Programming without soldering pins

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1

Hi,

What is the best way to program a (baby) Orangutan without soldering the pins onto the PCB in order to connect the AVRISP cable? I my particular application I need the Orangutan to remain as flat as possible. Is there an easy way to maintain a proper connection to the appropriate board holes during programming and then removing the connection again without soldering?

Maybe some kind of mounting device or does one resort to small ‘hooks’? Please enlighten me :slight_smile:

Thomas

2

Hello.

There are a few possibilities I can think of:

  1. Instead of soldering the 3x2 header pins to your Baby Orangutan, press the header pins in place such that all six make good contact each time you program. You may have to try to program several times if the contact isn’t good, and over time the plated ISP thru-holes will most likely deform as a result of the pressure you’re exerting on them.

  2. Create a custom press-fit ISP header using spring pins. You would be able to hold such an adapter against the Baby Orangutan each time you want to program it. Spring pins will make it easier to achieve good contact with all six pads, and spring pins will not deform the pads.

  3. Solder wires from the ISP pads on your Baby Orangutan to your 3x2 pin ISP header. You can place the 3x2 header where you have more room and make your programming connection there.

  4. You might be able to get a flat ISP header for your Baby Orangutan, but I don’t know much about these and I’d have to look into them.

- Ben

3

Thanks, Ben.

I didn’t know spring pins existed but it sounds like the more robust way to go.

Thomas

4

You can try doing a search for “spring loaded contacts”. One example I found is the following: ebyelectro.com/precidip/pp_p … loaded.asp

- Ben

5

Great, thanks Ben! This is how to do it.

Thomas