PCB Boards – Everything You Need To Know

PCBs are incorporated into most electronic devices and equipment where they will connect the electrical components and elements together. For example, a coffee machine will contact a PCB board connecting the display, heater elements and the electronic control system. Conductive tracks connect each part of the circuit and help electricity flow through the board and each component. A soldering iron is used to solder the components on the board, such as LEDs, batteries and resistors.

There are many layers within PCBs that are both non-conductive and conductive sheets. They can either be one-sided which will have one copper layer or be two-sided that will contain double copper layers. The PCB can also be multi-layered which will have different levels of copper and substrate mixed together. 

It is crucial to understand that there are different types and layers of PCBs which is why a fully qualified electrician should operate on them. To know how to find and hire a good electrician our blog ‘how do I choose a good electrician’ is extremely helpful.

Overtime printed circuit boards fail, deteriorate and experience other issues which will require a PCB repair service. Printed circuit board repair work is always carried out by trained and qualified electricians who will operate safely during the repair process. The most common reasons a damaged PCB occurs are:

• Physical Damage – most times a PCB will fail from it being physically damaged and its parts defected. A large amount of physical pressure or from a high volume of electrical current, a PCB being damaged should be repaired as soon as possible. Melting down the damaged sections is often the best way to resolve a broken PCB. Reassembling and repairing certain parts can also occur when needing to repair physical damage.
• Component Failure – a faulty component with the PCB can easily cause the whole system to fail. Any component connected with the PCB might have failed or been broken from overheating, old age or large amounts of voltage. Most times replacing the specific component will be the best way to resolve component failures. 
• Trace Damage – traces on a PCB are the conductive pathways that will link each component to each other. They are often copper or silver and can be easily noticed on the board. Overusing the device or physical damage are the most common ways the traces fail. Lightning strikes, short circuits, overheating and dust can also lead the traces to be damaged. Resoldering the traces are needed to repair the broken circuit traces and reconnect the components.
• Poor Design – the PCB may have been built poorly which can lead to it failing. Rushing the build, using poor materials and utilising incorrect techniques can lead to the PCB board being unprofessionally designed. Poorly built and designed PCB boards will more likely break earlier, experience faults or other types of issues. An electrician will be able to detect a poorly designed PCB and replace it with a proper one if needed.
• Power Failure – often due to electrical overloading, powerful surges and unexpected electrical spikes, a PCB can experience a power failure. When the power board becomes too hot from the voltage rise then it will fail, overheat or explode. An electrician will use a voltage meter to determine if the PCB is secure and that the device is safe.

The licensed electrician working on the PCB repair will follow specific guidelines to ensure the system is repaired correctly:

• Inspection – an electrician will look over the whole PCB and each part to notice any visible damages. A voltage meter can also be used if there are no visible signs of damages even though the PCB has failed.
• Repair – depending on the type of damage will determine what tools and techniques are used to repair the PCB. From utilising soldering irons to replacing the whole board, the trained professional will know exactly how to repair the system.
• Test – after the repair has been completed a final inspection and test will be carried out for safety reasons and to ensure the job is successful.