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I am trying to supply 5V 3amps to my breadboard. I have an 18AWGX2C wire but it is too thick to simply connect into the breadboard inputs. Is there any way for me to connect these cables (PWR and GND) into the breadboard?

presish
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  • can you solder the wires to standard pitch pin headers? use 2 or 3 pins in a strip, soldering that PWR or GND wire to a different strip, and then on the breadboard just plug in the header strip to the power rails on the breadboard! – KyranF Mar 04 '15 at 22:52
  • I recently accidentally fed ~3A through some stuff on a bread board. Now I know that it smells sweet when it melts. – PlasmaHH Mar 04 '15 at 23:01
  • are you saying the standard breadboard CAN'T handle 3A? – presish Mar 04 '15 at 23:15
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    Most solderless breadboards are rated at about 1A max. Strangely, I can't even find one that even specifies the current at all, but that's the value I remember from back when they did. – Dave Tweed Mar 04 '15 at 23:50
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    See [How much current can a breadboard handle](http://electronics.stackexchange.com/questions/117994/how-much-current-can-solderless-breadboards-handle) for a good discussion about current. Perhaps you should be soldering up the high current paths, and bringing jumpers out to your breadboard for the control signals. – tomnexus Mar 05 '15 at 06:22
  • what can happen with a breadboard if I use 3A as input current on the power rail? – presish Mar 05 '15 at 22:01

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You should be able to fit a terminal block of the appropriate pin width into the breadboard, but you may need to use more than one connection in order to get enough ampacity.

Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams
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  • do you have a suggestion for what type of terminal block makes the most sense (and cost effective) for me to use? I have never purchased nor been in a position to use one before. – presish Mar 05 '15 at 22:58
  • Nope. But some random green screw terminals I have fit. Not that "green" is a type, of course. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Mar 05 '15 at 23:00
  • lol ok thanks for the help. I will see what i can find around. Are you able to further explain why a terminal block helps surpass the breadboard 1A max current limit? – presish Mar 05 '15 at 23:17
  • It doesn't. Making sure stuff doesn't melt down is still the user's problem. – Ignacio Vazquez-Abrams Mar 05 '15 at 23:22