Narrow 2.54mm-Pitch 3-way Connector

Hi,

The PCB guy I work with has just made a slight revision to a tried and tested board which used 2.54mm Molex KK connectors. Unfortunately, the new layout doesn't provide enough width (in the narrowest dimension) to fit the array of connectors next to each other in line...

I can fit PCB-mount connectors in there, but it looks like a dog's dinner having them soldered to flying leads, and they don't lock, so are bound to pop out.

Is there such a beast as a 2.54mm connector that locks, but is thinner than a KK?

Thanks in advance.

Justin

There are narrow 2.5mm single row pin header wiremount sockets, but probably not with both stacking and locking. How much space do you have between rows for stacking, i.e. what is the pin-to-pin center distance from one row to the next?

Michael

From pin hole centre to hole centre of each 3-way pad block it's 5mm...  :-[

Thanks.

J

header connectors perhaps? Same "KK" format, but not polarised and slightly thicker pins, but definitely take up smaller space on the PCB.

http://www.futurlec.com/ConnHead.shtml

easily snappable to different sizes. What you want are probably "Male Headers, 6-pin" and snap to two, and then "Header Connector, 3-pin" with the corresponding crimps.

These should be widely available everywhere else as well.

[edit]

These don't lock unfortunately, but they make very tight and strong contact so it should not be a problem.

Maybe look for a shrouded connector.
Like a molex c-grid sl--
http://www.mouser.com/Catalog/catalogusd/642/1500.Pdf
Or a molex c-grid III--
http://www.mouser.com/catalog/catalogUSD/642/1503.pdf

I didn't check the measurements but they seem a bit slimmer.

The Molex line I was thinking of is the "SL" which looks like the one referenced above but on a different catalog page.

http://www.mouser.com/catalog/629/1174.pdf

Which I have the crimp tool for. The nonlocking will stack to 2.54mm, and I think the locking type with housing will stack to 5mm as you need. Type "A" on the linked Mouser catalog page. For tight stacking you'll need the crimp style wiremount sockets rather than the C-grid IDC type.

Cheers,

Michael

Maybe I'm being thick, but I can't seem to find 'thickness' dimensions on the Molex cat pages. It gives 'length' and dimension of the locating lug, but not the thinnest external dimension.

Kingston - those are exactly the connectors I've tried. I use them for PCBs all the time. However, I make sure the PCB is screwed down, as I don't think they're very secure. A hard knock and the item will fall out. I doubt even 2-core Mogami will survive the courier system in that connector, to be honest.

Thanks to all of you.

J

When I get back to my shop tonight I'll try to measure one of the Molex if I can find one. I couldn't find a fully dimensioned drawing either...