1N400x's with slimmer leads?

ayayay! · February 10, 2009, 10:29:09 PM

Forgive if it's been covered, but can anyone point me to 1n4001's that have thinner leads? Socketing them isn't possible without a lot of work.

petemoore · February 10, 2009, 10:31:32 PM

I use the flatjaw little needle nose pliers, sticking the component lead in near the jaw hinge to flatten the end that pokes in the socket...go too slim and it gets too wide.

Ronsonic · February 11, 2009, 12:47:39 AM

Their junction drop is going to be similar to 1n4148, etc. so you can use those for clippers or whatnot.

ayayay! · February 11, 2009, 09:13:18 AM

Quote from: Ronsonic on February 11, 2009, 12:47:39 AM

Their junction drop is going to be similar to 1n4148, etc. so you can use those for clippers or whatnot.

Wha?

R.G. · February 11, 2009, 10:26:43 AM

Quote from: ayayay! on February 10, 2009, 10:29:09 PM
Forgive if it's been covered, but can anyone point me to 1n4001's that have thinner leads? Socketing them isn't possible without a lot of work.

Take a new 1N400x. Leave the leads straight. Take a cut-off 1/4W resistor lead. Wind the resistor lead two turns around the 400x lead. Cut off one of the free ends of the resistor lead, leaving a generous amount of it sticking out at right angles to the diode lead. Slide the resistor lead right up next to the diode body. Heat the diode lead just outside of the resistor lead until solder melts on the two turns of resistor lead. Cool. Clip off the excess diode lead. Repeat for the other side.

Trim resistor leads to length. Socket. Drink beer. Enjoy. Entertain millions. Become wealthy. Become famous. Renounce teen-age blue-eyed groupies for a life of contemplation. Buy an island in the Carribean. Turn to ...

John Lyons · February 11, 2009, 11:01:26 AM

Quote from: ayayay! on February 11, 2009, 09:13:18 AM
Quote from: Ronsonic on February 11, 2009, 12:47:39 AM

Their junction drop is going to be similar to 1n4148, etc. so you can use those for clippers or whatnot.

Wha?

They have the same clipping threshold/voltage drop. But they are supposed sound different.
Using a 1N4148/1N914 with clip the same amount but may vary slightly from a 1N4001 in slight characteristics.
This is all going off what I have read so don't jump on me $:-\$

john

R.G. · February 11, 2009, 11:21:17 AM

Rectifier diodes are optimized for carrying large currents. The junction area is bigger to keep the current density down, and the doping and contact areas are set up to keep resistance down. This makes for larger junction capacitance.

Signal diodes like the 4148 are optimized for modest currents and FAST! switching, so the doping profiles and dopants are set up for this. In the older versions of the 4148, the junction was doped with gold to speed up charge carrier recombination in the depletion region to speed up turn-off. Resistance is not as much of a factor, so the precautions about resistance are not big things with signal diodes. The junction capacitance is smaller and parasitic resistance higher.

How does that change the sound? I dunno. Some.

Ronsonic · February 11, 2009, 01:05:01 PM

The assumption, and yes an assumption makes an ass of U and Mption, is that the question about inserting diode leads into sockets is not about rectifying high voltages or substantial currents - if it were we'd have other problems, like smoke. Maybe I'm wrong but here we're talking about using them in some sort of clipping circuit.

My opinion, and it's an opinion, is that in a real world circuit doing what we do with clipping diodes, things like IC slew rates and the RC networks in and around those clipping circuits will swamp the differences in junction behavior. At least as far as my ability to hear any of this. The junction voltage is the critical thing and that is similar in most silicon diodes. Do measure, it's built right into most DMMs. But for me 1N4148 and 1N914 will do as well as anything in the 1N400X family for signal manipulation.

YMMV, etc.

ayayay! · February 11, 2009, 01:59:14 PM

Uhh, wow. This totally went off in another direction. Petemoore had a suggestion. (Thank you pete)

And I've tried/used that approach R.G., thank you. But that's whole reason I started the thread: Looking for a better alternative. I dunno, maybe the subject was misleading somehow.

So it seems the consensus is that no one knows of 1n400x's with slimmer leads. Thank you.

Ronsonic · February 11, 2009, 02:38:53 PM

Didn't realize I was going off on a tangent. 1N400X are what they are. Just suggesting that other silicon diodes might solve your problem for you.

John Lyons · February 11, 2009, 02:40:41 PM

As far as I know they (1N400x all have the same lead diameter...which is based on the current and voltage they can handle.
If you want to use them I'd go with RG's advice...or drill out your sockets

john

petemoore · February 11, 2009, 02:43:26 PM

Takes extra copper to make them thick like that.
I'm sure if those diodes could be made with less solid core diameter on the leads they would be.

ayayay! · February 11, 2009, 03:10:15 PM

I was thinking (yes, I know that's not wise) surely there has to be some kind of tool, a "reverse reamer" if you will, that sharpens metal parts down to a fine point. Something akin to a pencil sharpener but uses abrasives inside rather than a blade???

...Or I guess there's always the old grinder wheel.

...and they could double as great blowgun darts!

The Tone God · February 11, 2009, 03:21:20 PM

The leads are the size they are to carry the current the part is specified for. The question what are you using the diode for ? If it is being used in a power supply situation where the current is needed shrinking the diameter is a bad idea. If you are using the diodes in some kind of clipping arrangement there are other options that will achieve the same result without having to modify the part like the 4148 and 914.

The function the part is what was missing in the question. More information helps us help you.

Andrew

ayayay! · February 11, 2009, 04:04:18 PM

I guess you guys can debate form, function, and application all you want.

Here's my original question: "Forgive (me) if it's been covered, but can anyone point me to 1n4001's that have thinner leads? Socketing them isn't possible without a lot of work."

Petemoore, thank you for your suggestion above. It was a fine suggestion. I will try it.

Later

kurtlives · February 11, 2009, 04:10:47 PM

1N400X fit in dual lead sockets but not machine milled.

Done know is dual leaf sockets are made in less than 8 pins though. Pretty hard to cut of just one or two pins with those sockets...

reverbie · February 11, 2009, 04:24:27 PM

ayayay

I didn't see anything ambiguous about your question!

All this talk about lead thickness can't be completely accurate in application because I 100% had some with much thinner leads...they had to have been from mouser, allied or digikey, the only distributors i've ever used. They looked exactly the same, but with a slightly smaller body and slimmer diameter lead...maybe 25% smaller....and they were marked with the 1N4001 name. I will try to dig some up and post pics. I even remember trying to find them online again, but couldn't remember the manufacturer...but they definitely exist.

ayayay! · February 11, 2009, 05:04:47 PM

Thanks reverbie! Yeah what started this was that IIRC, I used to have some 1n4001s that fit in sockets, but the ones I have now don't, and I'm almost out so in re-ordering I'd like to find the slimmer ones. Looking back through my Mouser/Digikey history, they all seemed the same, so I don't know which ones I had originally.

The Tone God · February 11, 2009, 06:08:33 PM

Quote from: ayayay! on February 11, 2009, 05:04:47 PM
Thanks reverbie! Yeah what started this was that IIRC, I used to have some 1n4001s that fit in sockets, but the ones I have now don't, and I'm almost out so in re-ordering I'd like to find the slimmer ones. Looking back through my Mouser/Digikey history, they all seemed the same, so I don't know which ones I had originally.

1N4001 are lower current so they can have small leads. What diodes do you have now ? Is there any specific reason you want to use the 1N400x family ? What are doing with them ?

Andrew

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1N400x's with slimmer leads?