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Basic PicKit 3 Questions

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MrAl

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Hello there,

Just one or two questions about the PicKit 3 programmer.

First, does it do all the MC chips or just some?

Second, i see a connector on one end that apparently goes to the chip somehow. What kind of connector is that, and does that run to the PIC chip pins as in an in circuit programmer would? Do i need an adapter or something?

Third, what else would i need to go with it to program an 8 pin dip package like the 12F675 or the 12F1840?

Also, will it do the 12LF1840?

Thanks.
 
The PK3 does MANY chips, including the 3 you mentioned.

You simply need the PK3, MPLABX (or the older MPLAB), and an ICSP connection to your target board, or a ZIF socket on a little piece of veroboard. Here's an 18 pin one I made.
ZIF..jpg
ZIF_bottom..jpg


The required connections are clearly explained in the documentation, available on line.
 
Hi Nigel,

Hey thanks much. That seems clear and simple to build.
I also found a reference now for the pins on the PK3, which are 0.1 inch spaced and sound like a regular IDE header like that used on the Arduino. If that's not right though let me know. It should be easy to make .

Thanks again.

Oh BTW, did you ever have any problems programming a chip with the PK3? I read about stories on the web but that could be because they are using clones.
 
Oh BTW, did you ever have any problems programming a chip with the PK3? I read about stories on the web but that could be because they are using clones.

No, it's always worked fine - my only 'problem' is trying to power the target board from the PK3, often it says the voltage is too low and won't do it - so I simply use external power.
 
No, it's always worked fine - my only 'problem' is trying to power the target board from the PK3, often it says the voltage is too low and won't do it - so I simply use external power.

Hi,

Oh yeah i read a little about that now, something like 30ma i think. Not much to work with there. That most likely means i would need an small p/s too then with it.
 
I have two pickit3's and one pickit3 clone.... As yet I haven't seen the clone faulter!!

Hi,

Oh that's good news. But why so many programmers? You program 3 chips at once ? :)
 
No!! Simple really.... I have two pickit2's, one for me and one for Danny who left to go to Uni!!! I have three pickit3's... Again Me , Danny and one was for a customer who needed to change firmware in the field.... I ended up making him a pickit2 clone with a 40 pin socket integral to the device ( similar to picstart!! ) Oh!!! I have two of them as well!!
 
Hi,

Oh yeah i read a little about that now, something like 30ma i think. Not much to work with there. That most likely means i would need an small p/s too then with it.

I had a 'bright idea' the other day (although I haven't done it yet :D) - I'm going to get a small piece of veroboard, fit a six pin 'plug' one end (to go in the PK3) connected across to a six pin 'socket' at the other (to plug the target board in). Then simply cut the 5V rail on the veroboard, and connect an external 5V supply to it there. This will allow me to easily use all my existing boards that might not have external power connections.
 
No!! Simple really.... I have two pickit2's, one for me and one for Danny who left to go to Uni!!! I have three pickit3's... Again Me , Danny and one was for a customer who needed to change firmware in the field.... I ended up making him a pickit2 clone with a 40 pin socket integral to the device ( similar to picstart!! ) Oh!!! I have two of them as well!!

Hi again,

Oh ok, that explains it then :)
An embarrassment of riches, or in your case, of programmers :)
At least you'll never get caught without one.
 
I had a 'bright idea' the other day (although I haven't done it yet :D) - I'm going to get a small piece of veroboard, fit a six pin 'plug' one end (to go in the PK3) connected across to a six pin 'socket' at the other (to plug the target board in). Then simply cut the 5V rail on the veroboard, and connect an external 5V supply to it there. This will allow me to easily use all my existing boards that might not have external power connections.

Hi again,

Oh yes, sounds good. Geeze even 100ma would probably do a lot of stuff, would have been nice if they at least did that.
Ok, so a small wall wart maybe to with with it? Not too bad i guess.
What's that faint noise in the distance? It sounds like Banggood a callin' again :)
 
I had a 'bright idea' the other day (although I haven't done it yet :D) - I'm going to get a small piece of veroboard, fit a six pin 'plug' one end (to go in the PK3) connected across to a six pin 'socket' at the other (to plug the target board in). Then simply cut the 5V rail on the veroboard, and connect an external 5V supply to it there. This will allow me to easily use all my existing boards that might not have external power connections.

I always use the pickit3.... If you have a project in MPLAB and its set for pickit3, then the settings will still be there when you next do that job!!
 
I find that very often the PK3 won't provide enough power to do it, and so refuses to program it :(
Even though nothing else is in circuit?? My programming boards are just that, and nothing else...
 
Pickit3 needs to "see" a Vdd on pin 2 .

Hi,

What do you mean by that? You mean you have to supply and external power supply voltage?
I thought it would supply Vdd, to a point, up to 30ma or something like that.
Or are you saying that if the board draws too much current the Vdd will drop?
 
Yes, you supply the power most of the time. The idea that you have a board which has a PIC and other stuff on it and it can work (it wouldn't work without power, would it). You connect PICkit3 to it and program the PIC right on the board. You can program, you can debug - meaning you can run the code, stop it, look at variables etc. - and all that on your real board.
 
Yes, you supply the power most of the time. The idea that you have a board which has a PIC and other stuff on it and it can work (it wouldn't work without power, would it). You connect PICkit3 to it and program the PIC right on the board. You can program, you can debug - meaning you can run the code, stop it, look at variables etc. - and all that on your real board.

Hi,

Well my question now was if the PK3 can supply any power to the board. The wording of that one post sounded like you MUST have an external supply in EVERY case. I was assuming that very low power cases could be powered from the PK3 via the USB 5v power from the computer it is plugged into. Im pretty sure that's the way it works, but correct me if wrong.
 
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