Making a PCB?

I am considering making my own accessory PCB for the RAMPS 1.4 board. Normally I would just breadboard something like this but this time I'm considering carrying more current than I normally do. Since I've never done this before I was wondering how wide the traces should to carry 12V DC at 5A, 11A and 15A. Various components on the board will include: relays, voltage divider, fuses, fans and lights. This is just an idea of what I want on it, as there may be more components. Anyway does some one have suggested trace widths?

thank you

... for higher currents (up to 40A pulsing) I'm designing with 1.2mm tracewidth and additionally solder a piece of copper-wire along the trace ...

---

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Quote
kd6hq
Since I've never done this before I was wondering how wide the traces should to carry 12V DC at 5A, 11A and 15A.

Rule of thumb is 0.5 to 1.0 mm track width per Ampére current. There are also calculators to get more precise numbers: [www.4pcb.com] [www.desmith.net] [www.pcbco.com.au]

---

Generation 7 Electronics	Teacup Firmware	RepRap DIY

When I have high current and not sure that traces are thick enough I put solder everywhere on the track.

... only soldering isn't sufficient for really high currents - better solder some copper wire onto the trace, touching/connecting the pins ... copper is much,much more conducting than solder

---

Viktor
--------
Aufruf zum Projekt "Müll-freie Meere" - [reprap.org] -- Deutsche Facebook-Gruppe - [www.facebook.com]

Call for the project "garbage-free seas" - [reprap.org]

Thanks

I've decided to use the following (from one of the calculators)
3A = .684mm
5A = 1.38mm
11A = 4.10mm
15A = 6.29mm

I went the next step up for each.

thanks again
kd6hq

If you have ever had a PCB made, what company made it for you?

thanks

Make sure that you take into account the thickness of the copper when you are calculating this. If the calculations are based on 2oz copper and you get a board with 1oz copper on it, all the calculations go out the window! Ask me how I know this.......

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/12/2015 03:58PM by andy.wpg.

---

"I have noticed that even those who assert that everything is predestined and that
we can change nothing about it still look both ways before they cross the street"

-Stephen Hawking

Thanks for the tip. This is my first attempt so your commits are appreciated.