For an electronics hobbyist as well as an engineer the breadboard is the primary platform to deal with. The white dotted board is used to test electronics circuits before soldering it permanently.
Advantages of using the Breadboard:
- For testing whether a circuit is working or not.
- Experimenting by replacing old components with a new one having different value.
- Breadboard reduces time of soldering.
- Testing different IC operations in a short time.
- Low cost & well available.
How a Breadboard looks like?
This is how the most used Breadboard looks like there are also lot of variations in sizes.
What inside a Breadboard?
The upper & lower both two rows are connected horizontally. They are used as power supply terminals, they are not continuous. The middle portion of both supply terminals are not connected so we have to use jumper wires to make it continuous on both sides.
The other terminals below the supply terminals are connected vertically, these terminals is the prototyping terminal.
Setting up Breadboard for your very first project :
A neat & clean work on Breadboard can give mental satisfaction, make good impression, saves time also it can make all of the connections understandable. So if there is something wrong anyone can correct it easily. Use jumper wires (Single Core) to make connections. Remove insulation of the wire using a wire stripper. Jump terminals as shown below hence you get the upper and lower rows connected. So it will be easy to power components or devices from anywhere of the Breadboard.
Some tips & tricks :
- Try to use less jumper wires as possible to make the platform neat & clean.
- Place ICs carefully. After placing the IC on the breadboard press it’s both end and then in the middle.
- Try to remove sufficient insulator from wire not more not less otherwise two conductors closer to each other can make short circuit.
- Remove ICs with care. Use a needle pass it through the middle channel of the breadboard and remove the IC.