Best connection for mounting multiple wires to a breadboard/protoboard

Thread Starter

goach2

Joined Oct 18, 2015
5
Hello all,

New member here with first post. I've been working on an old arcade game that I picked up, which was missing a major component. To keep the story short, I've duplicated a missing circuit board on a breadboard and am about to start moving the components over to a protoboard for a more permanent setup. The question I have is related to the multiple cables that come from various sensors and control boards which plug into the circuit that I've created. All in, there's just shy of 50 wires. So I was wondering if anyone could share what has worked for them in the past. I was thinking some sort of socket, like a PC's ribbon cable would have, soldered to the board and the wires attached to the matching plug for the socket. Then I could jumper from the socket to where it needs to go and the board can be unplugged when it needs to be.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 

wayneh

Joined Sep 9, 2010
17,496
I heartily endorse your strategy to use a socket, or several. There is nothing worse than hard-wiring something only to discover it needs to be tweaked or repaired. Modular is the way to go.

Most of the sockets I've used were scavenged from old electronics - old motherboards or TVs and the like. I can't recommend that approach unless you're a pack rat and already have some laying in your parts pile. One problem is that your perfboard will likely have 0.1" hole spacing, and not every scavenged strip will match that.

Do the cables you need to interface with already have termination? It would be really nice to have matching sockets for all of them if they do. It makes it so much easier to get them mated up properly and makes for easier diagnosis in the future.
 

GS3

Joined Sep 21, 2007
408
I was thinking some sort of socket, like a PC's ribbon cable would have, soldered to the board and the wires attached to the matching plug for the socket. Then I could jumper from the socket to where it needs to go and the board can be unplugged when it needs to be.
I have done that many times and I think it is a great idea. Using those headers of pins you can make a connector that fits directly into the breadboard or prototype board. This way I could disconnect the board and do any work unencumbered and then connect it again.
 

Thread Starter

goach2

Joined Oct 18, 2015
5
Hi Wayneh - Two of the wire sets are already terminated. It would be nice to be able to reuse the connections as you say. I'm just unsure of what the specific type of connectors would be and where to find electrical components from the early 80's!

Thanks for your comment GS3, my thoughts exactly. Better to do it now and benefit from it down the road.
 

Thread Starter

goach2

Joined Oct 18, 2015
5
Here's a pic of the original part with the type of sockets that I need. Perhaps someone would know what the part number would be?
 

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GS3

Joined Sep 21, 2007
408
Depends how many pins/conductors you need but I have always just rigged my own connectors. The types of pin headers used on motherboards for audio connection or for jumpers, or on IDE hard disks, should fit directly into the breadboard.

Another thing I used to do is use an edge connector on a PCB being designed. Being able to easily remove the pcb is *really* convenient.

You can easily google *ribbon cable connector* and find many types you can use.

Searching ebay for *pcb pin header* you can see what I mean.
 
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Thread Starter

goach2

Joined Oct 18, 2015
5
I ended up ordering a few pin block connectors. This way I can screw in the individual wires and also disconnect the whole cable in one shot.

Thanks for the advice!
 

mcgyvr

Joined Oct 15, 2009
5,394
Similar to AMP MTA-100 connectors (assuming .1 spacing)
I use them all the time as they are IDC (insulation displacement connector/contacts) which assuming you have the tool or a flat blade screw driver are easier than having to use crimp contacts and easier to replace/repair by just pulling the wire up out of the slicing "V"
 
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