Orkwerx Polarity Stick

Name: Orkwerx Polarity Stick
SKU: 1019
Price: 2.25 USD
Availability: Discontinued

(6 Reviews) Designed by orkwerx in United States of America

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Overview This is a very simple little tool that I've nonetheless found incredibly useful for breadboard prototyping! It's a little stick with two pins, spaced the standard 0.1"/2.54mm, marked + and -…

Overview

This is a very simple little tool that I've nonetheless found incredibly useful for breadboard prototyping! It's a little stick with two pins, spaced the standard 0.1"/2.54mm, marked + and -, with LEDs in opposite polarities. When current flows from + to -, the green LED lights up. When it flows the other way, the red LED lights up. Nifty!

Handy for all kinds of quick-and-dirty testing! I use these to double-check that I've hooked up the power rails on our breadboards correctly, as indicators for microcontroller projects (no need to worry about adding a resistor!), to test reverse voltage protection circuits, and more.

It can take up to around 12V in either direction (but will light up with as low as 3.3V).

Now also available in a double-sided version!

Quantity	Price
1	$2.25
2-4	$2.00
5+	$1.75

Review Breakdown

Average Ratings

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Ronn | Nov. 25, 2013

Polarity Sticks are a great tool

Well built tool. I leave them on my breadboard all the time.
-Ronn

Thomas | Oct. 31, 2013

Great item

Simple in concept but elegant in execution.

Michael | Oct. 15, 2013

Orkwerx polarity review

I bought the polarity stick, and I like it. I previously burned out a LCD by mixing up power and ground wires in wiring up my breadboard power rails. This stick will hopefully prevent this in the future.

Two minor improvements come to mind, if the creator ever plans for a new version:

1) I find when I'm attaching stuff to the breadboard, that the height of the stick gets in the way. It would be nice if a separate version were offered that had right angle pins so the board doesn't stick up, but lies flat.

2) If it doesn't add too much to the cost, having the +/- on the reverse side of the pcb would come in handy at times when I have the board reversed. It would be even more useful if the board had two sets of LEDs on each side of the PCB, so that I don't have to turn the board around to see the lights.

Response from orkwerx | Oct. 15, 2013

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm definitely planning lights/markings on both sides for a future revision.

Alexander | Oct. 14, 2013

Neat little tool

Having a handful of these for prototyping is really handy. Not something I was looking to buy, but something that has already saved me some troubleshooting time.

Steve | Sept. 22, 2013

A simple and elegant tool

This may not be the worlds greatest tool, but if it stops you from accidentally releasing the magic blue smoke or spending hours tracking down a wiring issue late at night, it has more than paid for itself in my book. I probably should have ordered more than one.

Michael | Aug. 6, 2013

Didn't know I needed it but I do!

Many uses, checking polarities, power indicator, breadboard blinky LED indicator. It's more convenient than discrete LED and resistor. By far. Glad I got this on a whim. I'm always using LEDs. No more digging around for resistors. No more wondering if I have power. Nicely done. Only problem? I only bought one. :)

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