Hello AAC forum,

Working on a circuit that uses a 433 mhz transmitter and receiver to operate a servo..
Have tested this circuit using a breadboard and it works. When the circuit is powered the red LED comes on. When the momentary switch, which sends a signal to the transmitter, is pressed the red LED goes off, the green LED turns on and the servo travels 90 degrees.
When the momentary switch is released the red LED goes on, the green LED turns off and the servo travels 90 degrees back to the original position.
Now ready to move to a PCB. The PCB, which will be sort of a shield for the Arduino Beetle, has the PC817 optocoupler on it.
The question is: Does the PC817 need a socket? Or can it be soldered directly to the board. Looking at the PC817 one side is an LED that emits light. The second element is photo transistor or photo diode that closes a circuit on the emitter/collector side.
LEDs, transistors, and diodes are regularly soldered into PCBs with good result. But because the optocoupler looks more like an IC, a 555 timer or a 4017 counter, that always get sockets, it is thought that perhaps the PC817 should be socketed.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that four position sockets are hard to find.
A four position Collet style socket was purchased but the optocoupler DIP form of the PC817 does not fit the Collett socket.
The DIP style socket is preferred but is hard to find in a two row, four position factor.
Any ideas or experience with setting optocouplers in PCBs would be helpful.
Thanks.

Allen Pitts

 

Socket or not, your choice.

 

Hello AAC forum,

Working on a circuit that uses a 433 mhz transmitter and receiver to operate a servo..View attachment 255099
Have tested this circuit using a breadboard and it works. When the circuit is powered the red LED comes on. When the momentary switch, which sends a signal to the transmitter, is pressed the red LED goes off, the green LED turns on and the servo travels 90 degrees.
When the momentary switch is released the red LED goes on, the green LED turns off and the servo travels 90 degrees back to the original position.
Now ready to move to a PCB. The PCB, which will be sort of a shield for the Arduino Beetle, has the PC817 optocoupler on it.
The question is: Does the PC817 need a socket? Or can it be soldered directly to the board. Looking at the PC817 one side is an LED that emits light. The second element is photo transistor or photo diode that closes a circuit on the emitter/collector side.
LEDs, transistors, and diodes are regularly soldered into PCBs with good result. But because the optocoupler looks more like an IC, a 555 timer or a 4017 counter, that always get sockets, it is thought that perhaps the PC817 should be socketed.

The matter is further complicated by the fact that four position sockets are hard to find.
A four position Collet style socket was purchased but the optocoupler DIP form of the PC817 does not fit the Collett socket. View attachment 255101
The DIP style socket is preferred but is hard to find in a two row, four position factor.
Any ideas or experience with setting optocouplers in PCBs would beView attachment 255102 helpful.
Thanks.

Allen Pitts

Use a coping saw to cut the larger socket into smaller pieces. You do not necessarily need to cut all the way. They can be snapped apart if you cut enough.

 

The opto-isolators that I have used sometimes fit in six position sockets, but not always. When they are correctly applied they usually do not fail, and so could be soldered in place. BUT if the PCB designer will be using close fitting plated thru holes then I do recommend using sockets. There are available strips of the good machined sockets that can be snaped to any length, so there is no need to consider cutting apart larger sockets. They might be called "snap strips",I am not sure. about the company, but I think it is "Samtec" that produces the strips.