How to (not) Explode Your Microcontroller like the Rest of Us
What is a short circuit?
A short circuit is the connection between two different nodes that are at different voltages via a path of very low resistance.
Why Should You Avoid a Short Circuit?
A short circuit causes a surge of high amounts of current to flow through both nodes, which is very dangerous. This could cause potential injuries such as a shock or a burn as well as damage electronics nearby. Hence why it is preferable to avoid shorting anything.
How to Avoid a Short Circuit:
- Disconnect power from any electronic device when interfacing with its hardware.
- Do not have microcontroller connected to power when moving around cables
- Make sure that there are no open cables near an electronic device with power.
- Make sure to not connect cables to the wrong pins.
- I.e. you should never directly connect VCC to GND with no resistance in between.
- Make sure to connect resistors of the necessary resistance to any electronic devices you will interface with.
- Not doing so will a high amount of current through the electronic device and potentially damage it (or make it burst into flames)
- Don’t touch an electronic part with a metal
- Avoid having any type of metal near electronic devices
- Make sure that all cables are safely connected and cannot disconnect when the device is in use.
- When soldering electronics, make sure that solder does not cover two pins at once, or be somewhere it’s not supposed to.
- Don’t be distracted when working with electricity.