Summary of PicKit2 Clone Designed and Manufactured at Home
The article explains the PicKit2 programmer by Microchip, used for programming various 8-bit PIC microcontrollers via ICSP (In-Circuit Serial Programming). The PicKit2 features an onboard PIC18F2550 microcontroller that interfaces with a PC via USB and programs the target microcontroller through a 5-pin ICSP connection. Users can build their own PicKit2 clone using the provided circuit and program the PIC18F2550 chip accordingly. The author created a combined board with programming and execution sockets for convenience. Proper identification of ICSP pins on the target microcontroller is crucial.
Parts used in the PicKit2 Clone Project:
- PIC18F2550 microcontroller
- Target PIC microcontroller (various models supported)
- USB interface components (for PC communication)
- 5-pin ICSP header (PGC, PGD, Vpp, Vdd, Gnd)
- ZIF socket (for microcontroller insertion and removal)
- Power supply components (5V power and ground)
PicKit2 is a programmer designed by Microchip to program its pic microcontrollers. PicKit2 supports many 8-bit pic microcontroller series. PicKit2 supports almost all Pic-10/12/16/18/24 and dspic-30/33 flash series microcontroller’s. Pickit 2 is an ICSP (In-circuit serial programmer) programmer. In icsp interface, microcontroller can be programmed while its working in the circuit. An icsp programmer uses 5 pins to program the target microcontroller. Pickit 2 uses an on board pic18f2550 microcontroller that programs the target microcontroller. Pic18f2550 communicates with the computer software using its usb interface and talks with the target microcontroller using its icsp interface. Thanks to microchip that they released the pic18f2550 program software. Now one can reverse the pickit 2 circuit can make pickit 2 programmer at home as a diy project.
Pickit 2 requires the following pic microcontroller pins to program it.
- PGC (Clock input to microcontroller)
- PGD (Data Input to microcontroller)
- Vpp (Programming Mode voltage)
- Vdd (Power Pin Apply 5v to it)
- Gnd (Ground this Pin)
To program a pic microcontroller one have to Identify the upper 5 pins on his pic microcontroller and then make connections with the pickit 2 icsp header. See the datasheet of your pic microcontroller to Identify these pins and then connect the signals from PicKit2 to these pins. Normally all the pic microcontrollers have icsp pins located on the pin numbers given below.
