How to use 200 mil DIP components on solderless breadboard?

Question

I recently got my hands on some miniature DIP relays, and would like to prototype a circuit with them on a solderless breadboard. Unfortunately, these relays have standard 100 mil pin spacing, but 200 mil between rows, rather than the more usual 300 mil. Obviously I can't just put them in at a right angle... is any adapter available to deal with this? Or any cute tricks?

Answer 1

Best bet is usually some DIY if you have not got too many.

Use 200 mil centre sockets if available or socket strips,

or cut a socket in two and solder two strips onto a piece of veroboard/vector board/whatever you call board with copper strips with holes in it.

Solder socket to board and solder a row of pins through board outside socket so they have (probably) 400 centres which will allow plugging into a standard breadboard.

Something like below but with your two rows of socket pins in the centre and with pins to breadboard bottom soldered

You can buy pins suited to this - and I have used plated brass dressmakers pins in days of yore. The plated brass pins have about 3 million% better solderability than non-brass pins that I have tried, even though the brass is under the plating.

Answer 2

Solder wires to the relay pins and stick the other ends of the wires into the breadboard. After all, it's a breadboard, meaning it's for one-off testing. Geesh, sometimes people get so hung up in the process they forget the original intent.