MT3608 module for Fritzing

[Frederiko]

I need the MT3608 module for Fritzing. Is there someone who can help me?

[UniquePete]

Sure, see MT3608 Module. I haven’t actually used this part yet, but it loads and seems to check out OK.

[Frederiko]

It works fine, Pete. Thank you very much!

[Garry Heather]

Thank you for producing this part – however I have run into a slight problem. The part only has one layer as far as Fritzing is concerned and being new to Fritzing I do not know how to modify the part.

I am making a simple PCB carrier for the MT3608 that has a USB connector on one side (to get supply voltage in) and a terminal block on the other side (to get it out again) for a simple 5v to 6v convertor. The module will be attached to the PCB via header pins for ease of assembly and to get a trace onto the underside of the board without an unnecessary via hole. This requires a through-hole approach and the part as on the website today (10/02/22) only has connections on the top layer.

Fritzing reports the following for each of the 4 pins when performing the DRC:

“Connector Pin1 on Part MT3608 Module ‘MT3608@ should have both copper top and bottom layers, but the svg only specifies one layer”

Does this make sense ? In other words if I were to generate the PCB layout with the current part there would be no pads on the underside of the board.

If this was deliberate then would it be too difficult for someone to modify this part so as to include the second layer ?

I would really like to use this part as it seems to be the most complete and accurate fit that I have found so far.

Regards,

Garry.

[UniquePete]

I could probably modify the part OK, although I’ve never produced a part that would generate surface mount pads on both sides of a PCB. But do you really want ‘pads’ on both sides of your PCB? It is a ‘through hole part’, so if you are using header pins (they will go through your PCB OK) you shouldn’t need the pads at all. I included the pads to provide the option to simply solder the part directly to a parent PCB, as I do myself with the TP4056 module.

The FritzingCheckPart script does issue a warning when I run it over this part, telling me that:

This is a through hole part as both copper0 and copper1 views are present.
If you wanted a smd part remove the copper0 definition from line <nn>

indicating that there are actually two layers, but that I might not want the second layer.

I must confess, however, that I use Fritzing only to produce illustrations for documentation. I’ve never used it to produce a PCB so I don’t really know why the DRC is reporting the error (I’m just guessing why it might be).

If you like, one of us could post a quesiton on the Fritzing forum. I’d be interested to know why the DRC is complaining. If this is a problem with the part, as distinct from the Fritzing DRC, I’d be happy to do whatever needs to be done to the part. I’ve a few others that might need to be modified in a similar way.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by UniquePete.

[UniquePete]

I’ve posted this query on the Fritzing forum. This will be sure to catch someone who knows what’s going on here.

[Garry Heather]

Hi Pete,

Thank you for looking into this – there appears to be some considerable time difference between us* which means I am out of step with your original response. I would have replied earlier if this were not the case.

I see there has been some activity on the Fritzing forum regarding this overnight (the guys who frequent the forum are often absolute stars) so I will take a look at the revised part today and report back.

Garry.

* at the time of posting this, it is 09:49 on 11/02/22 my local time.

[Garry Heather]

Hi Pete,

Thank you again for your time. I have just quickly knocked up a simple proof of concept board design using the edited part that microMerlin posted to the forum and that should work for me. I now have holes that can be drilled and through-plated where I did not before so I am probably good to go.

I have ordered a few prototype boards from my fabricator to make sure that everything is OK (see https://aisler.net/p/OTUOTYAB) before I go mad on the real-world application with its alligned connectors and mounting holes. Everything looks OK on paper but I’ve been caught out that way before and I can always use the spare PCB’s for development work elsewhere.

Thanks again,

Garry.

[Garry Heather]

Hi Pete,

Apologies if this gets posted twice, my last comment does not seem to have appeared.

Thank you again for your time on this. I have quickly made a “proof of concept” design using the part edited by microMerlin and I now have drilled, through plated holes in the design with which to solder the MT3608 module to. It looks good on paper and on an initial render but I have been caught out this way before. I have ordered a couple of prototype boards (see here if you are interested) to make sure that everything is OK before I start aligning connectors and mounting holes for my intended application.

Regards,

Garry.

[UniquePete]

The part available on this website has now been updated to correct this issue.

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