Arduino Nano (and its many clones) are cheap and plentiful. Their small size, easy programmability and flexibility make them a great choice for many small to medium-scale microcontroller projects. Most often they come with DIP headers so they can be soldered into protoboard or directly onto a custom PCB. However, for quick prototyping, this can be a bit of a pain. This large and easy-to-use Arduino Nano Breakout Board with Screw Terminals is an easy way to both quickly attach wires for prototyping while also being well-protected enough to be used in a more permanent installation.
Screw terminals are a favourite connector of many hackers and makers. They’re easy to use, and they create a good electrical connection with any wires clamped down. You can even fit a few different wires into a single terminal, depending on the wire gauge. Instead of trying to use Dupont cables to attach to the DIP pins (which always seem to fall off during debugging, causing all sorts of issues until you notice), you get a reliable, low-resistance connection.
The designer, FLOW_STATE, has also created and included a 3D-printed housing for the board. This allows connection to the USB port on the Nano while protecting everything else from accidental shorts. It’s certainly not weatherproof, but it’s great to have a case to keep things looking neat and tidy and keep the Nano clear of debris. It might be a simple project, but having a few breakouts like these on hand can make fast prototyping much easier, allowing you to focus on implementing your idea instead of messing around with loose connections.
