Terminal Blocks

[Hippogriff]

Some things baffle me in electronics... like how there is seemingly no readily available DC power connector that slots into holes in veroboard (leaving you to spend ages cutting away at the holes so the paddles will fit in), like how it seemed right-angled turned-pin headers were impossible to find (got 'em eventually)... and loads of others, but I really digress...

...the current scratching of the head has been caused by the size of PCB terminal blocks, these kinds of things...

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...and why their pitch always seems to be 2 holes wide on veroboard, as opposed to 1 hole wide. If it was 1 hole wide I could connect the outputs of my ULN2803AN transitor arrays directly into their track on veroboard, as it is, I now end up playing around with different pieces of wire connecting them up.

Of course, I accept I might well be missing something... does anyone know if such a thing exists (I've done some rudimentary, well - about 10 minutes or so) searching and drawn a blank so far.

Or any solution that allows me to put wires into sockets on my veroboard circuit (so I can remove them later as I wish) where the receptacle is a thing where the pitch is 1 hole apart?

 

[ronsimpson]

These parts come in 0.2" , 0.256, 0.3, .197, 0.375, 0.4, 0.591, 0.375, 0.591, 0.1"

2.54mm Micro with Screw Connector Phoenix connector MPT 0.5/10-2.54 OR Digikey number 277-1281-nd
I also have some lever action parts with 0.1" spacing.

 

[Hippogriff]

Nice spot! A 10-way is also exactly what I need, believe it or not... they're expensive though... ~£4 from Mouser where I can see them now that I know the manufacturer and their part #... Phoenix 1725737. Many thanks. Now to see if I can get them for a more reasonable price.

Sometimes, I swear, I'd never know how to find these things if it wasn't for the forum.

P.S. - RS Online seem to be £2 for a pack of 5. Still looking...

 

[Mickster]

TBH, one of the major problems encountered when searching for components is using the correct terms.

As a non EE, I rely solely upon the input of those on this and other forums, along with Google, to correctly label things I would otherwise call a thingy, doings, jobbit, and other equally useless names.

Gotta be thankful for the ole interwebs...

 

[jimmythefool]

Rapid Electronics have some budget priced 5.08mm terminal connectors. I can't remember if you have to spend £30 or £35 to avoid the P+P though

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[misterT]

TBH, one of the major problems encountered when searching for components is using the correct terms.

Yes, that is a major problem. Especially for people like me who don't speak English natively. I remember trying to find those small switches once. Couldn't find any until I found the right term "tactile switch". It is also impossible to find the right term.. I mean how could you use google to find a correct technical term for something, it's impossible. You only learn by doing..

 

[joegib]

Hi,

My weapon of choice for connecting offboard devices to PCBs or veroboard is 1/10" header pins plus crimp housings and crimp sockets. Crimp housings/sockets form the 'plugs' on flyleads connecting start and reset buttons to motherboard pin headers. If you're junking PC boxes (or finding PC box roadkill put out for the binmen) it's worth harvesting these connecting leads together any other goodies. They can also be bought and put together reasonably cheaply — Bitsbox.co.uk have them here under the 'Headers' heading:

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Sticking to the 1/10" theme, single-row sockets can be combined with standard pin headers to form rigid multipin connections between boards/devices. I've recently finished making an electronic controller for a stepper motor that involved hooking a display module requiring a 16-pin connector to the main PCB. This was achieved by soldering (a) a 16-pin single-row socket on the back of the module, and (b) a 16-pin header to the main PCB with its pins projecting through to the underside. So, the 2 elements can be plugged together back-to-back and solidly secured by 4 hex standoffs as shown in the picture (the module is the lower device):

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Of course, header connectors like this may not be suitable for high current connections.

Joe