Connected NC pin of 5V regulator to GND

[Flyback]

Hi,
We wish to have a common footprint for LM78L05 and TL751L. (SOIC8) .Both are 5v regs.
This means we need to have the "NC" pin (pin 5) of LM78L05 connected to GND. Do you think this will be OK?
The datasheet doesnt say.

TL751

https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/tl751l.pdf?ts=1727636535008&ref_url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.bing.com%252F#:~:text=LOW-DROPOUT%20VOLTAGE%20REGULATORS.%201FEATURES.%20Very%20Low%20Dropout%20Voltage,%20Less%20Than

LM78L05

https://mm.digikey.com/Volume0/opasdata/d220001/medias/docus/1122/MC78LxxAx%2CLM78LXXA.pdf

 

[danadak]

chatgpt answered this way, but could not provide a source for its answer L:

I guess next best thing is ohmmeter the pin with respect to ground, also to its Vdd.

 

[Papabravo]

You may need a backup plan in case you subsequently discover that NC means exactly that and nothing else.

 

[Diver300]

The two 3-pin packages for the LM78L05 have only got three connections, so there are only going to be two bond wires with the back of the IC die on the central pin. On the SOIC and the SOT-89 package, there are multiple ground pins, and I guess that the pins are all formed from one bit of metal.

Pins 4 and 5 of the SOIC are NC, which is different from the four middle pins that are ground. Pins 4 and 5 won't be connected to anything.

You can test it easily.

 

[Flyback]

Pins 4 and 5 won't be connected to anything.

Thanks, as such we will ground them and it wont matter(?)

 

[Diver300]

Thanks, as such we will ground them and it wont matter(?)

As I understand it, yes.

 

[ZipZapOuch]

Thanks, as such we will ground them and it wont matter(?)

I came across a very cleaver design that has one pad drilled out in case of an alternate design - must take care that you're only drilling through ground plane on other layers.

 

[schmitt trigger]

3 words: zero ohm resistor.
Or a solder blob

 

[iggnator]

3 words: zero ohm resistor.
Or a solder blob

That was the correct way to fix this idea. If this is any production run at all, CYA design for pick and place. Bill of material change order, and productions is up.