Ground plane vs Power plane..?

[Cheif_Chris_Kyle]

Hey folks…complete beginner here…
I am confused whether to use a ground plane or Power plane for my PCB…unfortunately could find a good comparison anywhere…
I was confused about the track widths to be provided for different tracks based on the current they have to carry and all…that’s when I thought about going for a power plane…so does using Power plane remove the problem of track widths?
Any help is highly appreciated…Thanks!

[Piotr]

@Cheif_Chris_Kyle

I am confused whether to use a ground plane or Power plane for my PCB

All my PCBs have all bottom as GND. It is good from EMC (Electromagnetic Compatibility) point of view.
If you want to know about EMC you can read articles I have pointed in past:

Decoupling capacitor via placement

I didn’t read that book but I suppose you can replace it with: I think it is enough for most pcb designers.

Decoupling capacitor via placement

About 2004 I found an interesting serie of EMC articles by Keith Armstrong (for many years I didn’t know if Keith is a woman or men name). Later they became no accessible, but when I tried to find them few years ago I found them once more: http://www.compliance-club.com/pdf/DesignTechniquesPart1.pdf http://www.compliance-club.com/pdf/DesignTechniquesPart2.pdf http://www.compliance-club.com/pdf/DesignTechniquesPart3.pdf http://www.compliance-club.com/pdf/DesignTechniquesPart4.pdf http://www…

I use standard tracks for VCC (like 1mm width) but my devices need not higher VCC currents than about 300mA. To have full GND at bottom (to not break it with openings) I use 0R resistors.
You can see example of that way designed PCB here:

Approaching PCB track routing for a newbie

Positioning for me is the main work in designing PCB. If each element is where it is needed than routing is simple. Till now all my PCBs are 2 layers and all of them have GND plane taking 100% of bottom layer. So except GND I design my PCBs as 1 layer. I use microcontrollers in QFP packages without thermal pad at bottom. This allows me to go with VCC under the microcontroller and go out through all corners and all VCC pins. That way GND and VCC don’t disturb my signal connections. At all digi…

The track signed as VC is really VCC but as I used 0R (top-right of biggest IC at picture) I had to use different net name. The next 0R there is at bottom-right of that IC.

If you need higher currents than using Power plane is welcome.

@Cheif_Chris_Kyle

so does using Power plane remove the problem of track widths?

Only up to some current level. Everything depends. I have never designed high current PCBs so I don’t feel being competent to write anything more.

[Cheif_Chris_Kyle]

Thank you so much for the quick reply! Much Appreciated!

[Cheif_Chris_Kyle]

Hi folks.
I had asked this doubt earlier…but I am still confused…
My question is that: If I can use a Ground plane or Power plane for my PCB , which option should I go for? Am I free to use either of them as per wish?
Also since I am also confused about track widths for my power tracks, will using a power plane avoid that problem?
And oh, what about Ground plane on one side and Power plane on other in my 2 layer PCB? Is this method even used commonly in PCB design?

I am complete beginner…so sorry for any stupid queries…
Any help is highly appreciated…Thank you so so much1

[Piotr]

@Cheif_Chris_Kyle

Also since I am also confused about track widths for my power tracks, will using a power plane avoid that problem?

Everything depends on current that is expected to flow through your tracks and you haven’t even specified the range of currents you plan to pass through the paths (single mA, hundreds of mA or tens of A?).
If power plane would make the copper track cross-section infinitive than you could say that it definitively avoids the problem of track width but even you use power plane the copper cross-section is still finite and copper at PCB is not superconductor.
So the problem is just like selecting wires to connect something. You will not power your washing machine through CAT5 Ethernet cable, will you?

[jmk]

This really is an “Electronic Design” question rather than a “How to with Kicad” question.

[eelik]

Jmk is right. To be fair to those whose topics have been locked as offtopic, we have to lock this, too. We have to try to keep the forum focused on KiCad more directly.