How do you secure socketed components?

[Danbieranowski]

Someone mentioned on another platform that it's not a good idea to solder transistors into their sockets once I've committed to my choices. This is what I've always done, but apparently the heat can be bad for them. I don't do this for ICs since the sockets seem very secure, but I wouldn't feel good leaving socketed transistors, diodes, etc. unsecured. So I'm curious what the more experienced builders here do to secure the socketed components that they've committed to after testing. Any advice?

See photo to see what I mean about how I secure my components with a little bead of solder where the leg meets the socket.

 

[zgrav]

Your approach looks good to me. I usually tin the leads for trimmed transistors to make a tighter fit. I put an alligator clip on the lead by the transistor to minimize heat transfer when I do that. If I want to make it a it more secure than that I will solder in the middle lead to keep it in place.

 

[Danbieranowski]

Your approach looks good to me. I usually tin the leads for trimmed transistors to make a tighter fit. I put an alligator clip on the lead by the transistor to minimize heat transfer when I do that. If I want to make it a it more secure than that I will solder in the middle lead to keep it in place.

That alligator clip cheat is a great idea.

 

[Robert]

I don't see how soldering them into sockets could be any worse for the transistors than soldering them directly into the board.

I can't say that I've ever damaged a transistor with too much heat.

 

[Danbieranowski]

I don't see how soldering them into sockets could be any worse for the transistors than soldering them directly into the board.

I can't say that I've ever damaged a transistor with too much heat.

I was hoping for this answer.

 

[music6000]

I don't see how soldering them into sockets could be any worse for the transistors than soldering them directly into the board.

I can't say that I've ever damaged a transistor with too much heat.

I only use sockets if it's unclear what transistor is used.
I do zgrav's method by tinning & shorter legs!
I can't say that I've ever damaged a transistor with too much heat either!

 

[temol]

my 2 cents. I'd not solder transistor to the socket - only because it's harder to clean the solder from the socket than from the solder pads.
Or I'd solder only one leg of the component.

 

[caiofilipini]

I used to be afraid of desoldering, until I found this:

Amazon.com

It's life changing, and nowadays, in some cases at least, I remove the socket and solder the transistors directly onto the board.

 

[peccary]

I used to be afraid of desoldering, until I found this:

Amazon.com

It's life changing, and nowadays, in some cases at least, I remove the socket and solder the transistors directly onto the board.

I've gotten pretty decent with the cheapie blue one from Amazon, but have found that I need to hit it twice usually (unless I'm just clearing solder from a hole) because I don't get enough suction. I might have to put this on my xmas list next year.

 

[Nostradoomus]

I usually run jumpers to a breadboard to audition transistors now, I hate sockets haha

 

[Barry]

I used to be afraid of desoldering, until I found this:

Amazon.com

It's life changing, and nowadays, in some cases at least, I remove the socket and solder the transistors directly onto the board.

I picked up one of those and it's far and away the best solder suckerer I've tried

 

[Danbieranowski]

my 2 cents. I'd not solder transistor to the socket - only because it's harder to clean the solder from the socket than from the solder pads.
Or I'd solder only one leg of the component.

I've considered that single leg option. Seems sufficient enough to hold the part in place long term.

 

[Danbieranowski]

I picked up one of those and it's far and away the best solder suckerer I've tried

Well now I bought one. LOL

 

[Cybercow]

With sufficient soldering skills, soldering BJTs and other such active devices into the PCB directly or into sockets, there is little risk of damage. For me, the point of using sockets if ease of changing the part out. Often I find that the legs of a socketed device fit sloppily into a socket. When that happens, I remove the part and gently "wrinkle" the ends of the legs that will go into a socket. This reduces the wiggle-room a lot and tends to provide more grip of the socket around the 'wrinkled' leg. And when I finally commit my transistors to a build, I will only lightly solder-tac one leg to allow for easier change or repair if the future calls for it. But that's just me.

 

[giovanni]

I never really had a transistor fall out of a socket, they’ve always stuck in there pretty tightly. I was always a bit skeptical about sockets but I read in the past that it’s good practice to do. I might reconsider that after reading these suggestions!

 

[manfesto]

Hot glue; secure enough to be permanent, but not impossible to cleanly remove if you wanna swap out the socketed component later

 

[music6000]

I never really had a transistor fall out of a socket, they’ve always stuck in there pretty tightly. I was always a bit skeptical about sockets but I read in the past that it’s good practice to do. I might reconsider that after reading these suggestions!

I think that some of us forget that when we turn it over & plug it in & stomp on it, the PCB components are now trying to fall out!!!