a heat sink.
Power Supply Polarity reversing
Touching CMOS ICs with a Charged Hand 5. Reversing Power Supply Polarity
Most of us might have applied the power supply with wrong polarity at-least once in a while erroneously. This can damage the circuit sometimes. To avoid this, we recommend you to use elements instead of berg sticks, as shown in the figure below, for connecting power supply, and also use naps for the batteries. For protecting your circuit from damage when reverse polarity is applied, you can use a diode with sufficient power ratings in the reverse-bias condition connected to the source pins.
6. Touching CMOS ICs with a Charged Hand
CMOS ICs are very sensitive to static charge. They may get damaged when static charge is applied. Our hands are usually charged when they get rubbed with other materials like clothes. If we touch CMOS ICs with our charged hands, it may damage the ICs as our hands are conductors and a static charge passes through our body. So, the next time when you are touching a CMOS IC, it is recommended to first touch a grounded metal like legs of an iron table, so that the static charge is discharged. These days, some ICs have inbuilt protection against static charge, but still it is recommended to earth your hands before touching as the static voltage buildup on our body can be unbelievably high.
6. Removing ICs from the Socket without Using a Lever
Removing an IC from its socket with our hands can cause the pins to bend or break. If you want to remove an IC, it is recommended to use a lever like a screwdriver, as shown in the figure. You can use any other sophisticated tools if available but never pluck the ICs with hand.
Chapter 6
Troubleshooting is the process that determines the cause of the problem in the electronic circuit by examining the affected area of it, and then by taking appropriate action. For minor problems, troubleshooting requires a little knowledge about the circuit and its components’ working because it involves checking the connections only. However, the major problems of these circuits require deeper knowledge of circuit operation and the way of using various
troubleshooting tools. Troubleshooting and Testing of Electronic Circuit
8. Soldering ICs without Using Sockets
It is not a good practice to solder an IC by hand. If it is soldered for a long time, then the IC can get damaged due to overheat. So, first solder the IC socket and then insert the IC after the socket gets cooled. One more mistake that may be possible is soldering the socket when the IC is still inserted in the socket. If that happens, then the socket solves no purpose. We need to solder the empty socket first and insert the IC after soldering. So, remember never to solder the IC directly on the circuit board, without using the socket.
6.1 Introduction to Troubleshooting and Testing
It is very common for the hobbyists and circuit designing learners to anticipate the desired or actual results after completion of the circuit at once. The unexpected results of the electronics circuit may require some troubleshooting and testing procedures for making it a ready to use project.