damorgue, this is brilliant. :thumb:
Where to get these magical SIP sockets?
So this is what I'd want right?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-40-Pin-DIP-SIP-IC-Sockets-Adaptor-Solder-Type-USA-SELLER-Free-Shipping-/22118604294 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-40-Pin-DIP-SIP-IC-Sockets-Adaptor-Solder-Type-USA-SELLER-Free-Shipping-/22118604294)
So this is what I'd want right?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-40-Pin-DIP-SIP-IC-Sockets-Adaptor-Solder-Type-USA-SELLER-Free-Shipping-/22118604294 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-40-Pin-DIP-SIP-IC-Sockets-Adaptor-Solder-Type-USA-SELLER-Free-Shipping-/22118604294)
That link is weird for me. Get SIP, not DIP. I think DIP are 'dual' and have two rows and you don't want that.
Edit: It appears a few sellers use both DIP and SIP interchangeably but make sure that you get a single row of sockets, something like this. (http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-40-Pin-DIP-SIP-IC-Sockets-Adaptor-Solder-Type-USA-SELLER-Free-Shipping-/221186042943) That link is for 200 of them which should be enough for 100 LEDs.
Whoa, what a fun idea. We can swap LEDs to match keycap sets! :D
swill you miss my point. I swap caps on my keyboards probably every month or two. When I swap caps, I can swap out LEDs too. So like magneta for Miami or red for Klaxon and blue for Raindrop :P.
how much did you shave down the sockets? can you give more pics?
I'm confused about how you setup the resistors. I wish there was a picture.If you just solder these on the PCB and then push the resistor into them, it will add a few mm which might cause conflicts with various cases. The ones in the switches will not conflict with cases of course, but the resistor ones might. I bent the legs of the socket to make the socket lie sideways, flat onto the PCB. The resistor is then pushed into the socket along the PCB. The only reason to do that is to make it less tall.
Edit: If you often switch between two colours often, then soldering two different resistors with a switch might be easier.
Edit: If you often switch between two colours often, then soldering two different resistors with a switch might be easier.
I can't get a visual on this. How would you solder two different resistors with a switch on the back of the board? I am guessing you would be doing that for every mx switch?
i was wondering if the led will be jiggly or loose enough to fall off if you overturn the keyboard after doing this mod.
i was wondering if the led will be jiggly or loose enough to fall off if you overturn the keyboard after doing this mod.
The LED is very much in there. You pretty much have to use a pair of pliers to get the led out (cause you can't get a hold of it and it is tight), so I would not be worried about that at all.
I just tried an entire keyboard for a friend and can confirm that it is easier to clip them completely. There is no hassle with getting an exact cut and less concentration is needed.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/IJMBO3K.jpg)
I just tried an entire keyboard for a friend and can confirm that it is easier to clip them completely. There is no hassle with getting an exact cut and less concentration is needed.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/IJMBO3K.jpg)
tips on keeping them in correctly while soldering?
I just tried an entire keyboard for a friend and can confirm that it is easier to clip them completely. There is no hassle with getting an exact cut and less concentration is needed.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/IJMBO3K.jpg)
tips on keeping them in correctly while soldering?
It has already been mentioned, but simply put a LED in, or anything with the correct pitch really. Using the LED which you will be using later on is convenient as you ensure that it will work.
Just for a reference for people. Here is a switch with SIP sockets which have had the entire housing removed and an LED in place so it is ready to solder...
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
Edit: I did not check if the LED was in the correct orientation, it was just to illustrate the previous point...
Just for a reference for people. Here is a switch with SIP sockets which have had the entire housing removed and an LED in place so it is ready to solder...
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
Edit: I did not check if the LED was in the correct orientation, it was just to illustrate the previous point...
what board is that? looks sexy
They are 2x3x4mm rectangular LEDs.
Does anybody else have closing problems even without the black plastic? It won't close all the way and makes taking off caps a PITA
Does anybody else have closing problems even without the black plastic? It won't close all the way and makes taking off caps a PITA
I have not had that problem yet. I have not done a whole board though... Its the switch top you cant get to close correctly?
Yes, they don't fit perfectly because the black top part interferes:
(https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3706/13136142913_a00b4e1dec_h.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/m1NaCD)
I circled the parts on the side, but I it might be more than that. I need to do a test with teflon tape. Takes more effort to close the switches, and they don't close fully, though when they do close, there's no interference that I've noticed. I've used them for my entire LightSaver's worth of switches, and it took a lot of extra time :(
Redone the photograph to show the part on the top cover that interferes with the tops of the SIP sockets and doesn't allow for the top cover to close as tightly as it would without the sockets.
When I install SIP sockets, even when inserting the switch fully into the PCB the ends of the sockets barely make it through the PCB holes. Is that everyone else's experience as well? It seems like it puts the connection to the LED at risk unless you really get in there with the solder.
When I install SIP sockets, even when inserting the switch fully into the PCB the ends of the sockets barely make it through the PCB holes. Is that everyone else's experience as well? It seems like it puts the connection to the LED at risk unless you really get in there with the solder.
Yes, on a 1.6mm PCB it will basically be flush with the bottom of the PCB.
I am using a sprit PCB, so the led holes are all the way through so there is lots of surface to solder to. No issues at all. Desoldering them is a bit of a PITA, but I think that is to be expected.
If you have a single sided PCB then I could see you maybe having some issues.
Which PCB are you using and do the pads go through the PCB?
When I install SIP sockets, even when inserting the switch fully into the PCB the ends of the sockets barely make it through the PCB holes. Is that everyone else's experience as well? It seems like it puts the connection to the LED at risk unless you really get in there with the solder.
Yes, on a 1.6mm PCB it will basically be flush with the bottom of the PCB.
I am using a sprit PCB, so the led holes are all the way through so there is lots of surface to solder to. No issues at all. Desoldering them is a bit of a PITA, but I think that is to be expected.
If you have a single sided PCB then I could see you maybe having some issues.
Which PCB are you using and do the pads go through the PCB?
I've most recently been working on Duck PCBs, Butterfly keypad and Orion. That is a good note as I do my own PCB design. Are there SIP sockets that are extra long?
Excellent information Igthorn. That would explain why some have had a harder time closing the switch housing than others. Someone should get a few of each and report back which profile works the best.
Excellent information Igthorn. That would explain why some have had a harder time closing the switch housing than others. Someone should get a few of each and report back which profile works the best.
I think some people are not completely removing the housing as well. When I didn't remove the housing I had problems closing the switch. I tried to 'shave' the sip socket pair and that was just too tedious for me...
Excellent information Igthorn. That would explain why some have had a harder time closing the switch housing than others. Someone should get a few of each and report back which profile works the best.
I think some people are not completely removing the housing as well. When I didn't remove the housing I had problems closing the switch. I tried to 'shave' the sip socket pair and that was just too tedious for me...
Someone should try out the "Ultra-low profile" type listed in the pdf and see if it is any better in that regard.
Excellent information Igthorn. That would explain why some have had a harder time closing the switch housing than others. Someone should get a few of each and report back which profile works the best.
I think some people are not completely removing the housing as well. When I didn't remove the housing I had problems closing the switch. I tried to 'shave' the sip socket pair and that was just too tedious for me...
Someone should try out the "Ultra-low profile" type listed in the pdf and see if it is any better in that regard.
I got a few of the long tail ones to try in my next build. (A Lightsaver, I think is my next modern build.) I will report back with results in photographic form.
i asked previously but then I thought i fixed it.Your GF knows what's up.
Apparently not.
My girlfriend just told me "why dont you ask people on geekhack. They're pretty smart" and so here i am.
I have all the SIP sockets soldered in and i'm adding LEDs on there to test. I will slowly start adding LEDs and i will add one that will cause the other LEDs to dim.What board is this? In some KBs (TG3 BL82) the LEDs are wired up differently and won't work at all unless there are a proper "pair" wired up.
Is there something i'm doing wrong?
i asked previously but then I thought i fixed it.Your GF knows what's up.
Apparently not.
My girlfriend just told me "why dont you ask people on geekhack. They're pretty smart" and so here i am.I have all the SIP sockets soldered in and i'm adding LEDs on there to test. I will slowly start adding LEDs and i will add one that will cause the other LEDs to dim.What board is this? In some KBs (TG3 BL82) the LEDs are wired up differently and won't work at all unless there are a proper "pair" wired up.
Is there something i'm doing wrong?
In other KBs, the LED regulation isn't as good, and it will give less or more current to LEDs depending on load.
If it's a KB I have, I'll be happy to test it out.
sorry if this is a noobish question but wouldn't it be possible theoretically speaking to use sip sockets to mount your switches to the pcb ? to easily assemble & disassemble without needing to solder twice ?
sorry if this is a noobish question but wouldn't it be possible theoretically speaking to use sip sockets to mount your switches to the pcb ? to easily assemble & disassemble without needing to solder twice ?
OT: Wow, whiskyTanog, I haven't seen you post since forever, good to see brother!We had a baby. He is two months. I'm still around, just don't have much free time these days, ha. It's getting better though.
An alternative to Swill's flush cutter method is to just grab the socket and push it up through the housing. It's quick and easy and I've not yet mangled any SIPs like I did when cutting them out.
Apologies for the necro, but this seemed like the right place!
Sorry im late , but im wondering if something like this would work with the gateron switch ? I dont have one handy to compare to the mx switch.
Could you please elaborate on what you saidThe Cherry MX Lock switch (https://deskthority.net/wiki/Cherry_MX_Lock) has the LED hole shifted to the right and it won't align with the PCB pads that are usually centered.
"the MX lock is unsuitable unfortunately "