What Is a 1 Pin Electrical Connector?
There are many different types of connectors in use by makers and all of them have their own unique features. Some of the most important ones are the number of contacts, the pitch of those contacts (center-to-center distance), keying and mounting.
One of the more common ones is the Deans Connector. Regularly seen on lipo batteries and radio control hobbyists systems these are rugged connections that can withstand a good amount of current.
Wire Terminations
A 1 pin electrical connector typically contains a female receptacle, a male plug or jack and one electrical contact for conducting direct current (DC) power. These connectors are used for simple power connections within basic appliances and office equipment.
The connector contacts can be stamped or formed in a variety of ways. Stamped contacts are often lower cost and more durable than machined ones. They are also easy to produce in high volumes and can be fed into automated crimp machines. Machined contacts offer better power density and performance, but they require more specialized equipment to manufacture.
Depending on the mating connection style, the connector’s contacts can be crimped or soldered onto a printed circuit board (PCB). This is commonly known as a push-in type of connection. The PCB-to-connector contact can also be a “fused” terminal block, which uses a screw to hold the wires down to a metal part, giving a study connection that is not easily removed or disconnected.
Insulation displacement connectors use sharp blades to cut insulation when inserted into the receptacle, eliminating the need for pre-stripping 1 pin electrical connector the wire. The resulting connections are more reliable and allow a wider range of wire sizes to be accommodated in a single connector. These connectors are available in poke-in tab, crimp wire barrel and solder post styles.
Back Mounting
The rear end of a connector is called the wire end or back end. It can be the female part of a plug or the male part of a receptacle. Often a back end can be fitted with accessory threads that allow simple strain-relief clamps or cable seal nuts to be attached. There are also connectors that do not have these and instead rely on some other means of attachment to a panel or enclosure. Some examples include tapped holes, grooves and notches. Some circular connectors such as power connectors also have grooves and notches built into the shell to provide mounting capabilities in conjunction with a panel mount.
The back side of the connector can be molded with various materials including polycarbonate, PBT and ABS depending on the manufacturers design and application requirements. There are also some that have a clear plastic cover to allow the user to inspect the contact sockets. Many of the receptacle connections are fitted with a metal plate to prevent live contacts from being touched. This is commonly known as a scoop proof connection.
Some connectors can only be connected one way around which is called polarity. They may have some feature such as a square notch (key) that prevents them from being placed in the outlet the wrong way around. Other ways of preventing incorrect connections include having the plug blades have different widths to prevent them from inserting into the receptacle the wrong way.
Front Mounting
There are a number of mounting options for connectors. These include panel mount, free-hanging and board mount. A panel mount connector can be inserted into a plastic mounting block which provides a rigid and secure way of connecting cables to circuit boards or devices. Free-hanging connectors are generally screwed directly onto a device or cable while board mount connectors can be soldered to the surface of a PCB.
Connectors also have a variety of features and properties that help them to perform effectively in different environments. They may be able to withstand severe vibrations or cope with temperature extremes. In addition, they can be arranged to meet specific electrical requirements. For example, a female connector can be paired with a male plug for a connection to an RF antenna.
In order to make the right connections and ensure that all signals are transmitted properly, it is important to understand the different types of connectors available. This guide is designed to provide an overview of the most common and important electrical connectors. This will enable makers to quickly recognise the different types and their regular uses. It will also enable them to learn about any special features that they may need to be aware of when using a connector. This might include polarization, keying or strain relief. Some of these features can be confusing, but will be explained in more detail in the individual guides for each connector type.
IP Rating
The IP rating on a 1 pin electrical connector provides users heavy duty waterproof electrical connectors with information about the level of protection it offers against the intrusion of solid particles and water. This information is important because if these substances enter the connector’s interface, they could disrupt signals or cause damage to other components.
Generally, the most common need for an IP rated connector is found in devices that utilize external ports like an audio, USB, or dc power jacks. A high enough IP rating can protect internal circuitry from unforeseen water or dust ingress even when no plug or external equipment is connected. For more demanding environments, however, a high IP rating may be needed to ensure that the connector and plug are fully-sealed when mated. This feature prevents dust and moisture from disrupting vital signals or damaging the connector and its plug during use.
The IP rating on a connector is a designation based on the IEC 60529 standard. It uses 2 digits to articulate the level of protection against ingress of solid objects and liquids. For example, a connector that is rated IP44 is splash proof and protects against solid objects up to 1 millimeter in size as well as low-pressure jets of water. Connectors that are rated IP67 are waterproof and protect against immersion in water up to 1 meter deep for 30 minutes. Some manufacturers also incorporate a gland at the back of their connectors to further increase the level of waterproofing when mated.