CHAPTER 13 ■ SOLDERLESS BREADBOARD SETUPAdding a Power Switch to the Breadboard
You want to connect the negative (black) wire directly to the breadboard’s power distribution bus. However,
you want the positive (red) wire to go through the switch so that you can easily disconnect it, stopping the
flow of electricity.
Up to this point, you have negative battery power connected to the black binding post with a #22 black
wire coming out. Insert the black wire to the rightmost hole on the second row from the top (see Figure 13-5).
This row is a distribution bus, so now negative power is available to the many holes in that row.
Figure 13-5. Placing a switch into solderless breadboard holes (viewed from above the upper-right of the board)
Positive battery power is connected to the red binding post with a #22 red wire coming out. Instead of
connecting the red wire directly to the first row at the top, connect it to a 5-position group just below the
distribution bus (again, see Figure 13-5). This way you can have the switch connect and disconnect positive
power from the remainder of the circuit.
Place a SPDT power switch so that the middle lead is in the same 5-position group as the positive
power wire (also Figure 13-5). The placement of the middle lead of the switch and the positive wire creates a
connection between them.
Connecting Power Buses
Use a small red jumper wire to connect the left lead of the switch to the uppermost row on the breadboard
(see Figure 13-6). Positive power and negative power are now connected to the upper two rows, but positive
power first passes through the switch.