Few weeks ago I had to test three boards where micros had to be reprogrammed every time a change in software was made. Lot of changes for many many days!!!

Being ZIF sockets so expensive locally I used tourned pins as longtime ago, Nigel reccomended for frequent insertions.

Just one precaution: have both lines exactly vertical (parallel to each other) and micros' pins straightened accordingly.

Thanks for that Nigel!

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Agustín Tomás
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, however, there is.

 

I 'stole' the idea years and years ago from Don MacKenzie of Dontronics!

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PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

 

Also referred to as machined pin sockets, I believe, and definately worth the few extra pennies per socket.

 

As a side issue.
I found that when using the larger Dallas ic's, 28/32 pin, with the thick potted body, that the lead out pins are a little shorter than the standard DIP.
As a result any vibration caused the ic to lift out of the ic 'leaf' type sockets.

The cure was to replace the leaf type ic socket with a turned pin ic socket, this cured the problem 100%.

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Eric
"Good enough is Perfect"

PIC tutorials:
Gramo's: www.digital-diy.net/
Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

Hi Mike,

here is a good reason to be convinced that machined sockets are worth the few extra pennies: I got an industrial computer for repair some time ago. The device was operated in industrial environment with moist air. All the IC pins were corroded black, also inside the sockets, as well as the socket pins. Using TTL-logic like in this case, supposedly low pins pull themselves high if there is high transition resistance between the pin and the socket.

I cleaned the ICs thoroughly and replaced the sockets by those with machined pins. The device worked properly right again after this measure. One year later I visually checked the computer. All IC pins had turned black again with the exception of the contact area inside the machined pins.

The contact between IC pin and socket pin is air tight and secondly the machined pins are made of beryllium-copper alloy with almost no oxidation.

Regards

Hans

 

Stick the micro in a socket and use that socketed IC to insert/remove- never risk the IC's own pins

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Always use chip pullers. Helps save those pins.

http://www.mouser.com/Search/Product...QsOR45dw%3d%3d

 

Maybe I had a cheap one but mine bent on its first use -- something around a 16 pin chip did it.

I usually just use a flat head screwdriver and slowly pry both ends; once the pins are past a certain point the IC will just slip out.

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-Ian

 

We use ones here at work that look like the ones in the Mouser catalog link that I posted. I am not sure if they are identical or not. But I use them all the time and haven't had a problem on anything from 8 to 28 pin DIP's.

 

Bought mine (a set in fact) and works OK au pair with a nice breadboard some 20+ years old.

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Agustín Tomás
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, however, there is.