Pi Zero on the Breadboard

This instructables show how to plug the Raspberry Pi Zero (or Zero W) on the breadboard without soldering.

Raspberry Pi Zero

I know it is cheap but very hard to buy one, if you want built-in WiFi feature, Zero W is easier to get one

Breadboard

830 points breadboard is good enough

Breadboard Wire

Breadboard's best friend

Fishing Line

0.3mm Nylon fishing line, it helps to fix pin header to Pi Zero without soldering

Pin Header

2x40 18mm pin header

Actually it only require 2x20 pins, but the pins is very easy broken while patching, so buy more for backup purpose

In case you do not know what is breadboard yet, at least you should know the built-in connection between the points. Attached diagram show the built-in connection of a 830 points breadboard, you may know more about breadboard in Cew27's instructables: https://www.instructables.com/id/Breadboard-Basics-...

Here is the design summary:

• Use patched pin header map 2x20 Pi Zero pins to breadboard 20 upper component columns and 20 lower component columns
• Raspberry Pi Zero place at the middle of the breadboard
• Pi Zero even number pins connected to upper part of component columns
• Pi Zero odd number pins connected to lower part of component columns
• Since Pi Zero board will hide the lower part of point, it need to line out the pins to beside column
• Pi Zero border still hide 3 more lower columns on both side, lined out pins need to re-line out to the upper part
• Upper power row connect to Pi Zero 5 V pin
• Lower power row connect to Pi Zero 3.3 V pin

It is hard to patch whole 2x20 pin header at the same time, so I recommend split it into 4 parts. i.e. 2x5 pin header

Breadboard wire bundle with a few standard size, but it may not fit every connection. In order to make a neat and professional layout, it is better to trim the wire to desired size.

Install breadboard wire according to the design layout except power wire.

Tape the masking tape between upper component column and power row.

Start from 14th column the labels are:

GPIO  2
GPIO  3
GPIO  4
GPIO 17
GPIO 27
GPIO 22
GPIO 10
GPIO  9
GPIO 11
5V
5V
GND
GPIO 14
GPIO 15
GPIO 18
GND
GPIO 23
GPIO 24
GND
GPIO 25
GPIO  8
GPIO  7
ID_SC
GND
GPIO 12
GND
GPIO 16
GPIO 20
GPIO 21
ID_SD
GPIO  5
GPIO  6
GPIO 13
GPIO 19
GPIO 26

We don't want soldering pin header to the Pi Zero board, we need some tricks to fix the pin header to the Pi Zero board. 0.3 mm Nylon fishing line is good enough to squeeze pin header closely touch the pin hole. Weave Fishing Line in the pin hole just like weave the shoe string.

Enjoy to develop your Raspberry Pi Zero testing!

If you are not yet have one, LED blink is a good starting point:

https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-Make-Your-F...

Base on this project, I will build a Breadboard RetroPie in my next instructables.