Does anyone have some recommendation on how to connect to a 14-pin TSSOP IC (a MSP430-G2221) mounted on a PCB? I have tried to find a test clip but the only manufacturer of TSSOP test clips I found (Pomona) seems to be discontinued by Mouser/Farnell/DigiKey and such. My small single test clips are to large, the pin pitch is 0.65 mm. Is it possible to hack something together in a DIY fashion? Any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Attached a picture of IC on board.
Connect test leads to TSSOP-14?
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- adafruit_support_mike
- Posts: 67485
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 2:51 pm
Re: Connect test leads to TSSOP-14?
At that size, test clips won't do much good. There isn't enough for them to grab.
The official probes for such things use XYZ stages and have an arm that holds a needle. You can approximate one with a sewing needle and some blu-tak though.
Connect a few inches of light wire to the eye of the needle and grip the free end of the wire with a test clip. Use a blob of blu-tak to hold the test clip in place because you don't want it to move for what's coming next.
Put another blob of blu-tak next to the chip, poke the needle through it, and fiddle with things until the tip of the needle rests securely on the pin you want to probe. It's usually easiest to set the tip of the needle where the pin bends, then squish the blu-tak so it's pushing the pin slightly forward. The tip of the needle will dig into the pin slightly, and you'll have a connection that's good enough for testing purposes.
The official probes for such things use XYZ stages and have an arm that holds a needle. You can approximate one with a sewing needle and some blu-tak though.
Connect a few inches of light wire to the eye of the needle and grip the free end of the wire with a test clip. Use a blob of blu-tak to hold the test clip in place because you don't want it to move for what's coming next.
Put another blob of blu-tak next to the chip, poke the needle through it, and fiddle with things until the tip of the needle rests securely on the pin you want to probe. It's usually easiest to set the tip of the needle where the pin bends, then squish the blu-tak so it's pushing the pin slightly forward. The tip of the needle will dig into the pin slightly, and you'll have a connection that's good enough for testing purposes.
- farout
- Posts: 2
- Joined: Mon Oct 12, 2015 2:46 pm
Re: Connect test leads to TSSOP-14?
Thanks Mike, a good suggestion (and cheap). I'll be sure to try it.
No electronics engineer's lab should be without blu-tak and duct tape :)
/Dan
No electronics engineer's lab should be without blu-tak and duct tape :)
/Dan
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.