Shielding - USB connectors are shielded, such that a metal shell which is not part of the electrical circuit is provided.

USB connectors are designed to transmit 5V, up to 500mA. These are for power, ground, and two data lines (D+ and D-).

Four contacts - All USB connectors have at least four contacts (although some may have five, and USB 3.0+ connectors have even more).

It may be possible to force a connector in wrong, but that will result in damage to the device.

Polarization - A USB connector can only nominally be inserted one way.

However, all USB connectors will have some things in common: In the USB standard, there is a difference between the two, and the connectors on cables and devices reflect this. USB connectors come in two flavors: host and peripheral. We'll discuss this more in the examples section for each individual connector.

The term 'mount' can refer to several things: how the connector is mounted in use (panel mount, free-hanging, board mount), what the angle of the connector is relative to its attachment (straight or right-angle), or how it is mechanically attached (solder tab, surface mount, through hole). Mount - This one has the potential for being confusing.

It's important that you select a connector with a suitable life for the application. A USB connector may have a lifetime in the thousands or tens of thousands of cycles, while a board-to-board connector designed for use inside of consumer electronics may be limited to tens of cycles. Datasheets usually present that information in terms of mating cycles, and it varies widely from one technology to another. Mating cycles - Connectors have a finite life, and connecting and disconnecting them is what wears them out. Wire-to-board connectors are frequently utilized due to their flexibility and dependability.The pitch of the pins on the headers on a standard Arduino is. Once the connector has been crimped to the wire, the contacts or terminals can be inserted into the corresponding housing to complete the interconnection. Thicker wire often conducts more current due to lower electrical resistance per length.Ĭrimp technique is often used in wire-to-board connectors to attach a wire to a printed circuit board (PCB). The diameter of the wire is referred to as a “gauge,” and as the gauge number increases, the diameter, temperature range, and gauge number all decrease. American wire gauge (AWG), a non-ferrous wire conductor size standard, is commonly used to measure wire size. A wire-to-wire connector typically has between one and fifty circuits or locations. Male wire-to-wire connectors are designed to fit inside female wire-to-wire connectors. Some general requirements for a wire-to-wire connector are the number of circuits or places, mating combination, wire size or gender. They are used to connect electrical, electronic, and computer components. To connect two wire-terminated connectors, wire-to-wire connections are used. Due to their ability to reduce cable clutter, board-to-board connectors are perfect for systems with limited space. They are easy to twist on and off when needed and are commonly used in electrical wiring systems for light switches, ceiling fans, receptacles or outlets, security systems, HVAC, and more.īoard-to-board connections are used to connect printed circuit boards (PCB) without using wires. Twist-on connectors are usually color-coded to indicate their size or capacity. These are normally twisted on by hand and have external grooves or wings for easy handling. Some of the most popular cable connectors are the twist-on, push-in, and crimp-on types. Although the connections appear simple, they often help form complex electrical networks of cables.Ĭable connectors come in a variety of colors, materials, shapes, and sizes. The tasks they perform and the applications they support range from connecting cables in our cars to connecting essential computer components. In the world of smaller electronics and circuits, electrical connectors play a crucial role in the operation of many devices and components because they allow and safeguard the transmission of electrical signals. With the help of this connector, live wires are kept from being exposed or coming into contact with metal surfaces, where they might cause short circuits or other serious damage. A wire connector, or wire nut as it is often called, is a cap used to connect two electrical wires together.

Wire connector