On Tue, 26 Apr 2011 10:05:39 -0700, Smitty Two
wrote:

In article ,
who where wrote:

On Sat, 23 Apr 2011 16:24:17 +0100, "N_Cook"
wrote:

Where holes are drilled for thru-board components but of diameter far too
big , thru-hole plated , but no eyelet/inserts used to fill the gap. So
1N4001 size leads in holes twice their diameter and 1N4148 in holes twice
their diameter. So not a case of only one drill size for all. So in area
terms about 1 to 4 ratio of lead to solder. Bad enough practise with proper
solder but with PbF, ring cracks starting all over.
Is it to avoid mutiny by the by-hand board populators ?

It was always my understanding that the "oversized" PTH was a
deliberate choice. If significant current needs to pass to both
planes, a (proper, of course, not RoHS) solder plug enhances the
through-plating's capability.

Um, I'm not an EE, but I thought the leg of the component helped to
carry current from one side of the board to the other.

It does (doh!) but obviously the hole plating and the solder fill also
contribute to the overall conduction.