breadboardhigh voltage
I want to play with valves running at 300V.
Is there some suitable form of breadboard or prototyping system that anyone is aware of? Clearly you wouldn't use one of those common white push in things that you use to play with an Arduino. Is there some home brew system that can be used? I remember a long time ago there being electronics kits that had a bunch of springs that you clipped resistors into. Is my only alternative to solder every circuit up every time?
Wire the 555 as a one-shot to make a clock signal for a binary counter IC (eg. 74LS93) that single-steps every time the 555 is fired.
Given the lack of actual measurements thus far, I've decided to upload some measurements of my own. I used a ruler and a magnifier because I don't have anything more accurate, but I verified the measurements by pulling some pins out of a .1" header and test fitting it in the measurements indicated.
| BB | A | B | C | D | E | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | R4 | |-----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----|----| | Top | .3-| .1 | .4 | .3 | .3 | .2-| .4 | .2 | .2 | 0 | | 2nd | NA | .1 | .4 | .3 | .3 | .2 | .4 | .2 | .3 | inf| | 3rd | .2+| .15| .4 | .3 | .3 | .2 | .4 | .2 | .3 | inf| | Bot | .3-| .1 | .4 | .3 | .3 | .2-| .4 | .2 | .2 | 0 |
A measurement like .3- means that it was slightly smaller than .3, but not .25 or .3. Measurement 4 is the distance between the center two power rails (notice that it's different on the middle 2), and R4 is the resistance between the top and bottom of the measurement.
The breadboards I used are shown in the following picture, numbered 1 (on the bottom) to 4.
The one on top of the stack is from RSR, the next is a couple old 3M Super Strips. I think that the third might be a Twin Industries model, but I don't know that. It and the bottom one were purchased by my school and the guys who would know where they're from don't get back until Monday.
I'd love to have some Twin Industries, Parallax, Global Specialties, Sparkfun, Seeedstudio, and Adafruit measurements. I'm about ready to just email all of those manufacturers and ask them to take some calipers out to the warehouse, but I feel bad asking for that kind of a favor without intending to buy one of them.
Best Answer
Figure 1. Solder tag strips were standard for valve amplifier construction.
Figure 2. Screw terminal strips may provide a workable alternative for development work. Two of these blocks would be required spaced far enough apart that the large components could fit between them. The double-rows means that components can be replaced on the inner terminals without disturbing the wiring on the outer terminals.
Figure 3. For the man in a hurry, the rail mounted cage-clamp terminals might be the answer.
Figure 4 and 5. The cage-clamp terminals hold wires in place using a spring cage. During insertion or removal he clamp is opened by levering with a small screwdriver through a slot adjacent to the spring.