Connectors!

So many of my projects are stalled by a lack of good connectors. I’m thinking just the regular rectangular ones with the latching, crimp-on terminals.

I’m thinking of something like [this. And maybe have a decent crimper like [this one, instead of the cheap $15 radio shack ones you tend to find.

For some reason, I can never connectors exactly like these at mouser or digikey. I hate ordering something without a manufacturer’s part number. Plus, these two places are the only sites I’ve found where you can order connectors like this, and I’d rather deal with a more reliable place like sparkfun.](Deluxe Crimping Tool)](MRM LCD)

Futurlec sell these, I have bought them many times.

heathkit,

Have a look at the Molex KK series headers and housings. I have used them for years and have always had good results using them. The Deluxe crimper from Hansen is the way to go. I have had a series of discussions with Chris Hansen about using the crimper on the KKs and sent him some to try. He reports that they do an excellent job on the KKs so I plan to buy a Deluxe to supplement the small crimper I purchased in Japan many years ago. I suggest you buy a few KK headers, housing and crimp terminals and try them out. Check Jameco and Digi-Key.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Vic

They look like Harwin connectors and are sold by Farnell. I’ve found that I can crimp them with the same cheap tool I use for Molex KK connectors, if I’m careful.

Leon

Those connectors your pointed out don’t have any locking tabs, do they? That and the lack of any polarity to prevent the user from connecting them backwards.

I’ve spent too much time crimping connectors. To me, it’s just annoying. And once you move past the prototype stage, you then have to do some special order with a custom manufacturer to get them made in quantities.

I recently started using some tyco connectors and pre-made cables that you can get from digikey. They have polarity, are locking, and you can get the cables in various lengths/conductors. They are flat cables, which you may not like, depending on your application.

For instance, check out A33867-ND for the header, and A9CCG-0606F-ND for a 6" cable.

My next step might be to move to the .05" version of the same connectors.

-chris