44-Lead PLCC Package.  Is it hand solderable? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 02:10:09 pm
content: I have some 44-Lead PLCC devices which I would like to use for my Nixie clock project but I really don't want to pay for adaptorsDo you think they are hand solderable directly to a board or do I need to bite the bullet and try and track down some adaptors?What is the logic behind PLCC? Are these devices likely to be thermally sensitive?It's ahttp://ww1.microchip.com/downloads/en/DeviceDoc/HV5622%20C072313.pdfThanks in advance

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 02:13:51 pm
content: PLCCs are hand solderable as long as you extend the PCB pads outside the package outline.You can also get through-hole PLCC sockets

author: edpalmer42
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 04:42:53 pm
content: I had to replace a dead 44 pin PLCC chip. Since these chips have a history of dying, I soldered in a surface-mount PLCC44 socket so that future replacement would be trivial. Soldering the socket wasn't a problem.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 05:02:32 pm
content: I rather solder a 0.4mm pitch QFN than a PLCC... But yes, a PLCC is definitely hand solderable especially if you follow Mike's advise and extend the pads a 1 to 2 mm outside the pins.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 07:41:27 pm
content: PLCCs are first generation SMD packages from the 1980s. New parts are not normally released in these packages. They are trivial to solder by hand.

author: viperidae
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 07:46:04 pm
content: Why not buy the chip in a pqfp package?

author: Psi
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 21, 2016, 09:01:44 pm
content: A 366pin BGA is hand solderable why would a PLCC not be?

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 12:13:29 pm
content: Quote from: Psi on October 21, 2016, 09:01:44 pmI asked about thermal properties, if it is thermally sensitive then it might not be hand solderable?

author: MattHollands
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 12:17:06 pm
content: I soldered a bunch of PLCC-20 chips a few weeks ago by hand. Didn't even need to extend the pads on the footprint. That shape of the pins makes it really easy to get an iron in there and do one pin at a time.Lay down some flux, put down the chip and hold it still. Get some solder on your iron and tack down two pins. Then put flux on all the pins again and go one by one with your tinned iron.Matt

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 12:38:58 pm
content: .... and if you are concerned about thermal issues, after tacking it, do one side at a time, allowing it to cool off between sides. However hand soldering by anyone competent is far less stressful than most automated soldering processes, so unless they've been kept in open packets in a swamp, you shouldn't have any problems as long as the leads are still bright and clean. (If they have been kept in a high humidity environment they'd probably benefit from a JEDEC standard bakeout. Improvising a 'good enough' bakeout oven heated by a lightbulb isn't too tricky)

author: stj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 02:42:50 pm
content: you really should use smd sockets - they are much simpler to solder.

author: BFX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 03:48:56 pm
content: It's really easy no problem at all . You should use enough soldering flux.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 04:31:01 pm
content: That looks like a nice MAX6922 SPI VFD driver board. I see its got a HT boost circuit onboard. Is it using DC for the filament?

author: dannyf
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 04:45:31 pm
content: With the right pcbs, I have hand soldered SOIC, SSOP, TSSOP and QFN packages, with varying degrees of success: QFN maybe 30 - 40%, TSSOP 90%+, and SOIC is near 100%So I think PLCC should be reasonably easy.BGA is one where I think I would have zero chance of doing correctly.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 05:18:08 pm
content: Quote from: dannyf on October 23, 2016, 04:45:31 pmJust say you can't solder

author: BFX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 05:38:38 pm
content: Quote from: Ian.M on October 23, 2016, 04:31:01 pmYes I bought few old boards with VFDs very cheap (on the top of first picture)And those VFDs are still in very good condition.Yes it using DC around 3V for the filament.

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 08:11:51 pm
content: Nice. I've got a couple of N.O.S. NEC FIP13C8C VFDs (12 digit x 7 segment + dot, comma and apostrophe with M, - and <- symbols in the 13th place) that I am contemplating building a driver board for. Apart from the number of digits and the bathtub cover glass they are similar to yours.Would you mind sharing the boost circuit schematic?With DC filament supply, have you noticed any end-to-end brightness gradient?

author: BFX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 23, 2016, 09:29:15 pm
content: Quote from: Ian.M on October 23, 2016, 08:11:51 pmHere you are. It's nothing special.I don't see any gradient now, but maybe after placing some darker glass before VFD.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 24, 2016, 07:12:29 am
content: I love PLCCs (plastic *leaded* chip carriers) because they are easy to solder, may or may not be socketted, the j-leads provide stress relief, and test clips are available. It is too bad they are deprecated.