Flat aluminum plate that comes with breadboards...

[alank2]

Hi,

What does it accomplish if I stick it on vs. leave it off?

Thanks,

Alan

[edpalmer42]

1.  Groundplane to help reduce noise between terminals?
2.  Mechanical strength to keep the contact strips from pushing out through the back of the breadboard.  There's usually just a layer of paper glued onto the back.

Ed

[Ian.M]

Screening.  More so if its connected to circuit ground.   It can be a big help NOT to have under-bench wiring etc. affecting the operation of your circuit.  Anything above or beside isn't screened, but at least you can see its there . . . .

[rdl]

On all the breadboards I have that came with a base plate, it is made of steel. All the boards have three binding posts and the black one is connected to the metal plate by way of contact through an unpainted area on the bottom. I always thought it was to act as a sort of groundplane, but it definitely adds mechanical stability also.

[Ian.M]

A ground plane is pretty useless as a ground plane unless you can connect to it wherever you need a ground.   If its just connected to the black binding post, its no more than shielding.

[alank2]

I somewhat remember someone saying it had to do with capacitance a long time ago, but could it be that it is simply a protective cover to keep the contacts from poking through?

[rdl]

I guess the usefulness as a ground plane would depend on what else is connected to that binding post, but that is what is written in 3M's brochure. Maybe their marketing people dreamed that part up.

The sturdy metal base plate serves as a ground plane to help minimize noise and voltage spikes in today's high-speed circuits.

The steel base plate would probably be overkill as a protective cover. If this is a very low cost breadboard and a thin aluminum sheet, then maybe.

[Ian.M]

Marketing wank.   If it was meant to be used as a ground plane rather than just as grounded screening. it would have a connector to accept a jumper wire connected to it inline with the bus strips at each end of each breadboard section.

Steel is, weight for weight, about as stiff as aluminium, is cheaper, is easier to get a reliable electrical contact to, and easier to powder coat or paint.  Its not surprising its favoured for breadboard bases.

[jpanhalt]

I thought it was for baking cookies on.  Just one of those surprise extras some China sellers give.

Oh, well...

John

[Rick Law]

I thought it was for baking cookies on.  Just one of those surprise extras some China sellers give.

Oh, well...

John

Actually, I do stumble into those "extra surprise" kind.  That little extra could cause you to choose one seller over another.

I was hunting for some boost/buck over a year ago. I found the exact same board from different sellers.  Some includes a small heat sink and some that doesn't.  I got it from the one with the heat sink - saves me another search for it and probably another shipping cost.

Another example was smart-phone screens.  I found some seller package cheap plastic repair tool with the LCD screen (to remove the old screen).  One included a small tube of glue.

Some buyer just may think a good aluminum back-plate may be a good idea with breadboard.