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To socket or not to socket....Your opinion

N

NJM

Jan 1, 1970
0
I was just wondering whether you all would use a socket for small beginner
projects like a 555 in a metronome, or just solder them directly?
 
C

Chris

Jan 1, 1970
0
I was just wondering whether you all would use a socket for small beginner
projects like a 555 in a metronome, or just solder them directly?

Yes, definitely. A hobbyist who's not interested in having the
manufactured device run forever, and isn't going to be throwing it
into a toxic environment, should use standard dual leaf sockets.
They're relatively inexpensive, and allow you to replace the IC easily
if you smoke it (valid even for a $0.50 555), and reuse it if it no
longer interests you.

Cheers
Chris
 
S

Stanislaw Flatto

Jan 1, 1970
0
NJM said:
I was just wondering whether you all would use a socket for small
beginner projects like a 555 in a metronome, or just solder them directly?
If the 'beginner' is a soldering AND legs on dual line chips "identifier
counter/wizard" then solder.
If in doubt use sockets!

Have fun

Stanislaw
Slack user from Ulladulla.
 
P

Puckdropper

Jan 1, 1970
0
NJM said:
I was just wondering whether you all would use a socket for small
beginner projects like a 555 in a metronome, or just solder them
directly?

I'd do it all socketed for the simple fact that that's what a breadboard
is. With beginner projects, you want the ability it reuse parts because
that metronome is only interesting for a few minutes...

Sockets are usually much cheaper than the ICs that go in them. All
Electronics (I happened to have their catalog nearby) has sockets for as
low as $0.15 while their cheapest 7400-series IC is $0.35. If you're new
to soldering, it's better to destroy a 15 cent socket than a 35 cent IC,
right? (Normal disclaimers apply, catalog prices where Summer of '06.)

Puckdropper
 
M

Martin

Jan 1, 1970
0
NJM said:
I was just wondering whether you all would use a socket for small beginner
projects like a 555 in a metronome, or just solder them directly?

The others seem to like sockets, but I disagree.

For more or less temporary stuff, just use a breadboard ... thats what
they're for.

If its going in a board. then solder it in.
Its no more difficult to solder the IC, it saves the additional cost
of the socket, its more reliable.

BTW, in all my years, as far as I know, I've never ruined a component
by overheating it during soldering it. (Lifted a few traces on PC
boards though)

And FWIW you can overheat some sockets soldering them in too (I'll
guess the cheaper ones are more susceptible to it) and THAT might
suck to troubleshoot, cause it'll most likely show up as an
intermittent/poor contact.

Martin
 
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