Notifications
Clear all
Topic starter
2026-03-05 2:25 am
I'm a relatively inexperienced Arduino user. I'm currently wading into waters involved in moving my project from Breadboards to Perfboards. I watched Bill's video Breadboarding and Prototyping for Electronics, Arduino and Raspberry Pi. At its 37:00 mark, Bill advises to use an IC Socket soldered to the Perfboard, and then drop an Arduino Nano into the IC Socket as a best practice. I agreed and did my best to figure out what IC Socket he was using and ended up ordering from Digikey Mill-Max IC Socket Part Number 110-99-632-41-001000 . I have an Arduino Nano w/ male Header Pins that lines up with that IC Socket nicely.
However,
Here's my question: I cannot get the Nano's 15x2 array of header pins to insert into the Mill-Max IC Socket with any form of "reasonable" force. I'm afraid to push or prod any harder than I am. I note male DuPont wires insert into the IC Socket receptacles with a satisfying click, but the header pins are so far a no go.
I'm obviously doing something wrong. Please advise and help me get back on track.
2026-03-05 2:34 pm
@aakltn1 I've never had much luck with the "round" pin sockets. This is what I use https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/assmann-wsw-components/A-32-LC-TT/2181929
2026-03-05 4:21 pm
The Nano, like most microcontroller modules, uses DuPont male pins. They don't fit into a "round pin" socket, which is made for integrated circuits (and for IC's, the "round pin" ones are the superior ones). They will fit into the "side contact" sockets that @huckohio described.
I use DuPont female sockets, which you can buy in strips. A standard strip has 40 pins; you can cut it down, but it's also available in shorter lengths. Amazon stocks a few kits of assorted ones, which are handy to have around. Of course, you need two strips for a Nano.
One advantage of using strips is that it doesn't matter what the module's width is. Some ESP32 and Pico modules are too wide for IC sockets.
😎
Bill
"Never trust a computer you can’t throw out a window." — Steve Wozniak
Topic starter
2026-03-06 1:47 am
All,
Thank you for your replies. Your perspective are very helpful. I now have a good direction to go forward with. You are greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
Ken