Breadboard sizes - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: eeguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2020, 01:14:27 pm
content: Hi, is there a set of international standard sizes or manufacturers make whatever size they like? Most common ones seem to be 30-pin or 60-pin long.I am looking for two breadboards that can "just fit" my circuits with out extra long. One breadboard should accommodate a circuit of 24 pins long. The other needs 37 pins. Any such products? 1 or 2 pins longer are OK but no more than 5 extra pins long if possible

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 01, 2020, 04:53:14 pm
content: If your circuits are finished perhaps you can create soldered versions of them using these boards which replicate the breadboard layout:https://www.adafruit.com/product/1609https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000280186710.htmlhttps://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000372753001.htmlIf they're too long you can cut them down to size.

author: eeguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2020, 01:30:58 am
content: Quote from: ledtester on October 01, 2020, 04:53:14 pmThank you. Circuits are not finished yet. They are experimental. At this stage, I would prefer a solution thatallows me to plug and play at small footprint. Any other suggestion?

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2020, 02:20:41 am
content: Plastic plug in breadboards come in 3 sizes that are sort of standard. There is a small size with no power rails, usually about 20 holes long. The large size is around 65 holes long with either single or dual row power rails. Medium size is about half the size of the large and also has power rails. Those are the sizes I've seen commonly available though there are some oddballs out there. Larger boards are made by piecing together multiple smaller boards. You can also get the power rails (strips) separately, at least from 3M, and they used to have really small sections available, like 4x4 holes, but without looking I don't know if those are still around.(click for bigger)

author: MarkF
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2020, 04:24:06 am
content: There is this style also:Double-Sided Prototyping PCBs Circuit Boards Kit

author: Jan Audio
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 02, 2020, 02:29:43 pm
content: The new ones are only small, they can be attatched together.You can also buy a big one, its the same as more small ones.

author: eeguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 02:45:06 pm
content: Thanks. I thought the holes on the breadkboards were pretty standard but I received a diode which has pins on both ends slightly larger than the breadboard holes to fit in. If I solder thinner breadboard friendly pins to both ends, that might change the characteristics of the circuit. What suggestions do you have?

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 02:57:01 pm
content: The holes are pretty standard, they just all have a maximum size. (22ga, on all I have seen specs for.)How about using a vise to flatten the ends of the pins, then trimming them to fit? (Make sure the flatness is parallel to the contact openings, that is, perpendicular to the long side of the breadboard.) If they almost fit, you might even get away with using diagonal cutters at a very shallow angle to trim the leads to a point.With that said, I can't imagine that a breadboard-friendly circuit could be so sensitive to soldered-on pins. A breadboard hardly has tightly-controlled characteristics as it is.

author: eeguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 03:57:27 pm
content: Thanks. I meant if the diode is for 15A and I solder it to thinner bridging pins (e.g. cut pins from a resistor) to the breadboard or trim the ends of the diode as you mentioned, will less current flow through the diode?

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 04:01:40 pm
content: How much current will be going through the diode? Breadboard contacts are not rated for 15A.

author: eeguy
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 04:21:56 pm
content: 15A or less. So it means I need to buy a circuit board like the ones you listed rather than using a breadboard?

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 05:49:33 pm
content: For 15A you need heavy gauge wire and the holes in a prototyping board are much too small.Consider the mains wiring in your house - that's the kind of wire needed for 15A. And connections are made by point-to-point soldering or screw terminals (think of how you wire light switches).For solderless breadboards stick to currents less than 1A - and probably a lot less:https://electronics.stackexchange.com/a/430806/95488

author: Doctorandus_P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2020, 06:00:04 pm
content: You can use a hacksaw to cut your breadboard to lengthI have also taken a saw to some of my breadboards.Not to make them shorter, bu to make them wider.usually there is a gap in the middle which is just 2 pins wide, and if you then put a development board in it such as an esp32, "Blue Pill" Node-MCU etc, there is very little room left. So b spacing the 2 halves a bit further apart (and gluing them to something) more of the holes around those development boards stay accessible.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2020, 02:02:22 am
content: Quote from: eeguy on October 12, 2020, 03:57:27 pmAre you actually going to put anywhere near 15A through it? I ask simply because many circuits use wildly over-specced components simply because of ubiquity. Can you share the schematic?The thinner the wire cross-section, the hotter it will get under high load.With a top-quality 3M breadboard (which have really thick, tight contacts) I’d trust it up to maybe 3 amps, but 15? No way. You’d likely end up melting the breadboard. And with a cheap breadboard, I’d stick to 1A.

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2020, 07:59:32 am
content: https://lugsdirect.com/WireCurrentAmpacitiesNEC-Table-301-16.htmhttps://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_wire_gaugeBest to check your breadboard specs and up to date applicable code but (for example only) it might be hard to get 14 AWG wires to fit into the breadboard.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2020, 08:18:08 am
content: Quote from: Electro Fan on October 13, 2020, 07:59:32 am”Hard” in the same sense that it’s hard to fit a 1/4” headphone plug into a 1/8” jack!

author: Electro Fan
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2020, 08:56:14 am
content: Quote from: tooki on October 13, 2020, 08:18:08 amYes hard in the same sense but maybe even harder according to the chart....1.628 mm diameter for 14 AWG vs 0.644 mm diameter for 22 AWG