A truly solderless socket for testing Castellated PCB micro controllers like the SeeedStudio Xiao Nrf52840, my First crack was fashioned after Rizo’s ESP32 Sockets, Very cool. No pins to bend with this one, just print and add a few pieces of the hardware pin sets. You can add the pogos as I did for connection to the debug pins on the dev board. NO more soldering and unsoldering the PCB’s until final assembly. ;-p files are up on Thingiverse
enjoy.
Revision II video.Thingiverse files
GL :-p
3 Likes
Where did you get the right angle hardware pin sets?
LOL, You READY…
I bent some straight ones…
HTH
GL 
and BTW It’s two sets one from the top and one set on the bottom, if you can’t find longer ones or pre bent set’s. 
Everything is pressure fit too, see the video of how if you get it correct it snaps into the socket Ship, Shape like.
Thanks for sharing this design!
What are the dimensions of the pogo pins you used for this? Could you link the specific product you used?
Another question: what is the purpose of the second set of headers which insert from below and don’t make electrical contact with any of the pins on the Xiao? Are they just for easy mounting on a breadboard?
Hi there,
Yes they do,(drill them thru) the pogo’s will depend on the thickness of the socket.
the right angle (bent headers) overlap and touch the tops of the straight set.
It’s a WIP, so the dimensions have change slightly , mostly to make it skinnier and thinner and a notch in the rear for room for the Antenna on the ESP series chips. Also adding the connections to the battery pads on the bottom so REV3 is on the drawing board.
Pogo’s come in basically two styles, Flat bottom and Board mount.
sizes this one is 8.75mm (I recommend get a few bigger and smaller) they only cost a couple bucs, but the shipping is more, LOL so wait and order a few things to make it worth the freight IMO.
HTH
GL
PJ
Time is tight these days, I’ll tweak and upload a fresh model to thingiverse with aforementioned enhancements asap. 
That makes sense, thanks!
It looks like the FreeCAD file on the REV2 Thingiverse page is for an older revision of the part. Do you mind uploading the latest FreeCAD file?
I’ve run into a couple issues with this breakout board:
- The debug pogo pins seem to be in the wrong spot? They don’t seem to be making an electrical connection. I think they need to be moved about 0.9 mm up (i.e. in the direction of the USB-C port).
- The holes that the bent pins go into are too small (they’re smaller than the other set of “mounting” pin holes).
I’d be happy to help fix these issues if you could upload a new version of the file
I’ll be updating soon , the files on thingeverse
testing , for testing…
HTH
GL PJ
Hi there,
Got that Sweet Seeed Green PLA+ the other day and my , my the Green is anything but mean…
Printed a C6 socket and tested it with a Nrf52840 also. 8 pogo’s too.
Lowered the back with the wording to accommodate the antenna.
Enjoy and The G.gode is in the ZIP.
GL PJ
Enjoy
XiAO_C6_Socket.zip (198.0 KB)
I also use this .90 hand-drill and bit to dress the small holes so the fit of header pins is loose or tight.
YMMV
That Sexy Seeed Green…
Should be on the website for sale.
in the future some clamp arm or screw to hold the pressure down?
