Super Basic: How to connect wires to a Breadboard

Thread Starter

KansaiRobot

Joined Jan 15, 2010
324
Hello and thanks

I have a very basic question. How do you connect general wires to a breadboard??

So far I have done it the brute force way, just try to insert it to the holes. Obviously this is not the prettiest thing so I would like to hear an expert opinion. Wires are not like jumper wires that enter neatly right ?

Kudos if the solution is simple and doesnt take so much of time or resources


Also how do you put the SLA7024M to a breadboard? the pins seem in a strange arrangement....


Thank you for your insights..
 
Last edited:

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
I didn't know you got marks for neat breadboard wiring!
I generally use 22g single strand jumpers from stripped telephone cable.
Max.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
One of the nicest and cheapest (like free) wire is 22 or 24 gauge telco cable, all nicely colour coded:

Edit: Max beats me to the wire.
Mine mic's out at 22g, maybe Canada uses different stuff?:)

SLA7024? for some odd ball pin outs, you have to get creative and use an adaptor scheme.
Max.
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
If you are trying to attach components that have stranded leads...
if the wire is 22Ga or smaller, just tin the wire so it binds and stiffen the strands...
if larger, tin the strands and attach a short piece of 22Ga solid to it...
If it's solid leads larger than 22Ga, solder a short piece of 22Ga to the end of the lead.
Be aware that the contacts inside the breadborad are just small metal clips that only touch two sides of the inserted wire. These won't carry much current without heating and melting the plastic.

Ken
 

Thread Starter

KansaiRobot

Joined Jan 15, 2010
324
Be aware that the contacts inside the breadborad are just small metal clips that only touch two sides of the inserted wire. These won't carry much current without heating and melting the plastic.

Ken
Oh mine!:oops: you got me all worried now... I am going to use a 24V- 0.7 A motor... I am fearing the worst.....:confused:
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
Make our high current connection path off of the breadboard. Just do the low current circuitry on the board. Can you post a schematic of what you plan on doing?

Ken
 
Last edited:

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
If you look at the data sheet http://www.futurebots.com/7024.pdf you will see that the pin spacing is not compatible with the 0.1"x0.1" breadboard hole spacing. You would need to mount the IC on a heat sink and solder the high current wires directly to the IC pins. Terminals VsA , VsB, OUT-A, OUT-B, Rsa, and Rsb all carry high current and would need to be connected off-board. Others can be connected with wires to the board and the associated components.

Ken
 

Thread Starter

KansaiRobot

Joined Jan 15, 2010
324
If you look at the data sheet http://www.futurebots.com/7024.pdf you will see that the pin spacing is not compatible with the 0.1"x0.1" breadboard hole spacing. You would need to mount the IC on a heat sink and solder the high current wires directly to the IC pins. Terminals VsA , VsB, OUT-A, OUT-B, Rsa, and Rsb all carry high current and would need to be connected off-board. Others can be connected with wires to the board and the associated components.

Ken
Thank you for your reply....
In the datasheet says that "normally heatsinks are not required"...but alright I understood that I can not mount the IC on the breadboard.
I am sorry but I didint quite understand the "mount the IC on a heatsink" (isnt that the opposite?) and solder the wires directly. Is there any example of this on the web? I searched but....
I see this IC soldered in stripboards etc. would that be feasible?

Also, are Rsa and Rsb high current? I figured it that since they are connected to the 5V part they were not...
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
Sorry, I didn't catch the "normally heatsinks are not required". But you should mount it on something, just to make is easier to work with. Soldering wires to the IC and other components off-board is referred to as "rat's nest" wiring...Google images: rats nest wiring. I have no experience with strip board, so can't comment.

Ken
 

dl324

Joined Mar 30, 2015
16,846
I see this IC soldered in stripboards etc. would that be feasible?
If you intend to reuse the part, I'd make a board that adapts the pin out to the breadboard grid. If each row of pins is on a tenth inch grid, you could use standard female headers to make a socket. Then use standard male header pins to make the connection to the breadboard.

A similar approach is used to adapt SMT parts for breadboarding.

If this isn't a one time need, you could make a PCB.

I don't know what you mean by stripboards...
 

KMoffett

Joined Dec 19, 2007
2,918
From my experience with perf board, and it looks like strip board too, is only 0.1" spacing. Years ago, before DIP ICs, there were perf boards with a alternating triangle pattern that was suited for can transistors. I don't recall the spacing.

Ken
 

Himanshoo

Joined Apr 3, 2015
265
Hello and thanks

I have a very basic question. How do you connect general wires to a breadboard??

So far I have done it the brute force way, just try to insert it to the holes. Obviously this is not the prettiest thing so I would like to hear an expert opinion. Wires are not like jumper wires that enter neatly right ?

Kudos if the solution is simple and doesnt take so much of time or resources


Also how do you put the SLA7024M to a breadboard? the pins seem in a strange arrangement....


Thank you for your insights..
telco cable is apt for breadboard purpose ...me use it too...
 

djsfantasi

Joined Apr 11, 2010
9,156
So that begs the question - where's the "strip" in strip board. I grew up calling that perf (perforated) board. That seems like a more appropriate name...
One one side, each hole is surrounded with a copper donut. On the other side, each row of holes is connected by a strip of copper. Hence, strip board.
 

MaxHeadRoom

Joined Jul 18, 2013
28,619
So that begs the question - where's the "strip" in strip board. I grew up calling that perf (perforated) board. That seems like a more appropriate name...
Perf board can be just the whole board populated with individual pads, strip board is a little more useful IMO, the copper traces can be terminated where ever, there is also a couple of software programs geared to strip board use, LockMaster etc.
Max.
 
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