SOIC>DIP

[Yoa01]

Hi all,

So I recently got some free IC's shipped out from TI to me, but I fear that some of them may be SOIC packaged instead of the normal DIP. Given that I can't really use SOICs with a breadboard, do you think I could just solder some short leads to the ends of the SOIC pins to use them with a breadboard? It seems a silly question, I know, but I want to be sure.

I've researched soldered SOIC>DIP inventions, but I'd really like something easy and preferrably free (using what I already have). I saw this (http://www.head-fi.org/t/89714/make-yourself-soic8-to-dip8-adapter-56k-warnings) which I suppose is a cleaner way of doing what I'm talking about.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

 

[(*steve*)]

There are a number of SOIC to DIL adapter boards available on ebay.

I use them frequently for breadboarding when I have a component that is available only in surface mount format.

Here is one.

You can also get sockets for these chips. They're quite expensive, and not really suited to breadboarding. They are often used for programming microcontrollers etc. in these packages.

Here is a cheap one. They're not all cheap!

 

[Yoa01]

Thanks! Do you need an adaptor to use these chips, though?

 

[BobK]

You need either an adaptor or a PC board that you can solder it to.

Bob

 

[Yoa01]

Alright, then. Thanks.

 

[KMoffett]

http://www.schmartboard.com/index.asp?page=products
Also Google: SOIC to DIL adapter

Ken

 

[Jotto]

http://www.epboard.com/eproducts/protoadapter.htm#SOICtoDIPAdapter

I usually just use my programmer adapters and use clip leads on the adapter end and bare wire on the breadboard side.

 

[Yoa01]

Don't suppose you read this part:

I've researched soldered SOIC>DIP inventions, but I'd really like something easy and preferrably free

I've seen what's out there, I was just looking for something free and simple. Thanks though.

 

[CocaCola]

Don't suppose you read this part:

I've seen what's out there, I was just looking for something free and simple. Thanks though.

You originally said...

I'd really like something easy and preferrably free (using what I already have).

As usual there is generally a conflict between 'free' and 'easy' and a compromise will need to be met in almost all cases... If you want 'easy' you might have to spend a buck or two... If you want 'free' it might not be as easy... Only you can decide where the imaginary line between free and easy lies for you...

If you want to DIY and have some thin wire do a point to pin wiring of the chip, it's about the lowest cost way to do it, that is if you have the solder and wire to do the point to point... Beyond that no one but you knows what you have on hand to do this, for example do you have the stuff to etch your own adapter? Many hobbyist do, but I don't know if you do...

But, if you want 'easy' may I suggest you get some of the cheap adapter boards (that have been suggested) that will allow you to plug it directly into a stab lock board or any other protoboard, they can be had for pennies hardly a costly venture for the ease they provide, I purchased a 50 lot of the SOIC8 to DIP8 ones a few years back for a whopping $5 delivered on Ebay, and have used them quite often... I find them very useful for simple 8 pin micro prototype boards as well, the small board provides a decent way to build a quick complete circuit on in many instances vs wiring to the legs of a dip for example...

 

[Yoa01]

That's what I quoted, mate Unless it didn't show up. I've been having HTML issues. Though I feel I was a bit harsh, so my apologies.

You've got a point, no one does know what I have. This has actually been kind of rhetorical this whole time, now that you bring this up. Dang. Sorry folks.

I suppose now the hunt is for cheap yet effective SOIC adaptors, eh?

Thanks all, and sorry for my harshness. I think I see why I usually don't get many replies.

 

[CocaCola]

Just hit up Ebay...

For example, 5 of them delivered to your door with the pins/legs for under $2, under 40 cents each... These particular ones are nice because they have different SMD pitches on each side so they are more universal...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-5pcs-SO...-/400380025393?pt=PCA_UPS&hash=item5d38825a31

 

[Yoa01]

Useful, thanks! It seems that most people have 8-pin adaptors. I need at least 14, though. Futurlec seems to always have cheap parts that are useful, though :http://www.futurlec.com/SMD_Adapters.shtml. I've yet to see such great prices, but of course I fear for the quality. Though, if it conducts I shouldn't worry, right?

 

[CocaCola]

I wouldn't worry about quality all that much, they are cheap because they are small in size and mass produced... Board houses can fill up partial panels with these little knock off boards and thus have nil invested as the buyer for the rest of the panel paid for that panel, and drop boards are freebies to them just using the extra scrap board space that was already paid for...

Heck I can get them made for nearly the same price in shorter run quantities from the PC board suppliers I use that are top notch, but I don't need 1000s of them...

 

[Yoa01]

I only need 6 for now, but if they work well I'd need more. I should look into PCB suppliers, too, but for a different reason. Thanks!

 

[(*steve*)]

OK, here are the horror pictures:

Firstly, here is the top view

There's a lot of rubbish still on the board, and you'll see one reason for that in a moment.

The board looks a real mess. The reason (at this scale) is twofold. Firstly I used a lot of flux and there is a significant amount of residue on the board, Secondly, the black solder mask on this board seems very fragile. The extent of the fragility is obvious in a later image.

This closer image shows one of the reasons I didn't aggressively clean the board. You can see on the bottom of the left hand column of pins the track I pulled off and then had to solder on to the pin.

I originally tried to reflow this but I was having problems with the chip being blown around. This was mostly due to the incorrect orifice on the reflow tool

So I decided to do it by hand. However after tacking one pin down I managed to bash the other corner of the chip with the tip of the soldering iron and pull off the track I had tacked the pin to

My soldering iron tip is significantly wider than these pins, so I dragged solder over the pins and then used solder wick (and lots of flux) to help clean it up.

Here is a relatively good set of connections. You can see the pins spaces 0.1 inch apart in the foreground. There's not a lot of parallax error, the chip is 10mm along each side.

You can see some balls of solder on the top of the chip. These probably splashed up here during the less than successful attempt to reflow solder the first time.

Here's a side that's not so good. There's also a view of that track I lifted.

The first pin on the left hand side of the image doesn't look soldered on, but it is

OK, here's the other side. This is just plain through-hole soldering to re-tinned leads.

The soldering was quick and easy. However you can still see areas where the solder mask was damaged.

Hmmm, this may be clearer:

The other side had also been subjected to solder wick which would have subjected the solder mash to both additional heat and abrasion.

All in all, I think it was a pretty poor effort and it's something that I should have hidden away.

After all the things that went wrong (all my fault) I'm just happy I got it done.

The next step is to wire the Vss and Vdd pins together and place some caps on the board. I'll do that on the underside.

 

[CocaCola]

Valid job there Steve... I LOVE the finished look of flat black resist, but yes it's not the best choice for boards that will be reworked or 'over' worked as I have found unlike many other resist it does flake just like you experienced when it's overworked...

I have even had flat black flake off (over traces) in my ultrasonic when cleaning, never experienced that with any other color resist... In fact most resist is nearly impossible to take off I believe the flat surface is likely too permeable and thus causes the premature failure... Nothing a coat of clear (or colored) paint won't fix if the board is to be put in service and you want to avoid oxidation...

 

[Yoa01]

I can barely solder two wires together, I would never even think about attempting that! I +1 CocaCola, Valid!!

 

[CocaCola]

I can barely solder two wires together, I would never even think about attempting that!

It only takes practice, and a steady hand... I have been hand soldering/removing/replacing chips like that and even smaller and more pin count for many, many years now... Yeah at first it's daunting but once you get the knack it's honestly painless most of the time...

But, like many things I will avoid it when I can, for a one off like that I would hand solder, but if I was doing say 5 or more I would likely just get a stencil cut and reflow as it's just that much easier, faster and cleaner...

 

[Yoa01]

I have problems with the steady hand part. I can't seem to stop shaking when I do it, haha! I really don't like the idea of soldering ICs. For a synth I'm building I actually have the chips in holders, and I just soldered the holders. Of course, with my new iron I can probably safely solder and desolder them.

Quick question: is a 40W iron with an adjustable power base (specifically the Elenco SL-5) a good setup? It's way better than my last 25W iron, but soldering still seems to not be a strong point. I've been told that flux would help a lot, though.

 

[CocaCola]

That iron should be fine, mind the temp, there are plenty of sites that will give you guidance on initial temp settings for specific task, but at the end of the day trial and a little error will help you narrow it down to what works best for your...

Extra flux can be your best friend, it can make a hard job painless... Especially for task like this where you will be cleaning the legs of a chip, a little extra flux and the solder will almost magically do it's job all by itself...