Breadboard column numbering

Hardware Arduino Education Kits
1

OK, my OCD is kicking in.

DIP package pin numbering is counter-clockwise and the natural arrangement has always seemed to me to have pin 1 on the bottom-left.

But the breadboards are numbered right to left.

So for example when I push an Arduino into a breadboard and pin 1 is on column 50, pin 2 is on 49, etc.

When it's time to transfer experiments to something more permanent it just gets more awkward to get the pin numbering consistent.

Or I turn the breadboard so it's upside-down.

Am I swimming upstream here? A I missing something stupidly obvious?

Thanks all...

2

Isn't the breadboard numbered from 1....50 if you rotate it?

3

Correct.

No it is top left. That is the way it goes. This is of course when you are looking at the top of the package. Looking at the underside where you do your wiring it is pin 1 Top right and numbed clockwise.

4


Source Sparkfun

5

Or to put it the right way up then like this.
chip

It is not normal to see it on its side.

6

It is, if you have the long side of a breadboard facing you. At least that's how I place it.

However, if I recall it correct, in EDA both the symbols and footprints are rotated with the notch upwards, when they are placed initially.

7

That is because you should never use breadboard, it is crap. If you must use it then turn the bread board by 90˚.

That means transferring the design onto strip board. The strip board must be orientated so that the strips are at right angles to the chip or better chip socket. Otherwise it is virtually impossible to cut gaps between each hole, and it is difficult to solder up.

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8

Get a breadboard that won't confuse you :slight_smile:

image
image2532×1036 359 KB

the marking is hard to read :slight_smile:

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9

I have never seen the point of the markings in the first place

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10

agreed

the blue and red line can be visual clues but the numbers - not sure what they are for. May be if you want to provide directions to students ?

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In my experience people outside electronics or electrical work generally, or those new to such things, such as, I assume, you @badandy , attach too much significance to the numbers on pins, wires, connetors or anything else. For example, in telecoms (my subject) someone who knows nothing about telecoms might ask which number on the connector a particular line is on, and ask how I know. There is no such association, the numbers are just a useful reference, nothing more. So back to breadboard, you can't expect the numbers on a DIP package to align with the numbers on breadboard. Any such alignment is purely of your own making for your own convenience, there is no bigger overall system matching this number to that number.

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12

Mike, I disagree! It's useful, but you need to be aware of its limitations, like not expecting 10 amps to flow through it without seeing smoke coming out of it.

Turn it whichever way works for you.

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13

Another aspect is to not let dirt into it. An embarrassing thing I've done; I bought a resistor kit and the resistors came packaged in ammo-packs. I didn't know that I should cut the legs flush along the tape, instead I pulled them out and wiped off the glue, but I bet some made it into the breadboards anyway... :roll_eyes: I wonder if a breadboard can take a acetone bath :upside_down_face:

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14

Thank you everyone for the comments and for the LULz too. It's all greatly appreciated!

I probably should have led with a picture - sorry - my bad. Currently using a Busboard brand BB830 board.

I could rotate it 180 but then the numbers are upside-down.

I could rotate it 90 but then, well, Vertical Video Syndrome... :smile:

Interestingly the crappy Elegy board I initially bought had the numbers at 90 degrees!

An un-numbered board certainly solves the problem. If I really wanted, I could write my own numbers with an ultra-ultra-fine permanent marker. If these old hands still have the dexterity.

Students? I am the student!!!

Yeah, it's just a distraction.

Thanks again everyone. :sunglasses:

Oh PS the jumpers melt before the board does. DAMHIK. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

3 Likes
15

I got a couple of those, as well as their smaller "Lego" boards, i.e the colored ones :slight_smile:
Very good quality.