Using the Activator and performing Copper Plating

How to prep your PCB, use the activator (see previous video) and copper plate the holes of a PCB.
Sorry guys there is a black out at about 12mins in for few seconds my video editing software pulled a paddy don't worry nothing missed out.
hole sizes used in this video = 0.8mm - 1mm - 2mm

[@TheRabidgoalie]

This sort of thing is what makes the Internet great. Thanks a lot for posting this video showing the process required to get these results. The PTHs look excellent. Well done sir! I don't think that the videos are too long at all. I appreciate that you go over all of the steps and precautions when performing this process. I have many projects that are "one off" boards, and this process is going to be great for them, as well as for the few projects that may get sent out to a board service. Now I will know that my board layout is correct BEFORE paying to have a batch of boards made. Thanks a lot. :D

[@ozcansahsuvar2269]

I have never seen an electronic lab like this some interesting and big pieces of test equipment there :)

[@nilobortolotti7065]

First, thank your for taking the time to make the video. Yes, the video could be shorter but the more details the better, IMHO. As for the chemicals involved, I was able to find calcium hypophosphite in eBay, from China at US68 for 1 lb. Not sure if it will be allowed to enter US but giving it a try. Asked the seller to add information on proposed use of the product to shipment details (Electroplating activator).

[@walidhussien3074]

Hi Thank you for this wonderful effort But I find problme in plating . holes no have copper ,but I clamping for pcb to make sure activate process is good and Put it down again in plating tank ,I found good conductive hole Why???

[@markschuurman4000]

@10:39 : "Wear Protective Clothing Glasses - Gloves - Coat". channelengineer in t-shirt wearing no glasses: "...this stuff will eat up your flesh"

[@markschuurman4000]

Nevertheless, thnx for sharing!

[@channelengineer]

There are a few different copper bright solutions but all do the same thing you can get 2part or 3part solution for industrial grade finishes when you do a hull cell test but a single general purpose brightener is fine (acid based). The one I use is from T-Tech, I got a few bottles at the time as it needs topping up every so often, you can also get the electrolyte from them as well. other suppliers do it like caswell plating just shop about. I might make a plating solution but normally I buy it

[@jeanyves5380]

PUB.

[@jeanyves5380]

Hi and thank's for your video. What is the "activator" solution you described in the precedent video? Does it react with the second bath? Or is it to make the nude copper drilled holes electrical conductive? In other words : may i use another electroplating solution than yours after the activator one? Or alternative : what is the electroplating content cooking on which it's written it contains sulfuric acid? Thank you!

[@vesperhbtmotor]

Great stuff there, again nice to have you take the time to show this process. Could you please do a video on how to make the Plating fluid??? Alsocan you take a bit of time on the copper bright additive you talk about it is a bit hard to find. can you show a link if possible to where to gain it?

[@nick1f]

I am using steel wool with detergent (i.e. purchased from Woolworths) to clean the PCBs. It's better for the copper.

[@jugnu361]

Hi Appreciate this great article !! I have manged to plate vias and holes on the pcb. Now I am to apply the negative dry film photo resist film over the copper clad and would later expose and develop it. My problem is :- How would i protect the PTH from etching away I m using Ferric Chloride for etching

[@alexanderzapatatoro6565]

Gracias...tienes nuevos videos? Saludos desde Colombia.

[@dawidbrzeski6096]

Hi. I have question. I made an activator according to the film. I have a problem because the holes are glued together a thin layer that does not want to break from the temperature. sometimes a white precipitate forms around the hole. And all hole are Not plated. After heating pcb i clean with water Please help.

[@paparoysworkshop]

Your shop and tools are so clean, are you sure you do any work in there? Just kidding. Very clean shop though. The way I like it.

[@channelengineer]

Lol. that was recorded just after a big deep clean up. You should see it at the moment its look like a bomb has hit the place. Got ferric stains from a etch tank that leaked, fr4 dust from routing pcbs, tools all over and bits of chopped board. Need to give it a good clean up again.

[@annaoaulinovna]

is it the low temperature heat decomposition of copper hypophosphite?

[@ticorj12]

I'm really fascinated by your video! Congratulations! Listen, I designed a board that I already etched. I'm having a lot of problems using the silver paint to create de vias and hole mounts. Is there still a way to "Save" this board using the plating method after it has already been etched?

[@channelengineer]

nope once its etched you can't plate as you would have open circuits to lots of the holes. you can get other conductive paint and gel like "bare conductive" or "Chemtronics CircuitWorks Conductive Paint" but im not sure if solder would take that well after and conectivity might still be a bit touch and go.

[@ticorj12]

Thank you very much for your help! I'll look into those options!

[@ryebis]

thanks for this and the previous video on making the activator. I've made some - the ammonia smell is still strong after a few days is that normal ? also the activator doesnt seem to make the PCB top and bottom electrically connected after heat treatment as I'd expected. Wondering what I've done wrong, any pointers ? cheers

[@jeanyves5380]

Same question, but the question is that what he calls "activator" is may be not what we expect?

[@testbitsystems4505]

After thermal treatment, does the board both layers shows conductivity? I tried the exact same method, but after thermal treatment my pcb both layers still non conductive

[@jeanyves5380]

Same question for me and the author does not answer.

[@gauravkothari8190]

Thanks for the video, I have tried developing the solution as per the video and chemicals you suggested. but i am having a small problem, hoping you to please help me out. i am trying to plate larger boards, so in such case i need around 500 ml of solution for that. so i made the solution like.. 280 ml of DI water. 60 grms of copper sulfate. 44 grms of calcium hypophosphite, again 200 ml of DI water, 80 ml of amonium hydroxide, adding 10 ml of dettol hand wash(liquid soap) and then again 20 grms of calcium hypophosphite, but the problem what i am getting is only 40 to 50% of holes are plated and rest of the holes remain the same. i tried the same with 4 to 5 boards, but the problem continues to all the boards. can you please suggest me any solution for this problem.

[@abdulkadirkucuk8384]

what about chemistry of aplying the activator and heating.

[@nivanspaul4815]

What is the ingredient of the solution in the plating tank？

[@jeanyves5380]

It's a secret may be.

[@cllow2020]

Have u try dicalcium phosphate

[@kensnyder3102]

I dislike this video for so many reasons: 1) I watched this video and the previous for a whole hour...Why? I wanted to do plate-through holes, but I never find out what the electroplating solution is. 2) Why do you drag it out telling me what used to be in your baby bottle etc? You have endless filler, "tap the side", "don't poke a hole" etc. 3) Where are the black boards with the chemical formulae etc? Summary: In then end I find out that this whole video is incomplete, I can't do my own plate-through pcbs.

[@channelengineer]

Ken Snyder This video is about the process not roll your own chems and is aimed at using the activator hence the title. But you can do it; your just being lazy and wants to be spoon fed. GROW UP. You can buy the copper electrolyte off the shelf T-Tech who make the kit used in the video sell it, LPKF that does a plating line sell it, mega electronics sell the chemicals as a kit or if you want roll your own its water - sulphuric acid - copper sulphate and a dash of hydrochloric acid goto for the amounts www.thinktink.com/stack/volumes/voliii/consumbl/cplatmix.htm.

[@1Rowdy1derful]

I'm sorry but watching your videos IS like watching paint dry.

[@1Rowdy1derful]

Not to mention I watched the first one three times trying to stay awake long enough to gleen some worthwile info from it while learning to understand you. Thought the second video would be easier. Not so.

[@vaio232]

Grow up man, watch his videos and be elaborated. Don't be upset for not researching his videos

[@dominickpezza9110]

is there another chemical that i can use in place of calcium

[@cllow2020]

I saw someone using dicalcium phosphate , not sure it works or not. By the way , using calcium is to form calcium sulfate sediment , fulter it later, remain copper hyposphosite .

[@sto2779]

1:45 - "Don't use sand paper"... You have no idea what you're talking about, real professional PCB fabs and makers uses "sand Paper", specifically Aluminum Oxide sand paper to clean/scrub away the impurities that are on the surface of the copper plate, they also use some additional acid cleaning solution such as a 10% solution of sulphuric acid. You can read all of this right at the manual of the photoresist from dupont which tells you how to "properly" clean the surface of the PCB's copper. By the way, when you say sand paper will "macker up" the copper plating... since you live in rock, you have never seen all of the many different types of "grit" size sand paper. You use a certain low size grit of sand paper to scratch away the impurities from the copper surface then use a higher grit sand paper to "polish" up the copper surface.

[@TommyAventador]

OK!....ok?