So I got a peice of copper stuck in to one of my Arduino pin headers

It happened to me last night and luckily I was able to get the piece of wire out. I was not so fortunate when it happened again tonight. What do people use when they are prototyping circuits with their Arduino? Having had this happen twice I realize it is a bad idea to use jumper wire I cut from some left over cat5 I had hanging around my house. Not looking forward to having to solder a new pin header on to my new thirty something dollar Arduino board I got no more than a week ago.

 

I have had a lot of luck using those Arduino prototyping shields. They permit you to do all of your wiring on a separate board.

hgmjr

 

You can get jumpers like these in 75 jumper packs off of eBay for under $6 delivered to you door. Just search for 'Breadboard jumpers".

 

I agree with both billO and hgmjr.

The "reinforced" breadboard jumpers make prototyping quite easy.

The shields do the same.. That way, you can have many projects at once, and only swap the arduino between the shields.

 

I have had a lot of luck using those Arduino prototyping shields. They permit you to do all of your wiring on a separate board.

hgmjr

Thanks I will shop around and see what I can find, It hard to find good electronics distributors in Canada, paying customs and duty fees are expensive.

You can get jumpers like these in 75 jumper packs off of eBay for under $6 delivered to you door. Just search for 'Breadboard jumpers".

What country do you reside? ever time I have ordered off ebay i get charged out the ass. 6 dollar brokerage fee from Canada post which is preferable because if they send UPS or Fedex it can be 10-30 dollars brokerage fee just to clear the border. I've actually turned down a package told them to send it back to customs. its contents were worth less than the "fees." Learned my lesson then and there so now I'm careful where I buy it from

I agree with both billO and hgmjr.

The "reinforced" breadboard jumpers make prototyping quite easy.

The shields do the same.. That way, you can have many projects at once, and only swap the arduino between the shields.

So does any body know of a good Canada based electronics distributor

 

I suspect that you nicked the wire when you stripped it. Can you check for this?

 

I suspect that you nicked the wire when you stripped it. Can you check for this?

I agree with your instincts since I used a random gauge on my wire strippers since the wire doesn't have its gauge written on it. If that wasn't the problem than it could be that I have bent the ends of the wires quite a few times since I'm constantly rebuilding test circuits on my bread board. I'm thinking of just soldering up some braided wire with solid leads on the ends to achieve better flexibility and longevity.

 

Be sure you do not "wiggle" the jumpers to remove them.

Pull straight; with even pressure.

The headers and jumpers (even CAT-5) will last ......a long time......

I think most bread-boarders have used CAT-5 at one time or another for jumpers.. I know I have. There is SOOOOOO much of it available, it just "happens".

Never had your experience.

This CAT-5 is solid wire correct? not a bunch of strands?

 

Be sure you do not "wiggle" the jumpers to remove them.

Pull straight; with even pressure.

The headers and jumpers (even CAT-5) will last ......a long time......

I think most bread-boarders have used CAT-5 at one time or another for jumpers.. I know I have. There is SOOOOOO much of it available, it just "happens".

Never had your experience.

This CAT-5 is solid wire correct? not a bunch of strands?

You are correct it is solid wire it was my own stupidity that caused the problem, I should have used my roach clip(forceps?) to remove the wires.

 

A roach clip is for dopers. I think the proper word is hemostat. I remember when the military declared clips drug paraphernalia. This was silly because every tech had several in his tool-bag and would wear several on the belt clip just to tweak the officers.

 

A roach clip is for dopers. I think the proper word is hemostat. I remember when the military declared clips drug paraphernalia. This was silly because every tech had several in his tool-bag and would wear several on the belt clip just the tweak the officers.

Lmao yeah I used to be a doper, but it gave me chest pains so I stopped doing that... still have all my paraphernalia kicking around. I'm also cheap and have a hard time throwing things away.

 

What country do you reside? ever time I have ordered off ebay i get charged out the ass. 6 dollar brokerage fee from Canada post which is preferable because if they send UPS or Fedex it can be 10-30 dollars brokerage fee just to clear the border. I've actually turned down a package told them to send it back to customs. its contents were worth less than the "fees." Learned my lesson then and there so now I'm careful where I buy it from

Canada, actually.

I'm not sure how you have things shipped, but unless it's UPS or another courier you would should not get charged anything for brokerage. I have items of several hundred dollars bought in from the US an the UK and never get charged brokerage. Make sure the item comes through the mail. USPS from the US or Royal Mail from the UK.

Besides, I would never buy something like these jumpers from a US seller. They are not made in the US. Buy them from where they are made, China. Buy from someone that has a good history and a 99% or better rating. Sure, they may take 40 days to arrive, but you'll get them cheap. The Chinese sellers will bend over backwards to make sure you are satisfied.

 

Canada, actually.

I'm not sure how you have things shipped, but unless it's UPS or another courier you would should not get charged anything for brokerage. I have items of several hundred dollars bought in from the US an the UK and never get charged brokerage. Make sure the item comes through the mail. USPS from the US or Royal Mail from the UK.

Besides, I would never buy something like these jumpers from a US seller. They are not made in the US. Buy them from where they are made, China. Buy from someone that has a good history and a 99% or better rating. Sure, they may take 40 days to arrive, but you'll get them cheap. The Chinese sellers will bend over backwards to make sure you are satisfied.

Don't you get charged tariffs? I ordered some LEDs from China 1000 for ten bucks plus 10 dollars shipping. It was shipped to my door through Canada post they wanted me to pay 18 dollars brokerage and taxes/tariff fees... after pulling out my calculator and determining the unit price of the LEDs I reluctantly told them I do not accept the package and told them to send it back to the border. I had just lost my job and couldn't afford the extra cost at the time.

 

The only time I get charged duty, brokerage or taxes in for one of the following:

• Delivered by any courier

• Delivered by any means form the US, the UK or western Europe if the value is over $400 (or around there) and the products are not covered under NAFTA. Example, they were manufactured in another country. The exception to this is photography equipment, which I have never gotten charged duty.

I NEVER get charged anything on the following:

• Deliveries from China, Hongkong or Thailand (these have never been over $100, so I do not know what happens over that value).
• Deliveries from Eastern Europe (have never been over $20)
• Deliveries from the US, the UK or western Europe on used items or any items under $400 when shipped by mail.

I do not get charged duties or brokerage, but sometimes taxes on items from the US covered under NAFTA over $400 and delivered via mail.

I think that about covers it.

Perhaps your item was shipped via a courier like DHL.