Questions tagged [ground-plane]
An area of copper on a PCB which is connected to the PCB's ground node in order to provide a return path for current from the various circuits on the board. The ground plane's area is typically made as large as possible (even occupying an entire board layer) in order to minimize its impedance, thus allowing it to conduct high return currents without a significant voltage drop from one part of the board to another. Use with related tags such as "pcb".
304 questions
1
vote
2
answers
58
views
RP2350 or RP2040 Power Setup
I want to create a board ideally using the RP2350 (if they're able to release for industrial and academic purposes by the end of the year) or the RP2040 as a microcontroller for a custom board. I need ...
- 11
0
votes
0
answers
39
views
Altium: Why don't connected rats nets to power plane using a via automatically remove?
I'm designing a 4 layer board Signal, GND, 3v3, Signal.
On the signal layer I place vias connected to the 3v3 net but I notice the associated rats nest doesn't disappear for these connections once ...
- 101
2
votes
1
answer
43
views
Vias between power planes and power islands
In a PCB I am designing, on the top layer I generate 5V and 0.5V, and I made two individual layers that act as power planes for those voltages. The connection between the power planes and the two buck ...
3
votes
2
answers
331
views
Can return currents travelling through ground plane be coupled to signal lanes
In a PCB with proper stack up like sig-gnd-sig-gnd etc. I was wondering if return currents going back to source (let's say battery) through proper ground planes can be coupled to signal lines above ...
- 63
0
votes
1
answer
53
views
How to calculate the distance between two vias in a Via Fence
I am designing a 2 layer PCB for an IoT application. Its a 2 layer PCB with onboard antennas for GSM and GNSS. The board uses wired communication protocols like I2C, CAN, UART and SPI. I have stitched ...
- 9
3
votes
1
answer
138
views
Empty Spaces on PCB
I'm designing a PCB for the first time, and I've read it's good practice to fill blank spaces with pours, I've done this with the ground layer, but am unsure whether I should do it with the top layer ...
- 91
0
votes
1
answer
93
views
Is this the correct way of adding vias to connect two GND pours/planes?
Following this advice, I created a GND pour/plane in F.Cu and B.Cu. Then added 4 vias with the default settings (I didn't touch anything). My intention is to connect the two GND pours/planes so that ...
- 293
0
votes
2
answers
186
views
Should I use "thermal relief" or "solid"?
I want to create a ground plane for my circuit in KiCad:
I chose Add Filled Zone and B.Cu (back copper layer). Now, in pad connections, I can choose "Thermal relief" or "Solid".
...
- 293
0
votes
2
answers
84
views
Does it make sense to place ground plane "island" within power plane layer for return paths of traces on adjacent layers?
I have the following layer stack up:
Layer 1: Components and traces
Layer 2: Dedicated ground plane
Layer 3: Power plane
Layer 4: Additional traces as needed
I have read (I'm a beginner at circuit ...
- 57
4
votes
3
answers
376
views
GND plane between tracks or tracks closer enough to remove the GND tracks
I am working in a design with many signals, no high speed signals, just some switches signals and encoders tracks. However I had problems with the ground uniformity sometime ago, therefore I would ...
- 41
0
votes
2
answers
106
views
Can you have a ground plane and a VCC plane right next to each other when designing a PCB?
I have never designed a PCB before. This is my first time.
In the picture below I have all my VCC pins highlighted in white that need to be connected together along with a VCC plane that encloses all ...
- 1,204
4
votes
2
answers
432
views
Ground and power plane for this simple 2-layer PCB
I have a relatively simple PCB which I designed to manage some features of a analogue door bell system:
enable/disable the call,
detect the call,
open the door,
play some piezo status sounds.
As I ...
- 484
4
votes
2
answers
506
views
PCB layout for crystal of MSP430FR6047
I want to design a layout for MSP430FR6047 and I was reviewing a reference design form TI for MSP430FR6047 Evaluation board, then I noticed the are 4 different GNDs as follows: (USSXTAL_GND, ...
- 1,144
1
vote
2
answers
139
views
Adding a ground loop on the edge of the PCB [duplicate]
I saw on some PCB, the they have added a ground loop on the edge of a PCB, I wonder what would be the benefits of this?
- 1,144
10
votes
10
answers
3k
views
How can I find where a short has occurred inside of a PCB?
I have designed a board in KiCad that I then had manufactured by JLCPCB. It has a ground plane and a 5V plane, which are shorted together. This does not appear in the schematic or PCB files. How can I ...
- 109
0
votes
0
answers
46
views
GND Copper pour on TOP/BOTTOM? [duplicate]
If I open the PCB of a Texas Instruments ControlCard I notice they did not add a copper pour plane on the top and the bottom. I know there is a GND plane below, but in my understanding, more ground is ...
- 849
2
votes
0
answers
62
views
PCB ESD Ground Path analysis
We recently received this document from our battery pack supplier and it's intended to explain the ground path incase of ESD surge/spike.
I'm a beginner and I would appreciate it if someone on here ...
- 81
0
votes
0
answers
44
views
Changing from Through hole to Surface mount component
I have a design that would require a flat backing of our pcb. We are attaching a flex pcb to the back of this board being designed. This caused me to move/change some components from another engineers ...
- 353
0
votes
0
answers
67
views
How to improve wifi reception on LR1110 Chip?
I am building a custom PCB with the LR1110 LoRa chip, which uses a WiFi chip antenna for obtaining MAC address of the wifi networks. For the WiFi Chip antenna, I am using a W3006 Ceramic Chip Antenna....
2
votes
1
answer
133
views
Best practice for via stitching of multiple GND planes with analog and digital on different PCB sides
I'm quite well aware of standard practices of grounding in mixed signal application. I bascially always use just one large common ground and use wise component placement to keep current transients ...
- 9,749
3
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Is it bad practice for audio inputs and outputs to share a common ground?
Say I have an audio AC input(RCA stereo). This is underlaid by a ground plane before being terminated and fed to the amplifier. The output is SE(stereo audio from the TPA3123D2), however is also ...
- 650
1
vote
1
answer
43
views
DDR3 U-DIMM Signal Reference Plain
I am doing the PCB layout of a DDR3 U-DIMM and I have run into a perceived gap in the JEDEC DDR3 DIMM standards and am hoping to get some input from a DDR3 SME who could clarify the Address/Control ...
- 27
0
votes
1
answer
67
views
Inverter Oscillator Ground Return
I have a PCB design for a guitar pedal with a DSP chip processing some audio signals that would normally run off a 32768 Hz crystal, but part of the guitar effect allows the user to change the clock ...
0
votes
1
answer
129
views
Puzzling Altium Violation (Beginner): Net Antennae
I've recently run into a puzzling violation in Altium. My project has many issues admittedly, as you'll no doubt notice from the figures I've attached, but I'm trying to go one at a time here.
...
- 1
3
votes
2
answers
137
views
Ground Plane Method
I am designing a PCB to handle some modifications as a stepping stone from a well designed pcb from professionals to what my modifications need to be.
I have poured ground on top and bottom and joined ...
- 353
0
votes
1
answer
54
views
Precautions when using multiple analog devices on same circuit
I have a KP236N6165XTMA1 5V analog pressure sensor and a SHT31-ARP-B 3.3V analog temperature and humidity sensor on the same circuit, connected to the same ground plane (see v0.2 schematic bellow).
...
- 179
1
vote
2
answers
99
views
Use earth as shield between high and low voltage on PCB
I have a PCB with both mains and low voltage.
The ground plane of the low voltage side is kept distant from mains (separation marked with a white silkscreen line), and separated with cutouts.
I am ...
- 121
0
votes
1
answer
34
views
EAGLE PCB GND Plane not properly connecting to through hole pins
So I submitted this board design to PCBWay to get prototypes, but they kicked it back to me saying that there are very thin wires throughout the board. Upon inspecting the pictures they sent back to ...
0
votes
1
answer
395
views
Understanding the basics of a ground plane and vias to it on a 2 layer PCB
I'm trying to learn the process of PDB design. I believe I've succeeded at placing my components and drawing tracks to their pads, but am having trouble adding the ground plane and connections to it.
...
- 1,347
10
votes
5
answers
4k
views
Should I fill free PCB space with ground?
I'm new to PCB design and I'm wondering if it makes sense in a two layer PCB to fill any free space on the top and bottom layer with a ground area.
My design:
- 155
0
votes
1
answer
79
views
Helical antenna on PCB connected on ground?
I purchased the wireless bell that works on 433 MHz and would like to have an antenna with more gain in order to receive the signal a little bit far.
When I opened the device I found the helical ...
5
votes
3
answers
704
views
PCB layout review: ground layout for CC step down converter
I'm laying out a step down converter based on the ST L5973AD being used in constant-current layout to drive LEDs, per Application note 2823.
My previous question was what is the datasheet telling us ...
- 16.2k
6
votes
2
answers
234
views
Split or not split the ground plane in a low-noise design?
For low-noise design, many component datasheets suggest dividing the ground plane into AGND and DGND and linking them with a star connection.
But my ten years of experience in EMC have shown me that ...
- 1,361
8
votes
3
answers
845
views
Confining signal using stitching vias on a 2 layer PCB
I have read in some questions (for example: Via Stitching on 2 Layer PCB when top layer is not fully ground pour ), that stitching vias are useless when one's PCB only has 2 layers, however people do ...
- 549
1
vote
2
answers
114
views
Additional ground area for thermal mass
My 2-layer PCB has a ground plane on the bottom layer and almost everything is routed on the front layer.
I'm using a MCP1501 Voltage Reference, its data sheet says:
Of particular importance is the ...
- 551
0
votes
0
answers
153
views
EN55032 Conducted Emissions - 40cm From Vertical Reference Ground Plane
I've always wondered why we need to position the EUT 40cm from the metallic wall for conducted emissions testing. Does it have something to do with the EUT capacitively coupling the higher end of the ...
1
vote
1
answer
732
views
Ethernet external magnetics layout
I am laying out a 10/100Mbps Ethernet PCB with discrete magnetics. From the magnetics to the PHY chip I have a system ground plane on the adjacent layer for the return path. From the connector to the ...
- 377
1
vote
1
answer
564
views
Ethernet PCB layout: Ground
I am designing a Ethernet PCB with external magnetics on a 4 layer board. On the PHY side I have the system ground on the adjacent layer under the two differential pair for the return path. How about ...
- 377
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
PCB design - noise and ground loop
I'm working on a electronic load and it's not very sensitive to noise, the questions are mostly out of curiosity.
On the PCB I have a fan control circuitry that I separated the ground and positive ...
- 2,428
2
votes
2
answers
196
views
Copper fills in top and bottom layer from a cost perspective
I've seen low-cost boards from consumer electronics that have just tracks connecting the pins and they will have no copper ground pours. Since making these as cheap as possible is the goal, doesn't it ...
- 31
1
vote
1
answer
881
views
How to correctly ground/isolate a grounded enclosure type thermocouple?
My K-type thermocouple (grounded enclosure type) connected to MAX31855 adapter connected to Arduino Mega gives me faults every few readings. It's really, really bad. I've tried swapping thermocouples, ...
- 417
0
votes
2
answers
386
views
Where to connect two GND layers together?
I have a 4 layer PCB. The stackup is as follows:
SIG + PWR | GND | GND | SIG + PWR
Now I want to connect both GND planes with each other. EasyEDA Pro has this feature called "suture vias". ...
- 107
0
votes
1
answer
236
views
Does separating DGND and AGND with two different layers for each make any sense?
In my last question I found out that having two different layers for Ground and Analog Ground may induce capacitive coupling. Now I want to ask more generally if the idea I had is worse than ...
- 107
1
vote
1
answer
80
views
Does it make sense to connect the MAX6675 to a Analog Plane?
I'm currently designing a PCB with 4 Layers. The stack up is as follows:
Signal - DGND Plane - AGND Plane - Signal.
There are a ton of components connected to the DGND Plane, and I know that for ...
- 107
1
vote
1
answer
322
views
How can I connect the ground planes to GND?
I'm trying to make a double-sided PCB in Proteus Ares. I added the planes using the Power Plane Generator tool, but there is no connection between planes and ground, if that makes sense. The only ...
1
vote
0
answers
169
views
Chassis and digital ground in an eight layer PC motherboard
I have GNDC (chassis GND) and GND (digital GND) on my PC motherboard design.
All connectors in my design (RJ45, USB-TypeC, USB-TypeA, HDMI, DP, etc.) are connected to the chassis through the GNDC ...
- 1,097
1
vote
1
answer
298
views
What's the intuition behind connecting a wire shield to the ground plane on a bare board?
I have an old (1970s) PCB that generates a (baseband, composite) NTSC video signal. It is a bare board without a containing chassis or case. I am using a shielded cable for the video output line and ...
- 2,153
0
votes
1
answer
661
views
Stripline with coplanar ground plane?
I can't seem to find any impedance calculator that offers this configuration — not sure if it has a different name; I'm referring to a trace on an inner layer, sandwiched between ground planes on the ...
- 2,185
1
vote
1
answer
144
views
Noise on PCB trace influences NTC measurement
I have a general question regarding noise in PCB-Designs.
The PCB I'm currently working on is failing some tests on the RF side. I have scanned the internet for information, but there are no concrete ...
- 23
0
votes
1
answer
342
views
Why does this RF PCB have small holes in the ground polygon?
I usually pay attention to RF PCBs.
This shape is like a hole, but it is not, the ground surface is used in the form.
What is the purpose of making these holes?
How can I make them easily with the ...
- 1,193