Hi everyone. I recently purchased an Adafruit Audio FX soundboard and am having some trouble connecting it. I am a complete beginner at this, so this is probably a very silly question. I uploaded the sound files I want to play but when I install the Adafruit onto a breadboard and connect batteries, it’s a really bad connection and doesn’t power up. I am using the pins that came with the Adafruit. If I connect the battery wires directly to the Adafruit pin holes it works fine, but if I use the push pins through the holes and connect to the top of the pin, it doesn’t connect. If I wiggle the pins I sometimes do get a connection. So, is it just that the connector pins need to be thicker gauge in order to properly touch the sides of the little pin holes on the Adafruit or am I supposed to bend them or something? As I say, they came with the Adafruit so I assume they are the correct thickness gauge.
You must solder the pins into the holes. Simply put; it’s a square peg into a round hole. Pin headers are square, header holes are round, the resulting contact surface is negligible at best. Solder not only mechanically holds them in place, but electrically joins the pins for a good connection.
Aha! That makes sense. Thanks for your reply, I will get the soldering iron out!