How to Clean Electronic Circuit Boards

The best way to clean an electronic circuit is to use isopropyl alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol is a great PCB cleaner as it is inexpensive and evaporates quickly. Isopropyl alcohol is safe for circuit boards and most components on the board.

How to Read a Capacitor

A capacitor is a circuit element that responds to rapidly changing signals. Capacitors store the energy from strong signals and can turn this energy into the circuit when needed. The…

What Is a Tantalum Capacitor?

Tantalum is a hard and corrosion resistant silver-gray metal. Tantalum capacitor is a kind of electrolytic capacitor. The tantalum capacitor has an anode made of tantalum metal instead of aluminum. Tantalum capacitors have smaller dimensions and better tolerances than equivalent aluminum capacitors.

What Is the Difference Between Electrolytic and Ceramic Capacitor?

A capacitor is a two-terminal passive electronic component that stores energy in the form of electrical charges. While there are capacitors in many forms, they all contain at least two conductive plates separated by a dielectric layer. Electrolytic and ceramic capacitors are the two main types of capacitors used in electronic circuits. The main difference between the two capacitors has to do with the layer separating the conductive plates.

How to Identify a Bad Capacitor

A capacitor, also known as a condenser or condensator, is an electronic component that stores electrical energy. Like any other electronic component, capacitors are extremely sensitive to voltage spikes. Voltage fluctuations can permanently damage capacitors and cause them to fail. There are different methods to test if a capacitor has failed.

What Is a Spectrophotometer?

Devices that measure electromagnetic energy precisely at certain wavelengths of light are called spectrophotometers. The spectrophotometer is used to identify colors and determine how much of each color is present in a light.

What Is Via?

In a multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB), the small holes that provide the electrical connection between the layers are called Via. Holes are drilled through the board on the different layers of the circuit board and made conductive by electroplating or by placing a copper cylinder in the hole.

What Is the Difference Between Off-Grid and On-Grid Solar Energy?

Off-grid solar systems require batteries to store energy, are not connected to the local grid and are self-sufficient. On-grid solar systems are connected to the electricity grid and therefore do not need batteries. This is the main difference between off-grid and on-grid solar power system.

What Is the Difference Between PWM and MPPT Charge Controllers?

Solar charge controllers control the energy coming from the solar panels, adjust the current and voltage, then send it to the batteries. A charge controller is needed in every solar energy system. Charge controllers are divided into two as PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) and MPPT (Maximum Power Point Tracking).

What Is the Difference Between AC and DC?

Electric current refers to the movement of electrons along the conductor like a wire. Electrical energy flows in two ways, alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). The difference between AC and DC has to do with the direction the electrons are flowing.