29 Facts About Electrical connectors

Thousands of configurations of Electrical connectors are manufactured for power, data, and audiovisual applications.

Electrical connectors can be divided into four basic categories, differentiated by their function:.

In computing, electrical connectors are considered a physical interface and constitute part of the physical layer in the OSI model of networking.

Electrical connectors essentially consist of two classes of materials: conductors and insulators.

Electrodes in Electrical connectors are usually made of copper alloys, due to their good conductivity and malleability.

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Insecure mounting of Electrical connectors can contribute significantly to the risk of failure, especially when subjected to extreme shock or vibration.

Fretting is a common failure mode in electrical connectors that have not been specifically designed to prevent it, especially in those that are frequently mated and de-mated.

Many Electrical connectors used for industrial and high-reliability applications are circular in cross section, with a cylindrical housing and circular contact interface geometries.

Hybrid Electrical connectors allow the intermixing of many connector types, usually by way of a housing with inserts.

Some Electrical connectors are designed such that certain pins make contact before others when inserted, and break first on disconnection.

Many Electrical connectors are keyed with some mechanical component, which prevents mating in an incorrect orientation.

Keying prevents otherwise symmetrical Electrical connectors from being connected in the wrong orientation or polarity.

For instance, XLR Electrical connectors have a notch to ensure proper orientation, while Mini-DIN plugs have a plastic projection that fits into a corresponding hole in the socket .

Pogo pin or spring loaded Electrical connectors are commonly used in consumer and industrial products, where mechanical resilience and ease of use are priorities.

Crown spring Electrical connectors are commonly used for higher current flows and industrial applications.

Whilst technically inaccurate, electrical connectors can be viewed as a type of adapter to convert between two connection methods, which are permanently connected at one end and detachable at the other end.

Plug and socket Electrical connectors are usually made up of a male plug and a female socket .

When working with multi-pin Electrical connectors, it is helpful to have a pinout diagram to identify the wire or circuit node connected to each pin.

Crimped Electrical connectors are a type of solderless connection, using mechanical friction and uniform deformation to secure a connector to a pre-stripped wire .

Crimping usually requires a specialised crimping tool, but the Electrical connectors are quick and easy to install and are a common alternative to solder connections or insulation displacement Electrical connectors.

Crimped plug-and-socket Electrical connectors can be classified as rear release or front release.

Many plug and socket Electrical connectors are attached to a wire or cable by soldering conductors to electrodes on the back of the connector.

Soldered joints in Electrical connectors are robust and reliable if executed correctly, but are usually slower to make than crimped connections.

Since stripping insulation from wires is time-consuming, many Electrical connectors intended for rapid assembly use insulation-displacement Electrical connectors which cut the insulation as the wire is inserted.

Insulation displacement Electrical connectors are usually used with small conductors for signal purposes and at low voltage.

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Power conductors carrying more than a few amperes are more reliably terminated with other means, though "hot tap" press-on Electrical connectors find some use in automotive applications for additions to existing wiring.

Such Electrical connectors are frequently used in electronic test equipment and audio.

Electrical connectors contact is made by the flat surface of the ring or spade, while mechanically they are attached by passing a screw or bolt through them.

The insulating sleeve of insulated Electrical connectors has a color that indicates the wire's cross-section area.