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I just purchased an RGB LED strip to make my first 'non arduino starter kit project'.

It has red, green and blue wires coming from the end of it, which I am trying to put in the breadboard sockets adjacent to the drain of each required MOSFET.

enter image description here

I am finding, however, that only the very tip of the wires are rigid and they are not 'sticking' in the breadboard sockets (if i move the wire slightly, they just come out).

Is there a well known 'hack' to make sure the wires are fastened securely in the breadboard sockets?

I'm new to electronics, so I wasn't sure if there was some sort of connector designed exactly for this - perhaps something with one female end that could clamp the flimsy wire, whilst the other end had a more rigid pin that could be secured in the breadboard?

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    \$\begingroup\$ Like, soldering a piece of [solid] wire onto them? \$\endgroup\$
    – PlasmaHH
    Feb 16, 2016 at 12:18
  • \$\begingroup\$ I've never soldered anything and don't have the tools to do so, and would have tons of newbie questions about this, like: Can I use any type of wire? Are there any guidelines I need to follow to prevent anything blowing up/shorting etc? Due to my newbiness, I think a connector wire of some sort might be better, if such a thing exists. \$\endgroup\$
    – user1063287
    Feb 16, 2016 at 12:26
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    \$\begingroup\$ There are tons and tons and tons of soldering guides for newbies. You might as well bite the bullet and learn how to solder, it's a very useful skill. The wires in the picture look multi stranded. You need to solder to them a solid core wire to allow easy insertion into a bread board. \$\endgroup\$
    – vini_i
    Feb 16, 2016 at 12:33
  • \$\begingroup\$ If you want to do electronics, get a tempco soldering station. If you don't then don't, but don't expect anyone to provide solutions for problems they would never have. \$\endgroup\$
    – PlasmaHH
    Feb 16, 2016 at 12:38

2 Answers 2

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If you really want to avoid soldering, you can use terminal blocks like these to connect stranded wires to a breadboard...

enter image description here

They are cheap and widely available.

Alternately, you also just get some ~22 gauge solid (non-stranded) wire or breadboard jumper wire, strip one end and twist the stranded lead onto it. Cover the joint with some electrical tape, and you now have something with a nice end to stick into the breadboard.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ These may be fairly hard on a breadboard, if they even fit in it at all. Typically if used with a breadboard, they'd be an intermediate stage for connecting something eternal, and they would in turn connect to a socket for a breadboard wire or something, not be directly inserted into the breadboard themselves. In other words, while associated they "relay" the specific problem the poster is having more than they solve it. \$\endgroup\$
    – Chris Stratton
    Feb 17, 2016 at 4:43
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The two simplest options are:

  1. Strip the insulation a bit and tin the wire a bit long.
  2. Solder the wires to some 0.1" male headers. Heat shrink to reinforce.

The problem is probably that the exposed wire is very short, and the insulation is butting against the breadboard plastic, preventing it being inserted deep. By striping the insulation a bit further, and tinning the wire, you get a usable soldered wire tip.

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