Prototype Board : How To Use

In our one previously published article, we discussed about Prototype Boards. Prototype Board – How To Use is a Common Question. At least, that is what one commonly searched question on our website. The Answer Depends on Type of Prototype Board (like Adafruit has a breadboard looking prototype board), the Need, Components and Of Course the Circuit. It is not that soldering is the only way, we can use wire wrapping for connection and fixation. Commonly used prototype boards are generic, cheap, has matrix like copper on one side surrounding hole. These are called perfboard. The holes are pre-drilled with 0.1 inch spacing for decreasing work. Cheap perfboards copper pad on only one side of the board. It is better to have minimum few tools like Wire and Wire Stripper. For IC like components, using IC socket is practical than direct soldering. Kynar wire is an insulated 30-gauge single strand wire. That is probably better to use as that gauge is practical, but using 22 guage will not harm, just it is slightly thick. Of course you need soldering iron. It is better if you have some cheap Made in China “third hand with magnifying glass led light” for holding the board. It is practical to have some strips of male and female headers.

 

Prototype Board : How To Use

 

Initially, you can practice with easy circuits, like we talked about a circuit for the newbies and children – LDR, Transistor to turn on LED. That circuit is not easy to a newbie to soldier. But components are cheaper and really without destroying few, feeling ugly looking; it is not possible to learn. Big matter is that – you can cut the boards hacksaw or just by drawing a sharp knife few times as straight line BUT do not tend to do that unless circuit is just small. Smallest prototyping board is bigger for the project I gave example. That is possible to cut. These boards increases work if they are cut in to pieces – more work needed to learn. Instead of jumping to cut, you can plan to design on one corner. Later when you’ll design another small thing, you may cut it out. There are, actually more non-electronics works. If you cut, then you have file it or use sandpaper. Otherwise looks ugly with sharp edge.

Perform a Google search with “perfboard layout planning sheet”. You’ll get PDF of planning sheet. You can print on A4 paper. Here is one such :

Wire colors – I use Blue for Ground/Negative, Red for Positive, Yellow for Data, Black for all the other connections.

Pen colors – I use sketch pens. Blue for Ground/Negative, Red for Positive, Yellow for Data, Black for all the other connections.

You probably understood how to plan. Place the components on paper to guess bending, stripping. I use super-glue like glue to attach some components on board – fully depending on solder for IC socket is not safe. Which side you’ll place the components? The side which has no copper. If both side has copper, that is great for contacts.

I tie cotton threads at distant end of the components like registers, transistors and tie them to thing which is used to hold the board. Then I drop one drop of molten solder from heated iron keeping the wire need to be in contact. The wire is made a loop before hand, so that it can hold the leg of component inside the loop. Then I cut the extra wires. It is not that you will always need a perfboard. Too small number of components can be soldered on male header like I did with LED for breadboard.

It is matter to make the circuit permanent for own purpose.