What is Conductor-to-Hole Spacing

What is Conductor-to-Hole Spacing

Conductor-to-hole spacing is the distance or spacing between a conductor and a hole on a printed circuit board. This term is particularly relevant when considering electrical safety and voltage isolation.

The spacing between conductors and holes can be divided into two categories: spacing between uninsulated live parts and other uninsulated metal parts, and spacing between uninsulated live parts with opposite polarity. Conductor-to-hole spacing falls under the second category, which includes the spacing between terminals, connectors, bare wires, and adjacent components.

Maintaining sufficient conductor-to-hole spacing ensures electrical safety and prevents potential issues related to creepage and clearance. Creepage refers to the distance that a conducting material, such as a PCB trace, must travel along an insulating surface before it can reach another conducting material or a hole. Clearance, on the other hand, refers to the distance between two conducting materials or between a conducting material and a hole.

By increasing the conductor-to-hole spacing, the risk of electrical arcing or short circuits between the conductor and the hole can be minimized. This is particularly important in applications where electrical safety and voltage isolation are crucial.