Hi guys, I am new to electronics engineering. I want to buy a breadboard for home use. Which one is a good one to buy? Why are powered breadboards so much more expensive than buying the breadboard and power supply separately?
assuming you aren’t doing large/complex projects, here’s a good one
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/12002
perhaps get 2.
Then take any wall wart transformer of the desired voltage, say, 5 VDC, and arrange it to connect via pins.
Fancy ones with built-in power supplies are for pro’s and reuse in universities’ labs.
Oh ok, thank you!
stevech:
assuming you aren’t doing large/complex projects, here’s a good onehttps://www.sparkfun.com/products/12002
perhaps get 2.
Then take any wall wart transformer of the desired voltage, say, 5 VDC, and arrange it to connect via pins.
Fancy ones with built-in power supplies are for pro’s and reuse in universities’ labs.
What if all i can find is a 12v transformer. Is there a way to reduce the voltage down? What’s that called, a regulator is needed right?
You cannot find a 5VDC wall transformer? There are zillions of them.
Here’s one of many: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8269
and most any cell phone/smart phone charger is 5V. Cut off the USB plug if need be and use the two power wires.
many hobbyists have a box full of old wall transformers.
Don’t mess with a 12V one.
stevech:
You cannot find a 5VDC wall transformer? There are zillions of them.Here’s one of many: https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8269
and most any cell phone/smart phone charger is 5V. Cut off the USB plug if need be and use the two power wires.
many hobbyists have a box full of old wall transformers.
Don’t mess with a 12V one.
Thank you very much. Got it!
otpowell:
stevech:
…What if all i can find is a 12v transformer. Is there a way to reduce the voltage down? What’s that called, a regulator is needed right?
Most thrift stores have a box of wall warts of various voltages for under $1.
Make sure you work your way through this tutorial of Sparkfun on breadbord basics (and powering it):
Pic processor based, but the first part is generic:
https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/83
Even more generic:
https://www.sparkfun.com/tutorials/57
Unregulated Power Supply Tutorial
No kidding, I didn’t know that existed. Wonderful! In another month my classes should answer these questions for me too. We are learning about binary adders and already covered stuff like nxor gates and karnaugh maps. We never covered breadboard basics, they just threw us into it and I didn’t even know about the power and ground busses when I did my first lab.
Well, you never learn enough. Just as you responded I was in the process of shorting the output of a 3.3v regulator on my breadboard to a ground bus. Always trust your nose!!!
Ok, say I have a 5V wall wart, how do I make it power my breadboard? Just cut the connector off and it will reveal two wires which I can plug into my board? Is this a stupid question? I feel kinda guilty asking for some reason… Lol
No, not a stupid question.
Yes, that is one way to do it. If you do this solder short pieces of solid wire (plug-board jumpers or bell wire) to the wall wart wires and cover with some heat shrink leaving just enough of the solid wire exposed. This way it is easy to plug the wires into the plug-board. It is also a very good idea to color code the wires, Red for positive, Black for negative so that it is easy to figure out why the magic smoke left a component.
Another way is to find a mating connector for the wall wart. Then solder wires onto the connector to plug into the plug-board.
waltr:
No, not a stupid question.Yes, that is one way to do it. If you do this solder short pieces of solid wire (plug-board jumpers or bell wire) to the wall wart wires and cover with some heat shrink leaving just enough of the solid wire exposed. This way it is easy to plug the wires into the plug-board. It is also a very good idea to color code the wires, Red for positive, Black for negative so that it is easy to figure out why the magic smoke left a component.
Another way is to find a mating connector for the wall wart. Then solder wires onto the connector to plug into the plug-board.
Thank you! I appreciate it! Well, I’m gonna order a couple breadboards and some components.
Check the output of your wallwart with a meter. Most linear ones (the heavier, older ones) list the voltage under load. With no load or a light load, they can output a much higher voltage. For 5V, I tend to use one of the many USB chargers I have accumulated over the years.
/mike
other ways to power a breadboard:
https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8376
Most all breadboards have the pin sockets on 0.1 inch pitch (spacing). Header pins have the same. And PC boards like the one shown above have pins on 0.1 in. spacing.
This all began with dual in line integrated circuit packages having 0.1 in spacing.
Noob: be sure to understand breadboard basics, like which group of pins are all connected together and which are not, and which edge rows are intended for power and ground busses, etc.
stevech:
Noob: be sure to understand breadboard basics, like which group of pins are all connected together and which are not, and which edge rows are intended for power and ground busses, etc.
I agree, I have a breadboard with power-busses running along the side, of which you would think it runs the entire length. Well, no it happens to have a break in the middle. The spacing between the group of holes are ever so slightly further apart. So you would need to put jumper wires in to bridge it if needed.
waltr:
Another way is to find a mating connector for the wall wart. Then solder wires onto the connector to plug into the plug-board.
I find that older computer PSU’s are a nice choice. I have a 300 watt one and it’s more than enough for most of my applications; overkill, actually. But if you need many amps, you’ll sure have enough. You still need to do some soldering. Unless you’re me. I use [these and [these.](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8431)](Alligator Test Leads - Multicolored (10 Pack) - PRT-12978 - SparkFun Electronics)
Maybe not so easy for an absolute beginner. Those PSU need a minimum load to operate correctly. Otherwise the output voltage won’t be stable enough I think, or malfunction sooner. That means you need to connect a hefty resistor to it that also keeps you warm.
free-bee:
waltr:
Another way is to find a mating connector for the wall wart. Then solder wires onto the connector to plug into the plug-board.
I find that older computer PSU’s are a nice choice. I have a 300 watt one and it’s more than enough for most of my applications; overkill, actually. But if you need many amps, you’ll sure have enough. You still need to do some soldering. Unless you’re me. I use [these and [these.[/quote]
Valen:
stevech:
Noob: be sure to understand breadboard basics, like which group of pins are all connected together and which are not, and which edge rows are intended for power and ground busses, etc.I agree, I have a breadboard with power-busses running along the side, of which you would think it runs the entire length. Well, no it happens to have a break in the middle. The spacing between the group of holes are ever so slightly further apart. So you would need to put jumper wires in to bridge it if needed.
stevech:
other ways to power a breadboard:https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8376
Most all breadboards have the pin sockets on 0.1 inch pitch (spacing). Header pins have the same. And PC boards like the one shown above have pins on 0.1 in. spacing.
This all began with dual in line integrated circuit packages having 0.1 in spacing.
Noob: be sure to understand breadboard basics, like which group of pins are all connected together and which are not, and which edge rows are intended for power and ground busses, etc.
Thank you all! I actually just bought a bunch of stuff like breadboards a starter kit, arduino uno r3, alligator clips, leads, LEDs, and a bunch of different components. I think I’m buying the right stuff to get started. I wanna make a led lamp for my first diy project. The kit I just ordered (in mail), comes with a 3.3v / 5v power supply. Say I have a led strip that requires 12v, I would just have to find a 12v wall wart? Is it possible to take 5v and turn it into 12v? I wouldn’t think so, but I know the opposite is possible via regulator. Doesn’t a transformer amplify power somehow? I don’t have a full understanding of everything yet but I’m getting there I think. I do understand breadboard basics. I’m in lab 5 now in my digital electronics class. We are working with 2s complement and hooking XOR and OR gates together. I love this stuff, going to school is like a hobby! Just gotta keep learning!
](https://www.sparkfun.com/products/8431)](Alligator Test Leads - Multicolored (10 Pack) - PRT-12978 - SparkFun Electronics)
Thank you all! I actually just bought a bunch of stuff like breadboards a starter kit, arduino uno r3, alligator clips, leads, LEDs, and a bunch of different components. I think I’m buying the right stuff to get started. I wanna make a led lamp for my first diy project. The kit I just ordered (in mail), comes with a 3.3v / 5v power supply. Say I have a led strip that requires 12v, I would just have to find a 12v wall wart? Is it possible to take 5v and turn it into 12v? I wouldn’t think so, but I know the opposite is possible via regulator. Doesn’t a transformer amplify power somehow? I don’t have a full understanding of everything yet but I’m getting there I think. I do understand breadboard basics. I’m in lab 5 now in my digital electronics class. We are working with 2s complement and hooking XOR and OR gates together. I love this stuff, going to school is like a hobby! Just gotta keep learning!