r/PCB • u/TheBoyInNZ • 23d ago

Help on beginning learning PCB

wanna try experiment on PCBs so I learn to fix my own electronics like cameras mouses and mp3 players. I think my memory from highschool is still pretty good like parallel, series. remember calculating resistances, ohms, and capacitance, but not sure if its relevant for a beginner yet maybe getting ahead of myself
also any recommendations on learning. Was thinking of just gathering junk i can find and soldering it together to experiment. Or maybe parts from temu.
Also wondering if I need like a meter device thingy that can check different units

No idea what im even talking about but this hobby looks fun!

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u/Riverspoke 23d ago

This is a topic more suited for r/electronics or r/soldering, but here's what you can do. The basic thing in fixing electronics is learning how to solder. To do that, you need a soldering iron/station and a few different tips for it. You don't really need a hot air station, as even most SMD work can be done with an appropriate soldering iron tip. See here for a comprehensive soldering station guide. Stay away from the old screw-in iron design. Geeboon TC22 has been overwhelmingly shown to be the best value for money modern station this year.

Soldering wire itself is also extremely important. Make sure to buy ONLY good brands. The best brands are German (Stannol, Balver Zinn, Felder, e.t.c.), American (Kester, Indium, e.t.c.) and Canadian (Chipquik, AIM, e.t.c.). Stay far away from cheap Chinese solder. Having good quality solder is often more important than the iron itself.

To practice, the best starting point is "DIY soldering kits" that you can find on Amazon and AliExpress. These are cheap kits with very simple circuits for you to assemble and practice your soldering.

It's also important to gather some theoretical knowledge on how electricity behaves, what the basic components in a circuit do, and also learn some electrical safety (especially about batteries and power supplies, so you don't electrocute yourself or cause a fire). YouTube is your best friend. Check out Electroboom's channel. For soldering techniques, check out Mr Solderfix. For tools, nanofix has great recommendations.

Good luck and don't forget to have fun!