Homework board's IO pins P0-P15 too loose?

[Tom F]

I'm just starting with the Discovery Kit and the Homework board. (Great fun!)

I've never used a breadboard before.

I'm finding that the resistor leads are too small for P0-P15. When I insert a resistor in P14 for example, if pick up the board and turn it over, the resistor lead just falls out. ANd if I put a bend in the lead above the board, I can flick the resistor with my finger and it spins around like a propellor. Now THAT'S loose!

The resistor plugs into the white broadboard area nice an snugly.

Sometimes even a simple curcuit that turns on an LED (ie. 2-11 (in page 48)) is intermittent when I wiggle the resistor lead where it goes into P3.

Is it possible that the P0-P15 holes were manufacturered too large, or that the leads on the resistors are too thin?

I suppose I could put a bit of a bend on the end of the resistor lead to make it contact more of the pin socket.

Any suggestions?

Tom

[Newzed]

The pin headers work best with 22 ga solid copper wire.· You can jumper the pin to the breadboard with 22 ga then plug your resistors into the breadboard, or, you can put tiny bends in the end of your resistor so it makes better contact with the pin header.

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Sid Weaver
Do you have a Stamp Tester yet?
http://hometown.aol.com/newzed/index.html

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[Chris Savage]

Sid's right...Either use a jumper wire over to the breadboard, or when you plug the resistor (or other component) into the breadboard it should strengthen the I/O socket connection.

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Chris Savage
Parallax Tech Support
csavage@parallax.com (mailto:csavage@parallax.com)

[Tom F]

Thanks, guys. I appreciate the fast responses.

I must say that eveything about this new (to me!) Parallax world is appealing. The docs are wonderfully clear. Service good. THe product great.

And, the neat project possibilities are intoxicating!

I've been up these fun learning curves in new fields enough to know that the first weeks and months of discovery are so much fun.

I'm looking forwards to having a lot of fun!

Thanks again.

Tom