Chip sockets?

[rusty105]

Well.... My MSII kit should be in today and I had a quick question.
I know the main processor is socketed, but what about the others? Does the kit come with sockets for them (DIY-Autotune)? If it doesn't come with sockets, are their any chips that you would socket? Maybe ones that are easily damaged??

Rusty

[Matt Cramer]

Our kits do not come with sockets except for the main processor. We've found most of the other chips are not all that easily damaged.

[FixItAgainTony]

Rusty,
I am assuming that you have V3 board. There are pro's and con's to socketing parts. The socket itself can introduce failure, but that is a relatively low probability (mechanical-electrical connections can be subject to corrosion). U4 for FET driver occasionally had failures before it was upgraded to a more robust part several years ago, since then, I have not read about many failing. U6, the serial communications chip and U3, the optical isolator, can fail if they see high input voltages. If you were going to socket parts, those are the three that I would choose. If you use the Vr input, socketing U7 may be useful. Socketing U6 leaves open easy access to the RX / TX pins, which can be useful if one implements a USB to UART transfer chip - a few people have done this instead of using the U6 serial chip. U6 also has a higher pin count than the other chips, so unsoldering it is a bit more difficult.

An alternative to socketing that I have used on the lower pin count packages is to just barely have the pins going into the holes. This leaves the devices standing higher, but makes them easier to remove. Having them higher has the potential to cause other problems (vibration, etc) but in my case it looked better than a socket given the low failure rate on the entire system. From all of the reading I have done, most of the failures are introduced by miss wiring / applying excessive voltages to the inputs / incorrectly set flyback parameters. The V3 board has a lot of nice features built in to survive this, and it seems that in most instances the board is easily repaired.

I would recommend reading the V3 trouble shooting guide before building your unit just so that you are aware of the common problems people have. http://www.megamanual.com/ms2/V3trouble.htm

Charles.

[rusty105]

Thanks, both of you for your replies!

Rusty

[geewiz]

Sockets are available at Radio Shak. You have to cut them down to fit the required pin count. I socketed everything. You can use electrical grade corrosion inhibitor (grease) to prevent corrosion. This is commonly used for aluminum wire connections in house wiring (entrance) boxes, & is probably available at Lowes.

[Heribert]

I avoid them if it is not an experimental build.

If an IC gets smoked , the easiest way to remove them is with a pro desoldering tool.
However, they are pricey and not needed by the amateur.
Once I have diagnosed a soldered in IC as faulty ( the DIL variety) I simply
cut the legs with a small side-cutter and remove the "body". Then I use a soldering iron
and vacuum manual unit and lift off one pin at a time. Clean up with isoprop and a hard
glass-fibre brush, pop in a new IC and resolder. Finished.
And it is very seldom needed.

The IC sockets are, to me, an added complication. They are seldom used in pro electronics,
and not only for cost reasons.

Sealing the ICpin to socket with some type of compound seems to me be be an ideal way
to attract and bind in foreign particles that will add to faults .

Heribert

[geewiz]

If sealed properly, particles are "bound out",as the exterior of the barrier is as large as the exterior of the chip. No particles can reach the pins. Bee's wax was used in some of the antique radio stuff, to keep dirt and moisture at bay for 50 years or more. For some individuals, easy substitution of a suspected problem part is advantageous. To each his own!