Editing Electrical connector (section)

==Methods of connection==
{{multiple image
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|image1=Amphenol 16pin male front.jpg
|caption1=Male [[MIL-DTL-5015]] plug
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|caption2=Female [[VGA connector]]
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|caption3=Male [[serial port]] connector
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|caption4=Mating surfaces of a [[hermaphroditic connector]]
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Whilst technically inaccurate, electrical connectors can be viewed as a type of adapter to convert between two connection methods, which are permanently connected at one end and (usually) detachable at the other end.<ref name="zvei" />{{rp|40}} By definition, each end of this "adapter" has a different connection method{{snd}}e.g. the solder tabs on a male [[phone connector (audio)|phone connector]], and the male phone connector itself.<ref name="elliott" /> In this example, the solder tabs connected to the cable represent the permanent connection, whilst the male connector portion interfaces with a female socket forming a detachable connection.

There are many ways of applying a connector to a cable or device. Some of these methods can be accomplished without specialized tools. Other methods, while requiring a special tool, can assemble connectors much faster and more reliably, and make repairs easier.

The number of times a connector can connect and disconnect with its counterpart while meeting all its specifications is termed as ''mating cycles'' and is an indirect measure of connector lifespan.  The material used for connector contact, plating type and thickness is a major factor that determines the mating cycles.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Learn More about Connector Mating Cycles|url=https://www.amphenol-icc.com/connect/learn-more-about-connector-mating-cycles.html|access-date=2021-08-23|website=www.amphenol-icc.com}}</ref>

==={{Anchor|plug|socket}}Plug and socket connectors===
{{see also|Gender of connectors and fasteners|Pinout}}
Plug and socket connectors are usually made up of a male '''plug''' (typically pin contacts) and a female '''socket''' (typically receptacle contacts). Often, but not always, sockets are permanently fixed to a device as in a chassis connector {{See above}}, and plugs are attached to a cable. 

Plugs generally have one or more pins or prongs that are inserted into openings in the mating socket. The connection between the mating metal parts must be sufficiently tight to make a good electrical connection and complete the circuit. An alternative type of plug and socket connection uses [[#Hyperboloid contacts|hyperboloid contacts]], which makes a more reliable electrical connection. When working with multi-pin connectors, it is helpful to have a [[pinout]] diagram to identify the wire or circuit node connected to each pin.

Some connector styles may combine pin and socket connection types in a single unit, referred to as a [[hermaphroditic connector]].<ref name="taoe">{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LAiWPwAACAAJ |title=The Art of Electronics |edition=2nd |last1=Horowitz |first1=Paul |last2=Hill |first2=Winfield |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1989 |isbn=0-521-37095-7}}</ref>{{rp|56}} These connectors includes mating with both male and female aspects, involving complementary paired identical parts each containing both protrusions and indentations. These mating surfaces are mounted into identical fittings that freely mate with any other, without regard for gender (provided that the size and type match).

Sometimes both ends of a cable are terminated with the same gender of connector, as in many [[Ethernet]] patch cables. In other applications the two ends are terminated differently, either with male and female of the same connector (as in an [[extension cord]]), or with incompatible connectors, which is sometimes called an ''[[Adapter (computing)|adapter]] cable''.

Plugs and sockets are widely used in various connector systems including blade connectors, [[breadboard]]s, [[XLR connector]]s, [[Automobile auxiliary power outlet|car power outlets]], [[banana connector]]s, and [[phone connector (audio)|phone connectors]].

===={{Anchor|jack}}Jacks and plugs====
[[File:Jackplug.jpg|thumb|left|upright=0.55|Male [[phone connector (audio)|phone plug]]]]
A '''jack''' is a connector that installs on the surface of a bulkhead or enclosure, and mates with its reciprocal, the '''plug'''.<ref name="jack-plug">{{cite web |url=https://www.cosjwt.com/jack-plug-male-female-connectors/ |title=Jack/Plug – Jack, Plug, Male, Female Connectors |website=An Engineer's Review |date=15 July 2009 |access-date=1 July 2019 |last1=Huggins |first1=John S.}}</ref> According to the [[ASME|American Society of Mechanical Engineers]],<ref name="asme-ref">{{cite book | title = Reference Designations for Electrical and Electronics Parts and Equipment: ASME Y14.44-2008 : Section 2.1.5.3 (2) | publisher = ASME, Fairfield, NJ | year = 2008 | url = http://catalog.asme.org/Codes/PrintBook/Y1444_Reference_Designations.cfm | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100313114131/http://catalog.asme.org/Codes/PrintBook/Y1444_Reference_Designations.cfm | archive-date = 2010-03-13 | quote = the stationary (more fixed) connector of a mating pair shall be designated J or X ... The movable (less fixed) connector of a mating pair shall be designated P | access-date = 2012-02-03 }}</ref> the stationary (more fixed) connector of a pair is classified as a ''jack'' (denoted J), usually attached to a piece of equipment as in a chassis-mount or panel-mount connector. The movable (less fixed) connector is classified as a ''plug'' (denoted P),<ref name="asme-ref" /> designed to attach to a wire, cable or removable electrical assembly.<ref name="IEEE and ANSI, New York, NY">{{cite book | title = Graphic Symbols for Electrical and Electronics Diagrams (Including Reference Designation Letters): IEEE-315-1975 (Reaffirmed 1993): Section 22 | publisher = IEEE and ANSI, New York, NY | year = 1993 | url = https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=ieee-315-1975}}</ref> This convention is currently defined in ASME Y14.44-2008, which supersedes [[IEEE 200-1975]], which in turn derives from the long-withdrawn MIL-STD-16 (from the 1950s), highlighting the heritage of this connector naming convention.<ref name="jack-plug" /> IEEE 315-1975 works alongside ASME Y14.44-2008 to define jacks and plugs.

The term ''jack'' occurs in several related terms:
* The '''[[registered jack]]''' or '''[[modular connector|modular jack]]''' in RJ11, RJ45 and other similar connectors used for [[telecommunications]] and [[computer network]]ing
* The '''telephone jack''' of manual [[telephone switchboard]]s, which is the socket fitting the original {{convert|1/4|in|mm|2}} [[telephone plug]]
* The {{convert|1/4|in|mm|2}} '''[[Phone connector (audio)|phone jack]]''' common to many electronic applications in various configurations, sometimes referred to as a ''headphone jack''
* The '''[[RCA connector|RCA jack]]''', also known as a ''phono jack'', common to consumer audiovisual electronics
* The '''[[EIAJ connector|EIAJ jack]]''' for consumer appliances requiring a power supply of less than 18.0&nbsp;volts

===Crimp-on connectors===
[[File:Crimping tool 04.jpg|thumb|A wire and connector being crimped together with a crimping tool]]
{{main|Crimp (electrical)}}
'''Crimped connectors''' are a type of solderless connection, using mechanical friction and uniform deformation to secure a connector to a pre-stripped wire (usually stranded).<ref name="ieee" /> Crimping is used in [[line splice|splice]] connectors, crimped multipin plugs and sockets, and crimped coaxial connectors. Crimping usually requires a specialised crimping tool, but the connectors are quick and easy to install and are a common alternative to solder connections or insulation displacement connectors. Effective crimp connections deform the metal of the connector past its [[Yield (engineering)|yield point]] so that the compressed wire causes [[tension (physics)|tension]] in the surrounding connector, and these forces counter each other to create a high degree of [[static friction]]. Due to the elastic element in crimped connections, they are highly resistant to [[vibration]] and [[thermal shock]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rfcoaxconnectors.com/technical-crimp-vs-solder.php |title=Crimp vs Solder: Pros and Cons |date=1 December 2004 |access-date=1 July 2019 |website=RF Connectors |archive-date=1 July 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190701075755/http://www.rfcoaxconnectors.com/technical-crimp-vs-solder.php |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Crimped contacts are permanent (i.e. the connectors and wire ends cannot be reused).<ref name="crimp-vs-solder">{{cite book |section-url=http://www.avielelectronics.com/Downloads/Catalog/Ref-Crimp-vs-Solder.pdf |title=Aviel Electronics Catalog |date=2013 |section=Crimp vs. Solder |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref>

[[Crimp (electrical)|Crimped]] plug-and-socket connectors can be classified as ''rear release'' or ''front release''. This relates to the side of the connector where the pins are anchored:<ref name="nykcs-circular" />
* '''Front release contacts''' are released from the front (contact side) of the connector, and removed from the rear. The removal tool engages with the front portion of the contact and pushes it through to the back of the connector.
* '''Rear release contacts''' are released and removed from the rear (wire side) of the connector. The removal tool releases the contacts from the rear and pulls the contact out of the retainer.

===Soldered connectors===
{{see also|Soldering}}
Many plug and socket connectors are attached to a wire or cable by '''soldering''' conductors to electrodes on the back of the connector. Soldered joints in connectors are robust and reliable if executed correctly, but are usually slower to make than crimped connections.<ref name="ieee" /> When wires are to be soldered to the back of a connector, a [[#Backshell|backshell]] is often used to protect the connection and add strain relief. Metal ''solder buckets'' or ''solder cups'' are provided, which consist of a cylindrical cavity that an installer fills with solder before inserting the wire.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rs-online.com/designspark/field-installable-the-secret-to-mastering-connectors |title=Field Installable: The secret to mastering connectors |website=Design Spark |publisher=RS Components |date=16 March 2017 |access-date=1 July 2019 |at=Solder connectors}}</ref>

When creating soldered connections, it is possible to melt the [[dielectric]] between pins or wires. This can cause problems because the thermal conductivity of metals causes heat to quickly distribute through the cable and connector, and when this heat melts plastic dielectric, it can cause [[short circuit]]s or "flared" (conical) insulation.<ref name="crimp-vs-solder" /> Solder joints are also more prone to mechanical failure than crimped joints when subjected to vibration and compression.<ref name="hpacademy">{{cite web |url=https://www.hpacademy.com/technical-articles/solder-vs-crimping/ |last1=Simon |first1=Andre |website=High Performance Academy |title=Solder Vs Crimping |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref>

===Insulation-displacement connectors===
{{main|IDC (electrical connector)}}
Since stripping insulation from wires is time-consuming, many connectors intended for rapid assembly use '''insulation-displacement connectors''' which cut the insulation as the wire is inserted.<ref name="ieee" /> These generally take the form of a fork-shaped opening in the terminal, into which the insulated wire is pressed, which cut through the insulation to contact the conductor. To make these connections reliably on a production line, special tools accurately control the forces applied during assembly. On small scales, these tools tend to cost more than tools for crimped connections.

Insulation displacement connectors are usually used with small conductors for signal purposes and at low voltage. Power conductors carrying more than a few amperes are more reliably terminated with other means, though "hot tap" press-on connectors find some use in automotive applications for additions to existing wiring.

A common example is the multi-conductor flat ribbon cable used in computer disk drives; to terminate each of the many (approximately 40) wires individually would be slow and error-prone, but an insulation displacement connector can terminate all the wires in a single action. Another very common use is so-called [[punch-down block]]s used for terminating [[unshielded twisted pair]] wiring.

[[File:Bi-amp capable.jpg|thumb|upright=0.7|right|[[Binding post]]s on a [[Bi-amping and tri-amping|bi-amplified]] loudspeaker]]

===Binding posts===
{{main|Binding post}}
Binding posts are a single-wire connection method, where stripped wire is screwed or clamped to a metal electrode. Such connectors are frequently used in [[electronic test equipment]] and audio. Many binding posts also accept a [[banana connector|banana plug]].

===Screw terminals===
{{Main|Screw terminal block}}
Screw connections are frequently used for semi-permanent wiring and connections inside devices, due to their simple but reliable construction. The basic principle of all screw terminals involves the tip of a bolt clamping onto a stripped conductor. They can be used to join multiple conductors,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://updates.clipsal.com/ClipsalOnline/Files/Brochures/W0001868.pdf |title=Datasheet 563: Cable Connector |publisher=Clipsal |access-date=1 July 2019}}</ref> to connect wires to a [[printed circuit board]], or to terminate a cable into a plug or socket.<ref name="zvei" />{{rp|50}} The clamping screw may act in the longitudinal axis (parallel to the wire) or the transverse axis (perpendicular to the wire), or both. Some disadvantages are that connecting wires is more difficult than simply plugging in a cable, and screw terminals are generally not very well protected from contact with persons or foreign conducting materials.

[[Image:Terminal Blocks 01CJC.png|thumb|left|upright=0.9|Terminal blocks of various types]]
'''Terminal blocks''' (also called terminal ''boards'' or ''strips'') provide a convenient means of connecting [[individual]] electrical wires without a splice or physically joining the ends. Since terminal blocks are readily available for a wide range of wire sizes and terminal quantity, they are one of the most flexible types of electrical connector available. One type of terminal block accepts wires that are prepared only by stripping a short length of [[Electrical insulation|insulation]] from the end. Another type, often called ''barrier strips'', accepts wires that have ring or spade terminal ''lugs'' crimped onto the wires.

[[Printed circuit board]] (PCB) mounted '''screw terminals''' let individual wires connect to a PCB through leads soldered to the board.

===Ring and spade connectors===
[[Image:Ring wire end connector.jpg|thumb|upright=0.8|Ring style wire-end crimp connectors]]
The connectors in the top row of the image are known as '''ring terminals''' and '''spade terminals''' (sometimes called fork or split ring terminals). Electrical contact is made by the flat surface of the ring or spade, while mechanically they are attached by passing a screw or bolt through them. The spade terminal form factor facilitates connections since the screw or bolt can be left partially screwed in as the spade terminal is removed or attached. Their sizes can be determined by the [[American wire gauge|gauge]] of the conducting wire, and the interior and exterior diameters.

In the case of insulated crimp connectors, the crimped area lies under an insulating sleeve through which the pressing force acts. During crimping, the extended end of this insulating sleeve is simultaneously pressed around the insulated area of the cable, creating strain relief. The insulating sleeve of insulated connectors has a color that indicates the wire's [[IEC 60228|cross-section area]]. Colors are standardized according to DIN 46245:

* Red for cross-section areas from 0.5 to 1 mm²
* Blue for cross-section areas from 1.5 to 2.5 mm²
* Yellow for cross-section areas over 4 to 6 mm²

===Blade connectors===
{{see also|FASTON terminal}}
[[Image:Kabelschuh verschiedene commons.jpg|thumb|Blade connectors (lower half of photo). Ring and spade terminals (upper half). Bullet terminals, male and female (right-center, with blue wires)]]
A '''blade connector''' is a type of single wire, plug-and-socket connection device using a flat conductive blade (plug) that is inserted into a receptacle. Wires are typically attached to male or female blade connector terminals by either [[Crimp (electrical)|crimping]] or [[soldering]]. Insulated and uninsulated varieties are available. In some cases the blade is an integral manufactured part of a component (such as a switch or a speaker unit), and the reciprocal connector terminal is pushed onto the device's connector terminal.

===Other connection methods===
* [[Crocodile clip|Alligator and Crocodile clips]] – conductive clamps used for temporary connections, e.g. [[jumper cable]]s
* [[Board to board connector]]s – e.g. [[card-edge connector]]s or [[FPGA Mezzanine Card|FPGA mezzanine connectors]]
* [[Twist-on wire connector]]s (e.g. wire nuts) – used in [[low-voltage network|low-voltage]] power circuits for wires up to about 10&nbsp;AWG
* [[Wire wrap]]ping – used in older circuit boards