510X Connectors - a word of warning

[ruffrecords]

I bought a few 18way 510X connectors from RS (Cinch) in the UK. Then I bought 50 cheap ones from China via Ebay.

Today I got a 510X prototype PCB from Audio Maintenance. Plugging this PCB into the RS connector there is gentle but firm resistance and the same when extracting it.

I then tried plugging the PCB into a Chinese connector. It was much much stiffer. I had to push really hard to get it fully inserted and it was just as hard to withdraw. I tried several of them and they were all the same. Then I tried some more of the RS ones and they were nice and firm but relatively easy.

The Chinese ones look very much like the RS ones. The Chinese ones are blue and the RS ones are black but if it weren't for that I would find it hard to tell them apart.

So, the moral of this story is, buy your 510X connectors from reputable suppliers and not from Ebay.

Cheers

Ian

 

[gemini86]

So, the moral of this story is, buy your 510X connectors from reputable suppliers and not from Ebay.

yeah, Like Jeff...

 

[Tekay]

This happened to me when I bought cheap 4 pin XLR for our PSU cables, they didn't fit together with Neutrik at all. Pins where to big

 

[sodderboy]

What is causing the stiffness?  Is it as simple as the slot being a bit too short, or is it that the contacts are too stiff?

I had a batch of chinese mini 3.5mm TRS that did not work in Apple products, and found that they were actually 3.3mm.
Mike

 

[Crusty2]

There are different contact types. Cantilever contacts are common, as are bellows-shaped contacts.
The cantilever contact flairs out and ends at the top of the connector housing. The bellows type wraps back around itself to form sort of a spring.
The bellows type usually have a stiffer feel, but also have a longer contact area between the board and the connector.

 

[gemini86]

Aren't these connectors also made for different board thicknesses?

 

[ruffrecords]

What is causing the stiffness?  Is it as simple as the slot being a bit too short, or is it that the contacts are too stiff?
Mike

I think it is the contacts that are stiff. There seems to be the same amount of play between the board and the slot as in the RS part so I don't suspect the slot being too short.

Cheers

Ian

 

[ruffrecords]

Aren't these connectors also made for different board thicknesses?

I don't know. The Cinch ones are definitely for 1.6mm thick PCBs.

Cheers

Ian