ZIF-sockets from eBay etc -quality OK?

[TTL]

Im considering replacing several IC sockets holding EPROMs with ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) sockets to avoid damage and make it easier to replace them (yes, these EPROMs will be changed now and then) and see that they cost a small fortune from reputable electronics dealers while at eBay they're affordable for hobbyists.

I assume they're all fake (these for instance have "3M Textool" markings on them, but for that price can't be genuine, can they?).
But are they for the most part of acceptable quality (for hobby/home use)? If anyone here has ordered low-cost alternatives, do you have any recommendations for where to buy them, brand name (if any) etc?
I need mostly 24 and 28 pin sockets.

 

[kellys_eye]

I've had the 40-pin versions from our 'industrious neighbors' and found them to work fine.

 

[shrtrnd]

I buy a lot of the genuine article from hobbyists. They may be fake, but they may also be the real deal.
I have tons of genuine parts bought from other guys like me. Companies surplus perfectly good components and hardware, and industrious scroungers like me salvage what we can from them.
Where I am manufacturers regularly make production runs, then don't want to warehouse the left-overs. I go to the liquidation houses and buy-up what I want. They tell me what they don't sell to people like me, they sell to some Chinese lady who comes in once a week to buy everything they have for $2 a lb., who then ships it all back to China to be sold by their liquidation companies.
If it says they're 3M TEXTOOL, and you found them in the States, they may very well be authentic.

 

[dorke]

TTL,
Most probably fakes.

The question is how many times you intend to "insert and remove" parts from the sockets?and for how many years?

The problems are corrosion with time and grip quality with number of insertions.
You want get far with Chinese parts they are mostly bottom reliability !

If you only need a few inserts(i.e. less than 100,not designing an EPROM programmer),
you can use a simple regular socket!

 

[(*steve*)]

Where I am manufacturers regularly make production runs, then don't want to warehouse the left-overs. I go to the liquidation houses and buy-up what I want.

I know who I'm visiting the next time I come to the US :-D

 

[shrtrnd]

Bring a shipping container the size of a tractor trailer with you, *steve*
We'll hit the liquidation warehouses before the Chinese lady gets there.

 

[shrtrnd]

I should have checked the ebay ad you linked to first, TTL.
I'm going to have to agree with dorke. They're out of China and are most likely fakes.
I rescind my previous recommendation, I wouldn't buy them from that vendor.

 

[Minder]

I assume they're all fake (these for instance have "3M Textool" markings on them, but for that price can't be genuine, can they?).
But are they for the most part of acceptable quality (for hobby/home use)? If anyone here has ordered low-cost alternatives,

I picked up a qty of the ZIF sockets off ebay (China) mine were marked Textool, I'm sure they were knock-off's but I couldn't find any difference between the 3M's I had already.
M.

 

[shrtrnd]

The Chinese stuff is getting better-quality, I'll concede that.
Most all of the Chinese knock-offs I've dealt with work when you get them, they just don't last.
That's just my experience, and may not reflect the experiences of others.
Switches I've used fail far to quickly, components 'work', but don't meet OEM specs.
A ZIF socket, I don't know. Probably depends on the metal/plating used and quality of workmanship.
I never thought the 3M Textool sockets were worth their outrageous price, but I don't know how tight TTL's requirements might be. If he needs EPROMs for aircraft use, I'd go with the 3M. If it's a non-critical application, I'd be tempted with buying the $1.44 knock-offs over the $65 Textools. But that's just me.

 

[TTL]

Thanks for all the replies.

It's not for aircraft or critical applications but for an old digital drum machine where I'll have a different EPROM for each replacement sound. Honestly I think I'll go for Dorke's suggestion first: to use the existing DIL sockets as it's not something I'll change every day, but ZIF sockets would decrease the risk of damage....
Then again, if I get cheap Chinese ZIF sockets that break down after a few uses it'll mean yet another desoldering job which I'd rather avoid as it means yet more risk to the already old (mid 80s) PCBs.

Where do you find those liquidation houses for electronic components? Are they places where you have to buy a minimum of hundreds meaning the total cost will exceed what a hobbyist would likely need anyway?
I find that if a dealer is in the U.S. it's really not worth even looking into because shipping to outside of the U.S. is usually outrageous and many only send by courier and not regular U.S. Postal service (paying US$ 70 shipping for a US$ 2 part isn't uncommon).

 

[dorke]

@TTL,
You don't actually need to solder anything.
You can insert the zip into the DIP (I did that before,if the zip has reasonable strength pins it is possible, and if you have the height for that 3 level sandwich).

 

[TTL]

Yes, that's true!
I seemed to remember reading somewhere that there's not enough room between each voice card of this particular drum machine (Oberheim DMX) to allow ZIF sockets to be stacked on top of the existing ones, but apparently this is possible if you get the right type low-profile ZIF as sold/pictured here for US$ 12.50 each and sold for this particular drum machine. Can anyone recognize them?

Still, I find US$ 12.50 (plus shipping) for each too expensive (I probably need something like 15 or 20 of those).