DIY- Make A REAL Universal 20 Pins SMD To DIP Chip Adapter That Does Not Exist
This article started when I was trying to test both AM324m (quad Op-amp LM324) 14 pins smd chips in my partially defect cheap DT9205A DMM. And there were very little other active parts on its internal board to test. The second photo shows where I already had removed both quad op-amps with my Gordak 952-A hot-air station.
And there I again hit a very annoying obstacle that prevented me way too often before from just being able to test both ICs. I have an Op-amp tester, and also the required smd to dip adapters but because the adapter is NEVER a real DIP pin socket sized adapter, I am unable to proceed!
For some strange reason all Chinese sellers name everything DIP size even when they aren’t! Which is just unbelievable and completely useless too! And so many times I also reported this to them but still NO real smd to DIP adapter exists because the pins are too far apart to be named DIP compatible!
And to avoid this nuisance for once and for all is why I made a REAL universal 20 pins SMD to DIP adapter and this article shows you how to make such an important tool too! Heat up your solder iron and continue reading!
I used above metalized through holes board size 8 by 2 cm I bought in the past on Aliexpress. And I only used about 4.6 cm in length to place a 20 pins Textool (number 220-3345 PAT.NO.3500745) on top of that. (Watch that you buy a Textool socket that also fits the smaller DIP size!)
Above on the left one of the AM324M chips I need to test. Also shown the wrong named DIP16 smd adapter plus the mentioned 20 pins Textool socket (that probably also was named wrong ‘TFXTDOL’). And the pin rows I used to solder 20 pins onto the bottom of the board and the TEXTOOL socket. Because also the Textool pins although real DIP rows are just still too thick to directly place into a DIP socket we need to add another solution. Also because the used pins of the pin rows are also too thick too!
Above photo on the left shows how to keep the black plastic holders onto the top of the solder pins.
And by moving that plastic strip carefully up we are easily able to solder the pins one by one into the board and each onto every pin of the bottom of the 20 pins Textool socket. And also use that wider 20 pins socket in photo on the right to keep the DIP pin rows straight! After that is done we just press that black plastic strip downwards in the old position so to make room to press both 10 pin rows into the wider socket. Next photos show how everything is going to fit.
Above sideview shows how easy it is to solder these pin rows straight aligned to the bottom side of the socket.
Chinese engineers are very good in often making excellent products like the RT809H. Sadly they are making a big mistake when they keep making sockets and socket adapters that NEVER are real DIP sockets but still are sold as that! Hence why we have to make a universal tool like is explained in this, I am sure, very useful article! From now on I am finally able to really test all my up to 20 pins smd chips in my DIP testers! Like in following shown Op-amp tester.
And finally as last socket a quality 20 pins socket was pressed onto the 20 pins of the standard socket that easily was pressed onto all thicker pins of both 10 pin pin rows. And because I here only needed 14 pins to test another quality 14 pins socket was placed onto that one too. (to avoid that the 2 x 3 unused pins would come in touch with other obstacles on my Op-amp tester) .
It showed that both my AM324m chips under test were perfectly fine, showing both active states when all 4 Op-amp outputs switched simultaneous from all going high to all going low. (All leds red or all leds yellow).
Likely everyone needs this universal smd to DIP adapter too to really be able to test all up to 20 pins large smd ICs! A tool that apparently can’t be bought anywhere!
So if you also have good old DIL socketed chip testers at home you now probably have a good reason to make one too!
The result will be a handy and very sturdy universal quality chip adapter!
If you want can this DIY adapter be seen in action in this short video on Youtube:
Good luck in building one too!
Albert van Bemmelen, Weert, The Netherlands
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Parasuraman S
July 8, 2022 at 9:21 pm
Oh! My God! Out of the world box thinking! You have no limits to which you would go to meet your needs! Hat's off! Well, honestly, I won't venture to do something like this even in the near future!
Paris Azis
July 8, 2022 at 10:27 pm
This is a genuine refined sense of humor, which I like very much Parasuraman...!!
Paris Azis
July 8, 2022 at 10:24 pm
A very useful tool, well presented as well, Albert!
Imoudu.O
July 9, 2022 at 5:34 am
Oh! I don't even know there is a dip pins tester, how i wish to possess such and try this diy.Thanks for sharing.
Albert van Bemmelen
July 9, 2022 at 2:18 pm
Most older components are all DIP sized which was very common Imoudu, because SMD just didn't exist yet. Most of my CMOS, TTL, Opamp/Comparator chips are all still Dip sized. So are my DIP IC testers. Also my comparator tester is DIP sized. Which I also had to make because you can't buy such a tester. And most testers I have don't do comparators. And if they do they fail testing some of them that contain dual or quad comparators like there is a quad opamp LM324. And since there are no real smd chip testers either is why this universal SMD adapter tool was desperately needed.
Waleed Rishmawi
July 9, 2022 at 2:06 pm
very interesting tool to have in the shop. thanks for sharing. have a blessed day
Lynn Blakely
July 10, 2022 at 4:33 am
Albert: That is a very good project for using to test DIP type IC's. Excellent pictures also. Like you said they are not really true DIP IC's.
Yogesh Panchal
July 31, 2022 at 12:14 am
DIY JIG need extra skill to create the things which will make our work easiest.
Good JOB! Albert