How to securely fasten breakout to PCB?

Thread Starter

Kevil

Joined Jun 28, 2020
224
I am working with the ZOE-M8Q GPS Breakout which I have "nailed" by means of the short bent wires to the breadboard through vias on the Breakout. Unfortunately, the contacts are sometimes loose, and I am loosing contact. I control GPS Breakout with SAMD21 MCU and use most of the contacts.

Is there any Breakout holder for PCB?
 

Jon Chandler

Joined Jun 12, 2008
1,595
The usual method is to solder 0.1" male headers to the board, and female headers to the "mother board". That allows you to remove and use the board elsewhere.

Alternatively, you can use just the male headers and solder both ends.
 

samunal

Joined Jul 3, 2024
26
I always use headers for this, for more you may add some plastic spacer/screws if it possibly have some holes for that.
 

Ya’akov

Joined Jan 27, 2019
10,234
The usual method is to solder 0.1" male headers to the board, and female headers to the "mother board". That allows you to remove and use the board elsewhere.

Alternatively, you can use just the male headers and solder both ends.
Whenever you solder a header always pause and think about what it would take to desolder it. Almost always it is better to use female headers on one side and male on the other. I tend to choose to put the female on the a main board to avoid having pins sticking up if it isn’t populated.

The two 3mm holes can be used with standoffs (nylon is best since unlike brass a dropped screw won’t let out any smoke. This will secure the board mechanically. You can make one a pin and the other a screw to reduce the work for installation and removal, or, even better, you can use standoffs designed to snap into the holes and have no loose hardware—unless space constraints are an issue.

So…

2.54mm headers that mate
Nylon standoffs
 
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