What is a breadboard or solderless breadboard?
Breadboards, test boards, are prototyping boards frequently used in electronics. They are used in testing electronic circuits in the laboratory, in teaching for carrying out electronics practices and even in industrial developments in the first phase. These boards have a series of holes called points that are interconnected with each other forming groups or 5-pin connection nodes. The separation distance between 2 adjacent points is 0.1" or 2.54mm so they fit most of the electronic components on the market with through-hole or THT mounting. The terminals of these components are connected at these points by clicking their terminal on the holes of the plates. It is not necessary to solder. Then, bridges are used to join the different groups or nodes connection normally made with rigid wire wiring of 0.28 to 0.5 mm. In this way we can do a quick test of a design in the laboratory for later manufacturing or carry out electronic teaching practices without having to make a printed circuit. Obviously they are not definitive assemblies, but they allow us to previously evaluate the design.
These plates are designed for components that do not usually have more than 0.7mm in diameter and although in some practices there are texts that recommend using wire diameters of up to 1mm, the truth is that this measurement seems exaggerated to us. In the end, although our breadboard may in principle accept this diameter, it is very likely that it will deteriorate with use, and ultimately it will not make good contact. When we connect an integrated circuit, for example, that have diameters of approximately 0.5mm, in some cases, the connection will fail or at least it will not make a good quality connection. This is also valid for components that have very thick terminals, such as power wound resistors whose terminals are thicker than the board plates allow.
In addition to the normal connection groups, there are generally others, on the sides along and/or width of the entire board that we will call rails. These groups are generally used for power and ground connections.
In addition, larger models are usually equipped with banana terminals or sockets to connect the power to the breadboard.
Some models can be expanded by joining breadboards of the same type to each other in order to increase the work area.
Optional power module:
It is an economical module that is very useful. It incorporates a 3.3V regulator and another 5V regulator, providing two independent outputs that match the breadboard connection rails. We also have connection/disconnection switches. The power input to this module can be through the USB connector that it also includes or through a power jack. Models equal to or greater than 400 contacts support this module. You can see this module by clicking on the link CN1APS1
In this way, as a guide we will say that the following sizes exist:
|
No. of points
|
It is possible to expand |
No. of terminals |
It has a lower platform |
Supports auxiliary power module
|
| 170 |
No |
0 |
No |
No |
| 400 |
Sí |
0 |
No |
Si |
| 830 |
Sí |
0 |
No |
Si |
| 1660 |
No |
3 |
Sí |
Si |
| 1680 |
No |
3 |
Sí |
Si |
| 2390 |
No |
4 |
Sí |
Si |
| 2420 |
No |
4 |
Sí |
Si |
| 3220 |
No |
4 |
Sí |
Si |
In addition to the connection jumpers, you can use those typically known as Arduino cables, both contained in this section of the website, but you can also use loose rigid wire and build the jumpers yourself:
10 m purple rigid thread: CA5AR3VI
10 m yellow rigid thread: CA5AR3AM
10 m blue rigid thread: CA5AR3AZ
10 m white rigid thread: CA5AR3BL
10 m green rigid thread: CA5AR3VE
10 m black rigid thread: CA5AR3NE
10 m red rigid thread: CA5AR3RO
100 m red rigid thread: CA5AR3RO-100
100 m black rigid thread: CA5AR3NE-100
100 m yellow rigid thread: CA5AR3AM-100
100 m blue rigid thread: CA5AR3AZ-100
100 m green rigid thread: CA5AR3VE-100
Then, although it does not belong to this section for the 400-point model, there is a PCB board with the same contact structure as this one, in order to facilitate quick start-up for the user in the PCB version. You can see it at the following link CN21SP1
Here you can find various types of breadboards and/or connection cables for them at the best price
