Uploaded May 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Any non-trivial Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ESP32 electronics project is going to require additional external modules to be connected to the microprocessor: those might be inputs like switches, rotary encoders, sensors, or RFID readers, or they might be outputs such as LCD or LED displays, relays or motors.
The most common way to connect modules such as this is using 0.1" (2.54mm) spaced header pins, and in this short tutorial video I'll introduce the different sorts of header pins you might come across (male, female, right-angled, double-height) and explain the situations in which you might want to use them.
Then I'll give a practical demonstration of how to solder them. Many people find the idea of soldering a bit daunting at first, but it only takes a little practice, and I'll pass on some tips and techniques I use to try to make it easier!
If you'd like to know how to crimp your own cables to connect onto these pin headers, please see the accompanying video at youtube.com/watch?v=8sHeR4Uozck
As always, please ask if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer!
Timings
---
00:00:00 - 00:00:46 Introduction
00:00:47 - 00:02:23 Wire-to-Board connections
00:02:24 - 00:03:27 Wire-to-Wire connections
00:03:28 - 00:04:05 Board-to-Board connections (e.g. Arduino shield)
00:04:06 - 00:05:20 Pre-soldered male and female headers
00:05:21 - 00:08:59 Unsoldered male and female headers
00:09:00 - 00:11:01 Double height male/female headers
00:11:02 - 00:15:13 Soldering header pins onto a board
Any non-trivial Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or ESP32 electronics project is going to require additional external modules to be connected to the microprocessor: those might be inputs like switches, rotary encoders, sensors, or RFID readers, or they might be outputs such as LCD or LED displays, relays or motors.
The most common way to connect modules such as this is using 0.1" (2.54mm) spaced header pins, and in this short tutorial video I'll introduce the different sorts of header pins you might come across (male, female, right-angled, double-height) and explain the situations in which you might want to use them.
Then I'll give a practical demonstration of how to solder them. Many people find the idea of soldering a bit daunting at first, but it only takes a little practice, and I'll pass on some tips and techniques I use to try to make it easier!
If you'd like to know how to crimp your own cables to connect onto these pin headers, please see the accompanying video at youtube.com/watch?v=8sHeR4Uozck
As always, please ask if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer!
Timings
---
00:00:00 - 00:00:46 Introduction
00:00:47 - 00:02:23 Wire-to-Board connections
00:02:24 - 00:03:27 Wire-to-Wire connections
00:03:28 - 00:04:05 Board-to-Board connections (e.g. Arduino shield)
00:04:06 - 00:05:20 Pre-soldered male and female headers
00:05:21 - 00:08:59 Unsoldered male and female headers
00:09:00 - 00:11:01 Double height male/female headers
00:11:02 - 00:15:13 Soldering header pins onto a board
