GROUND plane or nor GROUND plane

[xnihilo]

It helped a lot Now I still don't know if my ground plane on the bottom side is fine or not (i removed the top layer ground plane). there's a program called EAGLE that creates the plane once you draw a polygon and name it like the ground on the board. Does it do it right or not? Hell if I know.

A snapshot of the boards (when there were still a ground plane on both layers)
http://users.edpnet.be/charlesetchri...0kit%20pcb.jpg

By the way: I'm not using any RF device and my pic runs at 8MHz, 5V.

[duncan303]

It helped a lot there's a program called EAGLE that creates the plane once you draw a polygon and name it like the ground on the board. Does it do it right or not? Hell if I know.

looking good.. well done
turn off all the layers that you do not need to see and just leave bottom layer, then use the address label to "SHOW" your signal (whatever you have called it) and see the signal track it will shine brightly as a highlight, you will then see if the ground plane is cohesive. Its all down to wether when you created the polygon you used the setting "orphans", difficult for me to see in the jpg at the moment(on a mini machine) wether this is the case.

You are better not to have orphans using a single ground plane , unless you are running out of ethcant

cadsoft.de have a dedicated newsgroup, there is a lot there and they are very helpfull

[Ioannis]

If you have 1 layer board then you dont put Ground Plane on the other side.

If you want fast etching then use as much as possible Ground Plane.

If you want to protect against EMI then use as much as possible Ground Plane.

If you have double sided PCB, then
       If you want all the above then
            use as much as possible Ground Plane.
       Endif
Endif

If you have RF then use as much as possible as much (again) Ground Plane 

If you have double sided PCB, then
       If you want all the above then
            use as much as possible Ground Plane and
            connect with vias as many times as possible.
       Endif
Endif

Conclusion:

Always use as much as possible Ground Plane!

Ioannis

[duncan303]

Good Post Ioannis....

______

[xnihilo]

If you want fast etching then use as much as possible Ground Plane.

"etching"???

If you have RF then use as much as possible as much (again) Ground Plane

No rf used.

Always use as much as possible Ground Plane!

Well, I think I'm safe, I'm using a nice GND plane on BOTTOM side.

Thanks.

[ralfmayr]

Always use as much as possible Ground Plane!
If you have only GND Plane at the Bottom, and you forget to connect top layer assembled SMT components with their ground pad to the bottom layer, than you have a problem later...
Best is always using GND Planes on top and bottom, reduces EMI, reduces the problem described above and it is more easy to use SMT components like QFN components with heatsink/gnd pad in the middle. You only need to make some more extra gnd vias along the board outlines, thats important not to get later some dirty effects (More important in rf layouts). Keep attention not to get isolated areas also!
Regards,
Ralf

[xnihilo]

Well, EAGLE cad automatically AUTOroutes the tracks so I guess this program does the job pretty well or should I check everything once it has autorouted the tracks?

[ralfmayr]

I don't know Eagle, we work with Zuken-Cadstar.
But i would never let the Autorouter doing the GND routing job!

[Ioannis]

If you want fast etching then use as much as possible Ground Plane.

"etching"???

If you have RF then use as much as possible as much (again) Ground Plane

No rf used.

Always use as much as possible Ground Plane!

Well, I think I'm safe, I'm using a nice GND plane on BOTTOM side.

Thanks.

OK, OK, I know. I am not fluent in English. Sorry.

Ioannis

[Archangel]

OK, OK, I know. I am not fluent in English. Sorry.

Ioannis

I disagree, I think you are, "etching" is very likely the word I would have used, but then of course, I speak an American dialect of English, not exactly fish and chips.

Hey, I resemble that!!!

As do many of us !

Having the ability to <font color=blue><b>roll your own</b></font color> is great for prototyping or that one of a kind project.

More evidence of our generation ! BUT Yes, it sure does, and a heck of a lot cheaper!

[xnihilo]

looking good.. well done
turn off all the layers that you do not need to see and just leave bottom layer, then use the address label to "SHOW" your signal (whatever you have called it) and see the signal track it will shine brightly as a highlight, you will then see if the ground plane is cohesive. Its all down to wether when you created the polygon you used the setting "orphans", difficult for me to see in the jpg at the moment(on a mini machine) wether this is the case.

You are better not to have orphans using a single ground plane , unless you are running out of ethcant

cadsoft.de have a dedicated newsgroup, there is a lot there and they are very helpfull

Yes, thanks