Make A Breadboard Power Supply

Step 4 Putting it all together/Getting it to work

I usually solder the smallest parts to the biggest parts, from smallest height to tallest. This usually works best but even then parts can get in the way of each other. To get the headers like I did, I had to do a little finagling. Place the headers in their designated place, and apply heat to the base of the board closest to where you want it soldered. You will melt some of the black plastic stuff, but thats OK. as long as you get it soldered relatively neatly your OK.

Once you get all your parts soldered, Once again, CHECK FOR SHORTS! Opens arent a problem since those should have been taken care of when you soldered. One Short can Ruin your whole project and you'll look at it for hours wondering whats up with it. Use the Continuity function on your meter so you can probe around. Having the schematic nearby is also handy to have, but usually common sense says that Power and ground shouldn't be shorted together. Remember KISS- Keep it stupidly simple.

However, Unless your caps are bad Thats the only problem you should encounter. If the output is shorted the IC shuts down and you get 0 volts on the output. If the input shorts Out you also get nothing on the input BUT your Wall wart voltage drops (which is what I am powering this from).

Now once all THAT is settled, plug in power (if you havent already done so to trouble shoot) and your LED should turn on. Oh, One more thing. If your LED isnt connected it wont light up. Its intensity will vary when you vary the voltage. Now behold, your completed breadboard Portable Power Supply