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Pulliing PLCC chips without a PLCC Puller

tezza

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 1, 2007
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Location
New Zealand
Hi guys,

I have two non-working PS/2 30-286 motherboards here with different faults. One of the faults MAY be because the CPU is faulty. I say may be because I really have no idea.

Anyway, I'd like to swap the CPUs over to see if it makes any difference. They are PLCC ICs. I don't have (and don't want to buy) a PLCC puller simply for this simple one-off trial which probably won't make any difference anyway.

I believe they can be prised out with careful and patient use of a tiny screwdriver.

Has anyone tried this and what is the likelyhood of success?

Tez
 
Two screwdrivers (or anything pointy you can fit in) is better, one in each of the recessed corners. Just pry it out as straight as you can and you should be fine. The pins are short and bent underneath the body of the package, so it's not as easy to bend them as with DIP parts.
 
Very little likelihood of success without cracking the corners of the socket, and once that's done, the socket becomes a little looser...
The cheap plastic adjustable pullers work fine and are a worthwhile investment, otherwise a tiny spring-hook, and lots of to-ing and fro-ing between the corners will do the job, but be super-patient, it's just really easy to crack them.
 
A tiny screwdriver (i.e. a jeweler's screwdriver) will work if done carefully. But a PLCC extractor is so inexpensive (I've seen them for less than USD$3, why take the chance of ruining the IC or socket?
 
I've pulled those chips with the 'wrong' tools, and while it works, it's definitely preferred to go and get the little extractor. It's easy to crack the socket prying up with the little screwdriver or whatever. That said, if you are careful, and work slow, you can do it without breaking anything. I seem to remember doing it once with the little metal 'handles' removed from a binder clip - hooking the end of each of the two clips into the corners of the socket and prying the chip out.

Radio shack has the little extractor tools for a few bucks - it's handy to have one around, and probably worth picking one up when you get the chance.

-Ian
 
I've always used 2 wooden toothpicks for this kind of maneuver.
It's not easy and you need some practice before you'll get it right, as the toothpicks are fragile and sometimes the chip is "stubborn", but you won't damage it trying (the wood is much softer than a screwdriver).

The technique is the same that cosam described for screwdrivers. I just pull bit by bit from each corner alternately untill it gets out.
 
Hi guys,

I have two non-working PS/2 30-286 motherboards here with different faults. One of the faults MAY be because the CPU is faulty. I say may be because I really have no idea.

Anyway, I'd like to swap the CPUs over to see if it makes any difference. They are PLCC ICs. I don't have (and don't want to buy) a PLCC puller simply for this simple one-off trial which probably won't make any difference anyway.

I believe they can be prised out with careful and patient use of a tiny screwdriver.

Has anyone tried this and what is the likelyhood of success?

Tez

To pull the PLCC IC is easy, all you need is a 3 or 4 inches u shape wire like a coat hanger from the dry clean place then bend inward and modify a little on both end to grab the IC base and then pull. But it is highly recommended to use an insertion tool. I have the cheap PLCC insertion tool, do you want to borrow?

Dougtronics
 
To pull the PLCC IC is easy, all you need is a 3 or 4 inches u shape wire like a coat hanger from the dry clean place then bend inward and modify a little on both end to grab the IC base and then pull. But it is highly recommended to use an insertion tool. I have the cheap PLCC insertion tool, do you want to borrow?

Dougtronics

location location location
 
Has anyone tried this and what is the likelyhood of success?

I have not tried this, but it seems to me the likely hood of success without the right tool is not very high.

4 years of light construction has taught me that the right tool for the right job makes the job a hell of a lot easier and drastically reduces the failure rate.

If what every one is saying is true (that they go for less than $10) it is very well worth getting one.

That's my 2 cents worth.
 
Thanks for the advice guys.

I've checked out the local electronic shop's website. I can get them there for $15 (that's about $11 US).

I'll mull over the options and let you know how I get on.

Tez
 
I have not tried this, but it seems to me the likely hood of success without the right tool is not very high.

4 years of light construction has taught me that the right tool for the right job makes the job a hell of a lot easier and drastically reduces the failure rate.

If what every one is saying is true (that they go for less than $10) it is very well worth getting one.

That's my 2 cents worth.

The right tool is to reduce damage to the component, particularily rare component. I have not use these tool for years that was when we were manufacturing calculators. The newer square IC required newer set of tools and almost all the dual-in-lines are soldered to the board.

Dougtronics
 
Tez, there are plenty for cheap on eBay, sent via mail with free shipping from HK, so you're just about as close to the source as we are. Search for "PLCC extractor".
 
Well, I tested the waters by using a couple of screwdrivers but the ICs wouldn't budge easily. In the end, I decided $15 wasn't going to break the bank so I just bought a dedicated puller.

The CPUs certainly came out very easily with the tool.

I swapped them between the boards. As I suspected would happen, it made no difference whatsoever. Oh well...

Tez
 
Too bad no one ever thought of making a PLCC extractor that was adjustable to socket size. Sure save a lot of drawer space over having to have one for ever size socket (which would add up to a pile of cash over time).
 
Put some hot glue to the top flat end (flat is important) of two pens and glue them to the two opposite corners on top of the plcc chip. Make sure no glue get in the plcc socket pins and that there is as little as possible space (glue space) between pen and chip for better results. Pull the pens without bending them and the chip is removed. To un-glue the pens, bend them slowly
 

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