Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Altium Develop keeps your grounding, shielding, and connector decisions visible to the whole team from schematic through fabrication: altium.com/develop?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=altium-academy-shorts&utm_content=your-pcb-isnt-creating-ground-loops-heres-what-is
Ask enough PCB designers about grounding and you'll hear the same worry: that connecting copper pours, dropping in stitching vias, or bonding to a chassis or metalized enclosure is quietly building ground loops into the board. In this Short, Zach Peterson goes back to where ground loops actually come from — and it isn't the copper on your PCB. It starts at the wall: two pieces of equipment, two earth connections, and a metal stake driven into the dirt that was never a perfect conductor to begin with.
That imperfect earth connection leaves a potential offset between the two ground points. On its own it does nothing. But the moment you interface the two pieces of equipment — running a signal cable with a shield alongside it — that shield bridges one earth to the other, closes a large physical loop, and lets the voltage offset drive current around it. That's a real ground loop. Understanding that mechanism is what tells you which loops on a circuit board ematter, which ones don't, and why "never create a loop" is the wrong rule to design by.
▶ Watch the full video: youtube.com/watch?v=3swYweisn5g
💡 Watch Next:
Types of PCB Grounding Explained | PCB Layout: youtube.com/watch?v=19WnYPhNOH0
Should You Route GND or PE Through a Connector?: youtube.com/watch?v=hMyYYERfPhQ
Stitching Via Deep Dive | PCB Layout: youtube.com/watch?v=TtSnG-Tl8yM
What Exactly is PCB Shielding?: youtube.com/watch?v=EgwE2Q-df-g
PCB Shielding Cans Deep Dive: youtube.com/watch?v=bFaKlNzZ4jU
💡 Stay Connected:
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth tutorials and tips from @AltiumAcademy Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
👉 Subscribe for more: youtube.com/@AltiumAcademy?sub_confirmation=1
Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium Academy content.
👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: facebook.com/AltiumOfficial
The Altium Academy is an online experience created to bring modern education to PCB Designers and Engineers all across the world. Here you can access a vast library of free training and educational content covering everything from basic design to advanced principles and step-by-step walkthroughs. Join industry legends as they share their career knowledge, review real-life design projects, or learn how to leverage one of Altium's leading design tools. No matter your level of experience, the Altium Academy can help you become a better Designer and Engineer!
About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
#altium #pcbdesign #grounding
Altium Develop keeps your grounding, shielding, and connector decisions visible to the whole team from schematic through fabrication: altium.com/develop?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=video&utm_campaign=altium-academy-shorts&utm_content=your-pcb-isnt-creating-ground-loops-heres-what-is
Ask enough PCB designers about grounding and you'll hear the same worry: that connecting copper pours, dropping in stitching vias, or bonding to a chassis or metalized enclosure is quietly building ground loops into the board. In this Short, Zach Peterson goes back to where ground loops actually come from — and it isn't the copper on your PCB. It starts at the wall: two pieces of equipment, two earth connections, and a metal stake driven into the dirt that was never a perfect conductor to begin with.
That imperfect earth connection leaves a potential offset between the two ground points. On its own it does nothing. But the moment you interface the two pieces of equipment — running a signal cable with a shield alongside it — that shield bridges one earth to the other, closes a large physical loop, and lets the voltage offset drive current around it. That's a real ground loop. Understanding that mechanism is what tells you which loops on a circuit board ematter, which ones don't, and why "never create a loop" is the wrong rule to design by.
▶ Watch the full video: youtube.com/watch?v=3swYweisn5g
💡 Watch Next:
Types of PCB Grounding Explained | PCB Layout: youtube.com/watch?v=19WnYPhNOH0
Should You Route GND or PE Through a Connector?: youtube.com/watch?v=hMyYYERfPhQ
Stitching Via Deep Dive | PCB Layout: youtube.com/watch?v=TtSnG-Tl8yM
What Exactly is PCB Shielding?: youtube.com/watch?v=EgwE2Q-df-g
PCB Shielding Cans Deep Dive: youtube.com/watch?v=bFaKlNzZ4jU
💡 Stay Connected:
Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth tutorials and tips from @AltiumAcademy Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!
👉 Subscribe for more: youtube.com/@AltiumAcademy?sub_confirmation=1
Don't forget to follow us on social to stay up-to-date on the latest Altium Academy content.
👉 Follow Altium on TikTok: tiktok.com/@altiumdesigner
👉 Follow Altium on Twitter: twitter.com/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Linkedin: linkedin.com/company/altium
👉 Follow Altium on Facebook: facebook.com/AltiumOfficial
The Altium Academy is an online experience created to bring modern education to PCB Designers and Engineers all across the world. Here you can access a vast library of free training and educational content covering everything from basic design to advanced principles and step-by-step walkthroughs. Join industry legends as they share their career knowledge, review real-life design projects, or learn how to leverage one of Altium's leading design tools. No matter your level of experience, the Altium Academy can help you become a better Designer and Engineer!
About Altium LLC
Altium LLC (ASX:ALU), a global software company based in San Diego, California, is accelerating the pace of innovation through electronics. From individual inventors to multinational corporations, more PCB designers and engineers choose Altium software to design and realize electronics-based products.
#altium #pcbdesign #grounding
