Breadboard Helper are a class of tools to streamline development when using solderless breadboards.
This is a 5×2.5cm chiclet PCB that sits on your breadboard and brings in common components. I usually do development by running a Eurorack power supply ribbon cable down some wires into a breadboard, then have to add the usual diodes and capacitors that all my modules have. Sometimes a 5V regulator and more capacitors, maybe a LED to indicate it’s hot. These components, like any breadboard work, are subject to coming loose and having bad connections. Moving common connections to a dedicated PCB should make things much cleaner and reliable.
This is a not a musical module, but a tool specifically for folks doing electronic experimentation.
V1 is on order, should be tested late February 2022. Works Perfectly!
| item | Price | Note |
| Bare PCB for solderers | $5 | |
| parts kit (incl PCB) | $25 | |
| Built & Tested | $40 |
Where that BOM file mentions 10K and 1K resistors, I find them too bright, and since we just want indication of power without using too much, I like to use 30K resistors for the 12V LEDs and a 15K resistor for the 5V LED.
You can omit the LEDs if you want, and the 5V section is optional too.
To use it as a power measurement device, clip your multimeter to the 10R resistor and the closest leg of the big diode, that’s going to be just both sides of the 10R. Measure the resistance carefully, it will be between 9 and 11 ohms. Measure the voltage lost, and then V/R=I, for example if it reads 40 milliVolts lost, that’s 4 milliAmps used.
See how the pins are attached on the bottom; you can insert it into a breadboard before soldering to ensure a perfect fit.
