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My new PSU burns out – I fix it, and torture it by cracking water


My brand new PSU, themost complicated circuit I designed and built just recently, startedlife in October 2023. It seemed to work pretty well, at least I gott...

After careful inspection and ultimate removal of the charred remains of the track, I reached the conclusion (supported by several measurements) that the rest of the PCB survived intact, including all the components on it. In line with prior expectations, conductivity of the electrolytic solution of sodium bicarbonate increases in proportion with the concentration of charged particles (ions) in the water. Having tasted the sweet fruit of 8-mil tracks (and clearances) bringing the ability to design fairly dense circuits, I need to remember the lesson: there must be some real distance to insulate voltages higher than a couple volts.

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