Crystal in a Socket

[ljbeng]

Has anyone used a Crystal in a socket in a production unit so the crystal can be removed and changed in value? The crystal will run a TDA5051 Power line modem interface.

[Chris Smith]

Old CB crystals come in a can with two stiff socket pins, as do many others.

My Old GRC-10 military radio came with a nice assortment of plugable crystals.

[Robert Reed]

Yes - Thousands, maybe millions of manufactures have done this forever. Or at least up to the late 80s and at that time frequency synthesis started to dominate the scene. I have used these many times (and still do), and serviced hundreds of crystal controlled units. I have never had or seen a problem with the sockets. They come in all pin spacing sizes-- from the ancient 3/4" to the newer 1'4".

[Edd]

Assuming that your xtal to be utilized will be in a HC49 casing with bare wire leads...probably within the
6.08---9.504 range in that application.
For time infinitum I have been sawing /Dremel tool/ cut outs from the machine pinned design of IC socket.Then using pairs of / or / individual pins.They grip the pins quite firmly, yet are quite durable to multiple changeouts.


Water vapor accumulates together in a cloud.
When it is big enough to be called a drop........ it does.

[Enzo]

Robert, where do they use those crystals with the 1 foot 4 inch crystal sockets?

[Chris Smith]

I would imagine its MMs?

[L. Daniel Rosa]

How's that then? Is M&M/Mars candy having a radio or some other gadget that uses a lawn-mower sized crystal made for the public? Or is that for the musician who is called eMineM? Good question where that socket should be.

[ljbeng]

Well it is Valentines Day and everyone probably has a belly full of m&ms....

Edd, you hit the crystal range on the nose, I fogot to mention that in the text. I have done that as well, just not for production boards. That is most likely what we will do. Thanks to all.

[MrAl]

Hello there,


I think i still have an old crystal around
somewhere that has short stubby leads that
fit into a socket. They used to do that
in radios a lot.

One thing NOT to do, however, is to connect
long leads to the crystal (or its socket)
that connect it to its circuit. Long leads
create too much additional capacitance and
some inductance too and what happens is
sometimes the oscillator it's connected to
wont start because of this. Filter circuit
center frequencies could be thrown off too.


Take care,
Al

[Robert Reed]

Enzo
"Robert, where do they use those crystals with the 1 foot 4 inch crystal sockets? "
On gigantic garage sized power oscillators, of course!
Actually, I am sure everyone recognized the typo---1/4"

<small>[ February 14, 2006, 04:51 PM: Message edited by: ROBERT REED ]</small>

[MrAl]

Wow, 1 foot 4 inch crystal? Must be REALLY
low frequency he he he...

Take care,
Al