First of all, a big thank you to all that have developed KiCad, It’s amazing
I have a small problem, the symbol used for Omron Relay G5V-2 Is not of the correct layout and this is preventing me from drawing a diagram in KiCad that I already have on paper with correct relay layout
The following symbol is in KiCad
Sorry, new users can only put one embedded media item in a post.(Problem)
Below is the correct symbol
Is there a simple way to solve this problem for someone new to KiCad?
Thank you in advance
PS. I have noticed that what seems to be the correct image is shown in the KiCad PCB tool, it is very similar to the following
Sorry, new users can only put one embedded media item in a post.(Problem)
What is wrong with the G5V in KiCad?
You can choose between two versions. The G5V-2 has all the parts in a single schematic symbol, while the G5V-2_Split is divided in to three parts (A, B and C) so you can put the switches in your schematic separate from the relay coil.
You seem to be confused. A symbol isn’t supposed to show the pins as they’re on the PCB. A symbol is supposed the shot the pins of your component in a logical order according to their functionality. So what’s wrong with the symbols?
Some beginners want Schematic Symbols with pins in the same order as the pads on the Footprints, but this is both unnecessary and contra productive.
There is no need whatsoever tho have a schematic symbol resembling the footprint. A schematic is an abstraction of what a circuit does, while on the PCB physical sizes have to match so parts can be soldered to footprints. The connection between the schematic symbols and the PCB footprints is made with the pin numbers. Look closely at the pin numbers of your schematic symbol, and compare them with the symbols in KiCad. The relay coils is between pins 4 and 16, the common contacts for all symbols are on pins 4 and 13, etc. So you can just use the G5V-2 from KiCad. If you use the “Split” version, then you can even use the coils and the contacts as seperate items in your schematic, while KiCad keeps track of everything, and puts them together in the right locations on the PCB. Just make a little test project to try this out and get more familiar with KiCad.
You already have both the symbol and footprint as I posted above. You will find the relay symbol in the relay symbol library and the footprint in the relay footprint library.
The footprint is based on a DIP 16 footprint ie. .1 inch between pads vertically and .3 inch between rows. Pad 1 is the square pad, 2 & 3 & 5 & 7 are missing, as are 10 & 12 & 14 & 15.
The symbol in the Kicad library is drawn in such a way to make it easy for the reader of the schematic to follow.
NOTE: All the pins and contacts are exactly the same as your drawing, only positioned differently.
The drawing you have posted is much harder to follow and is primarily drawn so anyone holding an example of the relay can easily see which pins are associated with which contacts.
Thank you very much, I now understand the logic and how unimportant the symbol I wanted is, although this is all new to me am now confident that the goal will be reached
The split version of G5V-2 is going to assist much, have now realised that the sky is the limit when using G5V-2 split
Single sided PCB’s are becoming rare these days, and nearly all PCB’s are double sided. KiCad also defaults to this. If yo look at the appearance manager on the right side of the PCB Editor you see a lot of layer names starting with F (= Front) or with B (= Back).
If you want to design a single sided PCB in KiCad, then pretty much the only way to do it is to just not draw any copper tracks on F.Cu ( = Front Copper) layer. Footprints can also easily be moved from the front to the back (and back again) with the F ( = Flip) shortcut key. For hand assembly you can pretty much mix at will, but if you design a PCB for automated production you may have extra restrictions. for example SMT placement is easier if all footprints are on the same side, wave soldering (and selective soldering) is done on the underside.
