During my electronics product i had to test my circuit board for fault which was causing my Led's to cut out (click image for link to blog)
What next?
- The visual checks i learnt about earlier in this section came in handy and actually solved a few of the problems i encountered such as gaps in the copper track and dry joints.
- One of the most important things I have learnt from fault finding is to check that the batteries are working before conducting all the other fault finding checks as to not waste time! I initially thought that fault finding and testing would be rather complicated and technical but a lot of it is common sense!
- Sometimes it is not the circuit that inst working but maybe there is a problem with my program! or the pic chip! the legs can be easily bent and broke, or stop working if put the wrong way round!
- Make more use of prototyping and testing on small parts of the circuit to realise any problems before you have painstakingly soldered everything together only top realise something isn't working!
- Have a methodical order when testing. A problem i encountered was i was checking random area's then leaving it and then coming back to it, as a result i forgot to test area's and tested the same bit twice
What next?
- I still do not know what calibration procedures are?
- In future projects i will do more initial tests using the protoboard to iron out any problems in the early stages