Electronics: Prototyping

Electronics: Prototyping

Building a new project, I tend to start with a big mess of wires on the bench. Although it looks like a big mess, I make sure there’s no bare wires, and boards can’t short out on anything. To speed up wiring and testing, I make temporary connections with Wago connectors.

A big pile of Wago connectors, used to simply connect wires, which are held in place with a spring loaded lever.
Wago Connectors

I love these. As someone who has got frustrated with ‘chocolate block’ screw terminals, as a wire pops out after being screwed down. They’re originally designed for electrical installation, but I use them for all sorts of low voltage stuff.

For this project, after the big mess of wires, I’m going to build a proper prototype, to test out some of the electronic block mounting techniques, the front panel positioning, and the outer box construction. I can then take this out, and get some comments from people who can have a play with it, and then I can correct any problems in the final finished project. Well, that’s what a prototype is for, isn’t it?