remove SX-Key cover?

JoeA

This is a newbie getting started question.
The SX-Key (and some other parallax products like USB adapter) on skinny boards come with some kind of soft plastic(?) cover around the circuit board.
Is this packing material, insulation, protective cover, or what?· Can/should it be removed?
If I try to insert the SX-Key into the Tech Board with the cover in place, it will not lie flat.· Is it a problem to leave it wedged at an angle?

I'm planning to use the setup in class with inexperienced students.

JoeA

JonnyMac

It protects the components -- leave it in place.

Ken Gracey

Hey Joe,

If they are inexperienced, the cover could be best. If they touch certain parts the SX-Key won't run properly. There's another reason. When we first made the SX-Key, we had a few failures in which the coil exploded. The cover keeps that part from popping off. We don't see this kind of failure very often anymore. The small wedged angle is probably better anyway since it provides a more direct contact between the SX-Key and the male header. But if you want to cut it off and see what it is like without the cover, be my guest. We have more of them.

Ken Gracey
Parallax, Inc.

PLJack

I use a very short (1 inch) four conductor cable with female connectors on both ends. And a four pin header to connect to the SXKey.
No issues yet.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
- - - PLJack - - -

---

Perfection in design is not achieved when there is nothing left to add.
It is achieved when there is nothing left to take away.