First Watt F1 Build with boards

[hifimaker]

Hello,

I'm building a pair of F1's over the holiday break. Below are pictures of the main Amp board.

I'm looking for advice on these boards and any helpful input to improve the layout. This is a single sided board with all traces on the bottom layer and a ground plane on the top layer.

The board is 2"x6.5" or for our friends elsewhere in the world... 50.8mm X 165mm. The top layer silk screen is imaged here on both sides to help facilitate design ideas and perhaps catch any errors.

Thank you!

-David

Bottom layer looking through the top:


Top View:

[hifimaker]

Here's the BOM for this F1:

[hifimaker]

Closer to actual size 2.0"x6.5" ... -David

[cfcubed]

I'm no expert, but those FETs look awful close to one-another to me...

Unless you're doing liquid freon cooling or something, think you want an inch or more between them to allow them space to cool (depending on thickness of heatsink base & other characteristics.)
They get mighty hot Others may be able to be more specific.

You are probably trying to reduce PCB area due to cost, but something more like 9"x1.5" might make a better home for your FETs.

Re: Ground plane - Didn't have one on my F1 boards, didn't use them on the F2 boards I ExpressPCBed & still dead quiet on my FE126s. But again, no expert here.

Maybe you should share your heatsinking ideas to get feedback from some on that too

[twitchie]

Very nice work David

It looks like you could push the device spacing out if you wanted.

Did you originally do a single-sided layout? It looks like it would be a simple thing to make it single sided - would you mind if I used your artwork as a basis for my own? You don't have to send or post anything - I'll draw my own layout for etching but will modify for single sided.

Thanks for sharing and thanks to Nelson for being the first one to share

F1 is the only one I haven't started building (F4 and F5 running, F2 and F3 partially populated)

[cfcubed]

Yes, everyone's a critic incl me I guess Forgot complement on the looks of the board... Lot's better they my layouts

[hifimaker]

Thanks for the input. I've redrawn the boards to a width of 9"x2" to spread out the the mosfets for better heat distribution.

Here is version .92

After a little more feedback, I'm placing an order. Does anyone else need F1 boards?

-David

Bottom layer looking through the top:



Top with Silkscreen:



Approximate actual size:

[grimberg]

Regarding your BOM, I suggest you purchase Vishay/Dale resistors and Wima capacitors from Mouser. They carry both MKP and FKP. If you search the forum you will see that some members have had issues with the vendor you have selected.

[Tea-Bag]

Originally posted by dw8083
Thanks for the input. I've redrawn the boards to a width of 9"x2" to spread out the the mosfets for better heat distribution.

Here is version .92

After a little more feedback, I'm placing an order. Does anyone else need F1 boards?

-David

Bottom layer looking through the top:



Top with Silkscreen:



Approximate actual size:

Sure, I would take some boards, but where is C3 1000uf cap gonna go? Is it hiding on me?

[hifimaker]

Thanks mithomas, I fixed the C3 cap.

Below is version .93 of the boards. I'm hoping to find enough DIYer's for 10 or more boards for a small GB. 30 boards are $18.00 each, 40 boards are $15.00 each
- plus shipping which is probably a buck in the US for a pair of boards. If we have enough interest, I'll get approval from Nelson to proceed.

The boards are 0.062" FR-4 epoxy glass, double sided, green solder mask on both sides, and with a silk screen on the top layer.
The copper traces are 1 1/4 oz. Dimensions are 2"x9" or 50.8mm x 228.6mm.

The top layer is a ground plane.

I appreciate any additional error checking or thoughts or challenges to the layout to improve it.

-David

Bottom Layer looking through the top:



Top layer with Silk screen: