Building on perfboard, best way to run Vcc/GND rails?

CraigHB

Joined Aug 12, 2011
127
Breadboard methods are good for whipping up quick and simple circuits, but I primarily use a PCB. I can make simple ones pretty quick. For the more complex stuff I pay to have them fabricated.

On some ocassions, I've used a hybrid PCB/solderless breadboard method, usually when testing subcircuits of an overall design. I just make a PCB for the components, then put pin headers on it that allow me to insert it into a solderless breadboard.

One problem with breadboarding is the lack of control in stray reactance. For a lot of stuff, it's not an issue, but when dealing with things like high speed digital buses and RF stuff, it can be a problem.
 

Thread Starter

lowprofile

Joined Oct 31, 2011
33
Well, I put my project together on perfboard, I was careful, but not careful enough. It doesn't work. I checked that everything is getting power, and it is.. Very discouraging. I'll have to troubleshoot it later. But at the moment, I feel like I should have invested my time in learning Eagle CAD and creating a single-sided board. I do have the ferric chloride, access to a laser printer, and a drill press, so.. Oh well.
 

thatoneguy

Joined Feb 19, 2009
6,359
Pre-tinned veroboard (don't get the copper colour stuff) is a really good way for beginners to whip up projects.
I've used veroboard twice, both times the non tinned variety, and I loved it. Drill out unwanted connections, and thin 3M copper tape makes a PCB type ground plane out of it in a hurry! (Though the 3M copper tape with conductive adhesive isn't cheap, a roll lasts a while)

Where do you purchase the pre-tinned veroboard from? Does Digi-Key or Mouser have a part number for it? Seems to be most common in the UK/EU and Australia.

PS- I don't see a Nifty 104/0.1uF/100nF SMD cap on the bottom of the board between Vdd and Vss, Shame On You!
 

tracecom

Joined Apr 16, 2010
3,944
Well, I put my project together on perfboard, I was careful, but not careful enough. It doesn't work. I checked that everything is getting power, and it is.. Very discouraging. I'll have to troubleshoot it later. But at the moment, I feel like I should have invested my time in learning Eagle CAD and creating a single-sided board. I do have the ferric chloride, access to a laser printer, and a drill press, so.. Oh well.
If you posted your schematic and good top and bottom photo's of your prototype, someone here might spot your mistake.
 

THE_RB

Joined Feb 11, 2008
5,438
...
Where do you purchase the pre-tinned veroboard from? Does Digi-Key or Mouser have a part number for it? Seems to be most common in the UK/EU and Australia.
...
It was one of the Australian hobby outlets, either DickSmith, Altronics or Jaycar. Sorry I can't remember, I buy a few boards only every couple of years and the boards are pretty big so I get heaps of small PCBs from one board.

I didn't think the pre tinned veroboard was rare or anything.
 

ErnieM

Joined Apr 24, 2011
8,377
I do a surprising amount of prototype work on good old Radio Shack boards. These are cheap and thus disposable, I do not like to use them for anything permanent such as a fixture. As these are single sided with no plating the lands are quite easy to lift.

For larger prototypes or permanent work I like Vector Boards with plated holes or if need be boards with external connectors.

While I like the boards with DIP pads and power buses I am tending away from them as of late as I am tending away from DIPs in general. I make power buses out of solid bus wire soldered down to the pads.
 

Wendy

Joined Mar 24, 2008
23,415
I guess this thread has been thoroughly hijacked, so one more off topic post won't hurt.
Actually I disagree, or I wouldn't have let it go on. Thing is, some breadboards define the ground and power supply rails, while others you have to create them.

Opposing opinions nonwithstanding, I don't see basic perf board disappearing anytime soon, it is too ubiquitous. It is the basic starting point, everything else spins off of that.

For general use I don't think it matters how you lay out Vcc and Gnd, the bypass capacitors are probably more important.
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
I agree with Bill. I do almost all my prototyping on padded, 0.1"x0.1" perfboard...Radio Shack if convenient. I use Express PCB to do the schematic and PCB layout. I have to add some custom components to fit the 0.1"x0.1" foot prints. Since the perfboard is essentially single-sided I use stripped Kynar wire for traces on what would be the "botton-side" on a double sided PCB, and unstripped Kynar for traces that would be the "top-side" on a PCB. All this on the bottom of the perfboard. Then, if I decide to go to a real PCB for the final version, the layout is done. The fact that the schematic and PCB are linked in Express PCB, I rarely make mistakes in my point-to-point hand-wiring. No high-speed or RF stuff.

Ken
 

THE_RB

Joined Feb 11, 2008
5,438
(tinned verobaord) Tis relatively rare here in the southern US.
Interesting!

I checked my remaining stock, it is marked H 5614 which seems to be a DickSmith Electronics partnumber. Then I check the DSE catalogue and the closest they have is H 5616 which is tinned stripboard but with some segregation in it.

Looks like the H5614 might be a discontinued item. :(

I use plain copper veroboard too but once it has been in use for years it can get green from humidity. And can be hard to solder if it is old stock, you need to scrub with a scotchbrite to clean it up.
 
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