On Thu, 1 Aug 1996, Martin Rogers wrote:

> As a hobbyist who relishes building equipment from hairy string and
> sealing wax I can recommend using a small "sun lamp" for erasing PICs.
> I have thus far successfully erased a 16C54 approx 50 times without harm.
> I have physically separated the uv and ir parts of the lamp. It takes
> 20 mins in a single session.  I am reluctant to move the chip closer
> to the lamp as the chip gets quite hot - this effect has been reduced
> with the application of Typpex to the chip! I dont suppose this method
> is covered in Microchip application notes but it works for me!
[...]

I have a few questions about your letter:

  o Where would one get a "sun lamp"?

  o How does one "physically separate" the UV and IR parts
    of such a lamp?  Are they separate bulbs?

  o How hot is "quite hot"?

  o What's "Typpex"?

As a side note, you might reduce the heating by simply putting the
package to be erased under a reflective mask which has a hole to allow
light to fall only on the windowed area.  Aluminum foil would work.

Rick Miller
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