DIP plug pin repair suggestions? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: jaunty
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2015, 07:42:33 am
content: While putting back together a repair project I stupidly (despite being super cautious - i thought) broke off a the pin of a dip plug head. I think a 'field repair' in this case would be way less of a PITA than getting all new replacement ribbon cables and find compatible plugs and crimping equipment etc - not to mention the fact this has to be done by tomorrow AM...!thanks for any suggestions....

author: alsetalokin4017
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2015, 09:17:22 am
content: I think you had better call in sick.The fact that the pin is broken off inside the female connector means you are totally screwed.I can't think of any way to get that pin out without screwing things up further. You might try picking at it with the tip of an xacto blade or a sewing needle, but I doubt if that would actually work.If you can get to the underside of the board you might be able to solder in a jumper wire, bring it up to the topside (drill a little hole next to the connector and feed the jumper through, carefully missing all traces on the pcb) then split out the wire from the ribbon cable that goes to that pin and then splice to your jumper.(It may be that the pad and trace next to the socket hole is connected to that pin location, I can't tell from the perspective of the photo. Check with a DMM continuity check. You may not have to get to the back side of the board if this is the case, you can just use that pad for connecting the jumper.)

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2015, 10:15:17 am
content: *IF* you can work the broken pin out of the socket, maybe by prying with two sharp steel needles, you get options other than replacing the socket.If you've got anything with the right connectors on, you can steal from, its possible to carefully spring the latches and disassemble and salvage a connector. The plastic is normally horribly brittle so be careful with the latches. Also you will have to ease the wire out of the ICD pin slots one pin at a time without bending them. Reassembly is trivial with a pair of parallel jaw pliers, or two bars of metal, one with plain holes and the other with tapped holes to make a field expedient assembly jig. If at all possible, position the connector 3mm further up the cable to get 'virgin' wire for each IDC contact.If you've got some turned pin sockets handy, replace the socket on the board and put one on the IDC DIP header. Solder the corner pins including the broken one to the extra turned pin socket which becomes the new plug. Reinforce with hotglue through the centre hole in the socket frame. If you managed to clear the pin from the socket you can do similar with a flat pin socket, but access to solder the broken pin will suck.

author: orbiter
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2015, 02:26:23 pm
content: I've done this before so it may get you by until you get another socket etc...If you have some tiny drill bits (like 0.2 or 0.3mm) ... Leave the broken pins in there... Then carefully drill down the side of the pin on both connector sides and drill in perhaps 2mm (make sure you drill the same edge of the pinsso that it fits together properly.) Then insert either a piece of wire or another suitable header pin. Tighter the fit the better.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 17, 2015, 04:42:04 pm
content: 2 turned pin sockets, one on each side. Solder the remains of the pin to the socket, melting the plastic slightly if needed so long as the pin still is held, so preferably melt the top with incidental contact.Lower socket pop the pin out, or simply use a sharp scalpel blade to slit the socket to bare the pin, then push in the turned pin socket and solder the damaged pin to it.Done this a few times, much easier than trying to undo all the rats nest of wire wrap ( wrapped and soldered the bastids did) and putting in a new socket, just soldered the turned pin socket onto the old one ( cooked it a lot doing that to ensure solder wetted joint on the pin and formed pin contact socket) and then plugged the cleaned ROM into it. Broken pin ones just solder to another turned pin socket, and if broken at the body a little work with a needle file and a resistor end worked wonders.You are asking why not just a new IC? Simple, it was a 8T series fusible link PROM, and I needed the teat bench working, and did not have either time or some blank PROM chips around, had used them all fixing some other stuff and they were on back order for months. At least a 32 bit PROM was something you could program with only a bench power supply, a lot of wire links and a good breadboard. Burn at 6V and test at 6V and 4V to check.

author: jaunty
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 01:04:36 am
content: Quote from: orbiter on December 17, 2015, 02:26:23 pmha! like a root canal -

author: jaunty
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 01:09:17 am
content: Thanks for all the great responses -as i was pressed for time (and sleep) i had to improvise. I actually managed to get the pin out (amazing it worked) with some superglue and another piece of wire - THEN I took a bit of resistor lead of a very slightly heavier gauge than the other pins and soldered it to the stub of the broken off pin (wouldn't be the FIRST time the microscope has saved my arse!) - after a few trials was able to get a decent join with areas both side of the join silvered decent and somewhat smooth... so it did the job - for NOWbut i'm not sure the connection is strong enough to survive the plug being pulled out again...!

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 18, 2015, 02:34:28 am
content: I assume you've ordered spares, or are you merely hoping it never darkens your bench again?

author: jaunty
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 19, 2015, 02:42:46 am
content: Quote from: Ian.M on December 18, 2015, 02:34:28 ami probably OUGHT to - but the problem is there are such a variety of them I'd need - with different numbers of conductors etc etc... but good point... thanks