At 04:52 PM 8/16/01 +0100, Benjamin Bromilow wrote:
>Hi all,
>
>How does anyone cut the leads on crystal oscillators? I used some wire
>cutters and after a week the crystal failed.... I've heard before that you
>need to do it a different way to avoid the shockwaves going up the lead and
>cracking the crystal but how does anyone do it?? Is it better to do it
>before soldering it in?? Alternatively if crystals are "weak" would a
>resonator be a better option in an automotive setting? What does anyone
>think??

You would probably be better off to trim the leads after the xtal is
soldered in place.
However, I don't think that the lead trim is what caused the failure.

Crystals have a maximum drive power, and if you exceed that, you can
shatter them.
You can work out the drive power in circuit, using the voltage across the
crystal (scope both sides, and pay attention to phase) and the impedance of
the crystal at resonance, either from the spec sheet, or direct measurement.

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