What's the minimum lead length for a component in order to reliably connect with solderless breadboard contacts?
Reading specs on cables, relays LEDs, and other components, what should I take as the minimum distance from the bottom of the device to the tip of the lead? Or put another way, from the top of the breadboard to the pinch-point of its contacts?
I want to plug into a generic solderless breadboard and not worry about loose connections. I have assumed through-hole PC board leads would be sufficient but occasionally they are not. Case in point, a flex cable from Digi-Key has leads that are about 3.2mm or 0.125in long that keep falling out. So the answer may be just a little longer than that.
This spec from 3M says nothing about this dimension, except that the standard interconnect wires go about 0.250in deep.
Best Answer
A standard DIP has a lead length of about 0.125" (3.1mm) but the actual penetration below the surface is probably more like 4.2mm because the holes and leads are both beveled.