Questions tagged [socket]

For questions about electrical sockets such as wall sockets or sockets for mounting electrical components (such as ICs).

Electrical sockets include wall sockets and sockets for mounting electrical components such as ICs.

Wall sockets come in a variety of shapes, sizes, voltage and current ratings, etc., and can be an important consideration for electronic design.

Mounting sockets allow a device to be easily removed or replaced, which might be necessary for components that are at high risk of being damaged or for test applications in which multiple units need to be tested in succession.

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Are DIP sockets against overheating worth the cost?

Sockets allow easy replacement of a device and eliminates the risk of damage from overheating during soldering. [Wikipedia] I personally never (ever) replace these ICs. For programming microcontrollers (as a hobbyist) I use a dedicated pin header.…
dusk
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Unplugging a router from the wall socket

When the internet appears to have crashed, the service provider invariably gives this advice as a first line remedy: unplug the router from the wall socket, then wait 5 minutes, then plug it back in. Many times this remedy works. Question: Why does…
Gayot Fow
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What kind of socket is that?

I found that socket on a music device produced around mid 1970s in GDR and I was wondering what kind of socket it is. Unfortunately, someone painted the whole device, including the contacts. Therefore, I plan to replace the socket with an…
Stanley F.
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Why do EU electrical sockets/plugs have two pins for grounding?

Inside a plug there is one grounding wire, while the socket has two grounding pins. I know that the wire splits into two, but why? As the wiring inside the wall is supposed to be the same between different types, I assume it is just a design…
appwizcpl
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Name for this type of connector?

Can Anyone help me to identify this board to board connector? 7 springs connector on top and 8 on the bottom. answer Found a Korean company producing it. Thanks. This is the plug on the other end... Connector with Ruler for size reference..
Percy
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Does it matter which way you plug stuff into the wall socket

I have a european socket and if you saw one you will know that you can plug stuff either way. But american sockets can only be plugged in only one way. So does it matter which way its plugged it because it works no matter what. I heard somewhere…
theraginggamer
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What is the name for this connector socket pin configuration?

Does anyone recognize this female socket pin layout as a standard design of any kind? I was looking at 5-pin CB Radio Microphone sockets, and they are similar, but not the same layout. Also, the ones I saw did not have the "sixth" connector pin in…
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Why is the upper hole in a plug point bigger than the rest?

In a plug point you can see that the upper hole is bigger than the other holes in it. Why is this hole bigger than the other two?
Brd
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Do dead CFL or LED light bulbs consume power and is it safe to leave them mounted?

Do burned-out CFL or LED light bulbs consume power when the switch is on? Is it safer to keep them in their sockets, removed or slightly unscrewed so the bottom center contact isn't touching? I replaced some dead CFLs with brighter LEDs with…
USER249
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What are the uses for a water soluble IC socket?

I recently stumbled across water soluble IC sockets after being given a bag of them. While they do dissolve successfully from the board, I can't seem to come up for a valid explanation for why anyone would ever want to specifically spec out water…
Broderick
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Why AC socket polarity is important?

In North America sockets and plugs design makes sure you'll be able to plug only in a certain way: (source) Why is this important for AC? Moreover, many plugs, such as cellphone chargers, are in fact symmetric, i.e. not "sensitive" to the way they…
Sparkler
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Removing 3.5 mm jack socket from a PCB: patching the socket's switches

I sheared off a plug from a 3.5 mm headphone jack inside my Roland HP603 piano. After failing to remove the plug, I tried removing the 3.5 mm jack socket from the PCB. However, the piano still thinks that headphones are plugged in. I think that I…
pyrex
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If a light socket only has 2 connections, how can they sell 3 prong light socket adapters?

If a light socket only has 2 connections (thus not grounded) then how can they sell 3 prong (grounded) light socket adapters? How is this legal and safe? If it's grounded, then how does that work? e.g. Amazon's Choice in Light Sockets:…
that-ben
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12 V, 2-pin power socket identification

I’m trying to find a replacement 12 V, 2-pin plug socket for my Campingaz TE 28 LC Cooler. The socket is 22 mm wide x 15 mm deep x 13 mm high. I can find plenty of power cords but no sockets to plug into. What type of socket is this, so I can look…
3
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Always-on socket in-between a 2-way switch?

I have access to a power cable that powers devices through a 2-way switch, basically: Is it possible to add an always-on socket in between using L1, L2 and N? The problem is that either L1 or L2 is live at a given time and, obviously, they cannot…
Pranasas
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