Reading rotary encoder

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I believe the question is how to connect stranded wire to a breadboard.

Firstly, start reading here. Read the Racing Wheel link as well.

FYI: interfacing E38S6G5-600B-G24N 600P/R rotary encoder

This is an FYI, sort of a post-mortem. TL;DR: supply >5V and specify INPUT_PULLUP. E38S6G5-600B-G24N is an industrial 600 pulse/revolution A/B bi-phase rotary encoder; this product, among many like it, are used for building DIY racing wheel controllers for its higher resolution compared to garden variety potentiometer-like incremental encoders. Interfacing wise, works mostly the same. The only differences are that it needs 5V-24V power input, and that the output is "NPN-type" which necessitate …

Can you solder? It may be time to learn.

@TomGeorge

Have you established if the A and B outputs are open collector or totem-pole configuration?

NPN open collector.