A DIY PIC development board
Posted: Wed Dec 03, 2025 2:15 pm
Not strictly Flowcode - but useful for Flowcode....
I needed a PIC18F46K80 running with a 20MHz crystal - and I couldn't get it to work on a breadboard.
I came up with this - actually my second attempt - in the first I soldered the MCU to the board (and it didn't work - my soldering skills maybe leave a little to be desired) - however having the ZIF socket makes it more flexible (reduces the chance of damage)- and it is compatible with various 40pin PICs (the 16F18877 for example)
I used a solderable breadboard https://www.amazon.co.uk/ElectroCookie- ... r=8-6&th=1
A 40pin ZIF socket a (TEXTQOL - from Banggood). It might be possible to get one with a smaller footprint - space is a bit tight - I added the ZIF socket so that I had 2 free rows on the side with OSC1 and OSC2 (13 and 14). I added jumpers for power and gnd to pins 11, 12, 31 and 32.
A small strip of header pins for the PICKit connecter - with pin 1 to MCLR (pin 1) and VCC / Gnd rails and the data / clock programming pins (39 / 40) under the board. I also added a 10K resistor to MCLR from VCC and a smoothing capacitor.
I added a crystal and 20pF capacitors to pins 13 and 14 and a smoothing capacitor between the power rails. I didn't add header pins to all the available pins - but it would be possible to add more than I used! Also pins for a PSU connection and power take off....
It works well - tested with the two MCUs mentions above (and PICKit3 and 5).
Martin
I needed a PIC18F46K80 running with a 20MHz crystal - and I couldn't get it to work on a breadboard.
I came up with this - actually my second attempt - in the first I soldered the MCU to the board (and it didn't work - my soldering skills maybe leave a little to be desired) - however having the ZIF socket makes it more flexible (reduces the chance of damage)- and it is compatible with various 40pin PICs (the 16F18877 for example)
I used a solderable breadboard https://www.amazon.co.uk/ElectroCookie- ... r=8-6&th=1
A 40pin ZIF socket a (TEXTQOL - from Banggood). It might be possible to get one with a smaller footprint - space is a bit tight - I added the ZIF socket so that I had 2 free rows on the side with OSC1 and OSC2 (13 and 14). I added jumpers for power and gnd to pins 11, 12, 31 and 32.
A small strip of header pins for the PICKit connecter - with pin 1 to MCLR (pin 1) and VCC / Gnd rails and the data / clock programming pins (39 / 40) under the board. I also added a 10K resistor to MCLR from VCC and a smoothing capacitor.
I added a crystal and 20pF capacitors to pins 13 and 14 and a smoothing capacitor between the power rails. I didn't add header pins to all the available pins - but it would be possible to add more than I used! Also pins for a PSU connection and power take off....
It works well - tested with the two MCUs mentions above (and PICKit3 and 5).
- rear.jpg (150.52 KiB) Viewed 20 times
Martin