DIY Universal USB To Breadboard Connector

Yo definitely noticed that for various reasons we need to connect male and female USB of various types to breadboard. It is not practical to cut each type of USB cables for each projects. Here is how to create your own DIY Universal USB To Breadboard Connector with one male to female usb cable 8 jumpers and basic tools.

Basics Behind DIY Universal USB To Breadboard Connector And Needed Resources

There are different types of USB ends – USB A-Type, USB B-Type, USB Type-C Connectors; Micro-USB Connector, USB Mini Connector. Most supports normal old USB 2.0. As for example, we needed to connect micro USB to breadboard for basic camera control. What we will do, we will create two sets of USB to breadboard connectors – one male and one female. We will need :

1. One USB male to female connector ($2) or possibly you have it as freebie with old USB modem
2. 4 jumper wires ($1 on average)
3. Wire stripper, knife or similar tools (you already have)
4. Electrical insulation tape (you already have)
5. This guide (free)
6. Time (invaluable)

How To Build DIY Universal USB To Breadboard Connector

Cut the USB male to female connector at the middle with a knife. Strip the covering jacket. Below the jacket, you will face a foil or drain wire. Twist them together, we do not need it for connection. That is for electromagnetic shielding. You can separately connect to real ground earth if you want. Then within a sleeve there will be black, white, green, red cables. Strip the wires and twist the copper wires. Do the same with the other cut part of the USB male to female connector. We got this thing at this point, which is bare minimum need :

Select same coloured 1 set of jumper wires –  black, white, green, red cables male to male jumper wires. Cut then in the middle with knife. Strip the wires and twist the copper wires. Then twist to join with the same coloured exposed black, white, green, red cables of USB male and female ends.

Use electrical insulation tape to wrap them. We have finished the work.

What Each Colour Of USB Cables Do?

It is obvious that black is GND and red is 5 Volt positive. Rest are white, green cables which are for data. D+ and D− signals are transmitted on a differential pair, providing half-duplex data transfers for USB 2.0. Mini and micro connectors have their GND connections moved from pin 4 to pin 5, as their pin 4 serves as an ID pin for the host/client identification. Guides will be written where to connect the D+ and D− (white, green). You need not to know them in details.