Circuit wiring can be a very fun and rewarding skill--a skill that can be put to use in many electronic hobbies and trades. Modern circuits are designed around the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) because the layout is extremely cost effective and size efficient. The trouble with a PCB is that once the circuit is printed, it is permanent--if there is a mistake in your circuitry, you must redesign and reorder the circuit. Subsequently, you will want to be certain that your circuit works when you order a print. This is where the time-honored breadboard enters the picture. Instructions 1 Draw your circuit on paper. This may seem unnecessary, but it will make the process of laying out your circuit on the breadboard much simpler. As the old cliché goes, it is better to measure twice and cut once. 2 Identify the connecting rows on your breadboard. Most commonly, these run in two columns on each side and in rows of four down the middle. The two columns down each side are commonly marked with a red or blue line and are used to provide power and ground. If you are unsure about your board's connections, use a multimeter set to measure continuity to probe the connections. 3 Connect any integrated circuits (ICs), in the middle of the board. These should straddle the center dividing line of the board and be positioned to allow easy access to any necessary pins. Refer to your circuit drawing if you are uncertain about the best position. 4 Place your peripheral components (resistors, LEDs, capacitors, etc.) in an appropriate position near both your logic center (IC) and the power/ground columns. 5 Place any power regulating components or power supplies at the top of the board, and then connect them to the appropriate power and ground columns. Do not provide power to any of these components until you have completed all the wiring. 6 Clip appropriate lengths of solid-core wire and strip the insulation from the ends. These lengths of wire will be your connectors, and should be as precisely cut as possible. Having extra length in your connectors only makes the circuit messy and more likely to suffer a short or a bad connection. 7 Connect the pins of your IC or logic center to the appropriate peripheral components with your cut and stripped connector wires. 8 Check all of your connections to verify the circuit is closed and properly laid out. You may wish to verify that everything is in order by using a multimeter to probe the inputs and outputs of the circuit. 9 Provide power to your regulating or supply components to power the circuit. If everything has been done properly, your circuit should now be functioning and active. You should have some means of monitoring output to verify the appropriate outcome.
