Old Prototype Boards

Hi Everyone,
Here is a now amusing scenerio, I bought several of the push in wire type plastic prototype boards over the last 15 or so years, and have been using them to test pic programs. Yesterday I threw together a serial LCD using one because I wanted to port over some code to a smaller pic, and the serial lcd gave me fits. I knew the code was good, and the pic was new, I messed around for hours. I removed the protoboard from it's backing plate and discovered corrosion directly underwhere my pic data out pins were - moved the whole mess to another proto board and all is as it should be.

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Originally Posted by Joe S.

Hi Everyone,
Here is a now amusing scenerio, I bought several of the push in wire type plastic prototype boards over the last 15 or so years, and have been using them to test pic programs. Yesterday I threw together a serial LCD using one because I wanted to port over some code to a smaller pic, and the serial lcd gave me fits. I knew the code was good, and the pic was new, I messed around for hours. I removed the protoboard from it's backing plate and discovered corrosion directly underwhere my pic data out pins were - moved the whole mess to another proto board and all is as it should be.

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Same thing here with the corrosion, as well as the little V shaped trenches that are supposed to hold the wire loosing their tension. The board only works when I push on the whole thing or certain spots. Sometimes it's a crap shoot, sometimes all works good. If I find a certain area is really messed up, I either fill the protoboard's holes in that area with epoxy (or whatever), or throw the whole thing away and buy up a couple new ones.
Kinda makes a guy want to spend the $25K and buy one of those Protomat S62 things. That would be seriously nice...

I just discovered my largest one has this problem too, I think these things are the source of all the mysterious no working circuits!

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Originally Posted by Joe S.

I just discovered my largest one has this problem too, I think these things are the source of all the mysterious no working circuits!

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The large ones (3220 holes) were the first ones to go a few years ago. Nowadays, I only buy the smaller ones (630 holes?) as I need 'em and link 'em up. I suppose I could've cut the big ones up, didn't think of it at the time :( Handy as they are, they can sure cause some headaches here and there...

I consider them, "One time use only".

And buy a new one for each project. Or actually 4-5 at a time.
http://stores.ebay.com/MeerKat-Systems

Usually leave the parts in them for future reference too.

Hi,

Are you talking about breadboards?

http://www.alliedelec.com/Images/Pro...3302_large.jpg

I use 3M solderless breadboards. (300 Series).

- Same insertion force for all the holes of the breadboard.
(The wire will not bend when you try to plug it).

- Gold-plated contacts.

http://www.alliedelec.com/catalog/pf.asp?FN=1865.pdf

Best regards,

Luciano

I also use them few times.. not much.

In the past i used some defect one to test the intelligence of new employee.

'ok guy, here's the schematic, here's the parts.. build it on this breadboard as clean as you can... and make it work, you have 15 minutes' http://www.mister-e.org/Pics/ROFL.gif