Force plug a 16 AWG solid copper wire directly into a connector on a PCB - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: SharpEars
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 07:41:33 pm
content: I would like to be able to plug a wire lead into a PCB in a way similar to solderless breadboards. I want to purchase a 16 AWG socket connector and just force fit the wire into it (like is done with Arudino shields), not use a screw terminal.I am thinking of using something like this on the PCB side to plug the wire into:http://www.mill-max.com/assets/pdfs/189.pdf(Item #9324 on the far right of this spec-sheet)Does this sound reasonable and will it provide a secure low resistance connection or must I use some sort of a pin, instead of using a 16 AWG solid wire end directly (which is quite firm)?For the metric inclined, 16 AWG is 1.3087 mm2, 1.2908 mm in diameter.

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 07:45:52 pm
content: Do yourself a favour and use a suitable connector. That does not imply a screw..

author: SharpEars
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 07:46:37 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on October 26, 2015, 07:45:52 pmSo, you're saying use a pin instead of the wire end directly? And if so, why?

author: Monkeh
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 07:47:16 pm
content: Quote from: SharpEars on October 26, 2015, 07:46:37 pmI'm saying use a proper terminal block, not a part designed to fit specific, and straight, pins.

author: SharpEars
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 07:50:10 pm
content: Quote from: Monkeh on October 26, 2015, 07:47:16 pmBut a block dictates distance between pins and their geometry. These will be scattered at arbitrary points on the PCB. I don't want to add additional wiring to get from these points to the block. So, the requirement is not to use something that inhibits my choice of geometry/pin spread (i.e., individual single pin sockets). In other words, I want the ability to enable/disable point-to-point wiring from various sockets on the PCB by using 16 AWG solid cables, similar to how circuits are build on a breadboard, but with a non-uniform, arbitrary, placement of these single-pin sockets on the PCB.Here is an example of a similar idea, but with turrets rather than sockets:

author: janoc
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 08:22:34 pm
content: I believe that system you are after is called banana plug + socket. 2mm plugs could be a workable solution.There are sockets available meant to go in a board directly, e.g. this one:http://www.rapidonline.com/cables-connectors/2mm-pcb-mounting-socket-17-2878However, if you want to use a wire directly (not use plugs), then you will likely want a bit thicker than awg16. I would still rather build jumper wires with plugs instead, the connections will be much more robust than using loose wires.

author: SharpEars
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 09:05:21 pm
content: Quote from: janoc on October 26, 2015, 08:22:34 pmThe problem is that banana plugs come in either 2mm or 4mm. I am using 16 AWG cable to minimize the resistance of the connections, which means I have to use 4mm banana plugs and that means huge 4mm banana jacks which occupy a lot of space on the PCB. I was hoping to avoid this by placing the minimal sockets necessary to accommodate 16 AWG cable ends.If I solder a pin on each end of the 16 AWG wire connectors, there will be almost no strain relief between the wire tips and the pins except for the solder holding them together. I will have to pull by the wire to get a pin out (what else is there?) of its socket when I change connections. This will stress the solder joint between the wire and the pin. That is why I am considering using wires without pins - less work, less expense and no worries of strain on solder joints at the wire end because there won't be one. The question is: How well will the wire end sit in the socket (i.e., how firmly and with what impact on the resistance of the wire/socket joint).

author: Ian.M
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 26, 2015, 10:11:05 pm
content: Banana plugs have the spring that provides the contact force in the plug, not in the socket. The connection will be extremely unreliable if used with a plain pin or solid wire end.

author: mzzj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 08:47:21 am
content: Quote from: SharpEars on October 26, 2015, 07:50:10 pmDear mother of God. Why?

author: rjeberhardt
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 10:21:41 am
content: Bare copper wire will corrode with time and the connection will deteriorate. Use a proper connector!Russell.

author: SharpEars
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 01:27:04 pm
content: Quote from: rjeberhardt on October 27, 2015, 10:21:41 amWho's using bare copper wire? All of the wire I have, stranded or solid, 24 gauge to 8 gauge is always tinned.

author: SharpEars
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 01:28:57 pm
content: Quote from: mzzj on October 27, 2015, 08:47:21 amI don't know why. This was an example of the sort of connectors I am talking about (except with plug-in capability). This isnot my project, just a pic I found on the internet.

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 01:40:06 pm
content: Maybe these:http://www.mouser.com/search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=0virtualkey0virtualkey691414720003Bup to 15 A current and 14 ga. wire.

author: Evil Lurker
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 04:33:41 pm
content: Cut the 4 pin molex connectors off a junk ATX power supply. Use a small piece of spring steel (like the kind used on some motherboards to hold the northbridge heatsink on) and make yourself a pin extraction tool. Push in the housing retention tabs and pull the pins out of their housings. Cut off the wires and use a rotary tool to remove the crimp connection leaving nothing but the cylinder behind with each end squared. Gently squeeze them down to the proper size and bend the housing retention tabs in as far as they will go. Solder the cylinders onto PCB pads ala SMD style. Grab a bottle of Windex, yank out the straw and slip it over the cylinder to minimize expansion and to provide electrical isolation. Presto, free ghetto wire connectors. On a side note, they work decently as breadboard DMM probe holders as well by soldering square "Dupont" style pins on them.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 27, 2015, 06:48:09 pm
content: I think I see what you are trying to do, connections to arbitrary points on a PCB without using terminal blocks. This MAY work but please bear the following in mind:1) You must use solid wire, tinned stranded wire will be very unreliable because you cannot guarantee the wire thickness.2) The connections cannot carry much current, maybe 200mA at the most.3) The connections may not be reliable, they could become noisy over time and what happens if a wire pulls out then goes wandering over your PCB?4) Solid wire (see point (1) is not recommended for wiring harnesses because after repeated flexing it easily breaks.