solved: like "RJ45" but with 14-16 wires, I need both connector and cable - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 04:32:19 pm
content: for a weird project I'd like to have a RJ45-like connector and cable but with more than the usual 8 wires used since I need 14-16 wires.does anything similar exist? If so, what the commercial name, and where to buy it?

author: nnills
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 05:25:33 pm
content: The RJ45 is most often a 8P8C. You could search for 14P14C, but I never heard or saw anything like it.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 05:27:28 pm
content: They don't go above 10 pins AFAIK.

author: ocw
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 05:56:35 pm
content: There is a lot of 15 conductor wire around. Add 15 pin Cinch-Jones connectors and you have exactly what you need!Seriously, I would go with two CAT5/6 cables and live with having two cables instead of one. There are all sorts of advantages in doing that.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 06:39:54 pm
content: D25?

author: ocw
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 06:55:38 pm
content: There are a lot of premade HD15 cables around...

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 07:03:57 pm
content: Quote from: DiTBho on February 16, 2021, 04:32:19 pmIf product have to be cheap, I look around consumer stuff. Thus HDMI. Otherwise check industrial connectors and pick one that suit your needs. Hint: most component distributors have search engines with connector pin count as search filter option.

author: Mr.B
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 07:09:41 pm
content: If you could explain your *weird project* a bit more the community here is bound to be able to make connector and cable recommendations based on our massive combined experience.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 07:30:32 pm
content: Quote from: ocw on February 16, 2021, 05:56:35 pmThanks! This one looks solid. I will consider it.Quote from: ocw on February 16, 2021, 05:56:35 pmGreat idea! Thanks!I thought something similar, but I was afraid about electrical damage in case the two cable got accidentally erroneously swapped.Then I reorganized signals between them in a way it makes each connector "idiot-proof", and a further help will be a label near the each connector with a number. Plug cable "1" to connector "1", and "2" to "2".It can be done, and it won't cause any electrical damage.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 07:32:32 pm
content: If you use 2 cables, you can also use connectors with different pin count. Say 8+6 or 10+6.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 08:38:45 pm
content: There are also modular jacks which have the tabs offset, so they're hard (though probably not impossible) to plug into the wrong socket.

author: ogden
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 16, 2021, 10:55:24 pm
content: What kind of signals do you want to transmit through those 14-16 wires? Please be specific. Any info about single-ended vs differential signalling, bitrate and/or analog bandwidth will help yourcausecase.

author: aargee
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 05:30:55 am
content: I have a recollection that Nokia used to use an RJ45 type plug with a lot more conductors in their car kits, maybe 20 years ago?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 10:14:52 am
content: The last time I looked at a multipin connector, I needed something with a reasonably small form factor. HDMI looked promising - but HDMI cables with every pin connected are like hen's teeth.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 10:15:42 am
content: Quote from: wraper on February 16, 2021, 05:27:28 pmThis was my finding, also.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 11:53:02 am
content: Quote from: ogden on February 16, 2021, 10:55:24 pmpower sources { +12V/2mA, +48V/50mA }single-ended 1Kbps synchronous half-duplex { data_out/in, clock } in range { 0V .. +5V }single-ended 10Kbps asynchronous full-duplex RS232 { TX, RX } in range { -12V .. +12V }The cable's max length is 3m.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 12:10:12 pm
content: Quote from: aargee on February 17, 2021, 05:30:55 amIn a fair in Germany, I have recently seen an industrial machine with a RJ45 type plug but wider, not bigger, simply wider, and with 14 wires. I don't know anything about that machine, except the connector is attached to a couple of LIDAR used to guaranty the safety of the operator since the machine has several rotating rollers able to smash human's bones, so the machine needs to check if something is near the rollers, stop them, and move a protecting cage over them.Now, there are several companies involved in the construction of that machine. A company makes the motors (4K watt). A company makes the motor controller. A company makes the rotating rollers, a company covers them with cork, a company makes the PLC control unit, a company programs it, a company designs and assemble everything, and a company makes the LIDAR protecting system, which seems to have a custom RJ45-like plug and connector.Too many companies behind the final industrial machine. Which is basically a machine that unrolls a reel of material and cuts it into slices, and just to give an example of practical applications, as far as I understood, paper money are printed on a reel, unrolled and cut by a machine like that.So, probably it's a machine that costs thousands of euros, and I won't surprised if it had custom-made connectors ...Anyway, I don't have to design a similar mechanism, but I like this idea for a completely different personal project. I like the "RJ45 8p8c connector" because it's compact, easy to plug-in and plug-out

author: wizard69
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 03:00:46 pm
content: This is where google fu and catalog searches will save your day. some other ideas:DB connectors. Avoid screw retention and go with a clip retainer.DB15 video monitor cables. This was once popular with barcode readers as you could easily get 15 conductor cables in various lengths. However you have to be careful as many of the cheap cables really skimped on copper.Honda connectors. I'm not sure if there is a proper name for these but they are very common on CNC systems. Sort of like a DB connector.Circular plastic connectors.Fire up google and search for Wire to Board connectors. There are literally dozens of options.TE Mate-N-Lok connectors.That is a short list! Not knowing why RJ45 appeals to you, I have no idea which way to go here. A good number of the wire to board solutions are close to RJ with respect to how they are used. If higher voltages are used or frequent handling is expected, RJ is the wrong solution in my estimation.

author: Haenk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 03:35:01 pm
content: SFF-8643 for example? Those are not RJ-45-cheap, but are easy to source and a lot of different components are available.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 04:11:25 pm
content: Quote from: Haenk on February 17, 2021, 03:35:01 pmI have a couple of them for a multi lane SATA projects. 4 SATA channels in a single cable.Let me say, the cable cost 80 euro, and the adapter, SFF-8643 to 4xSATA costs 60 euro, which is too expensive, so hard to be justified since I don't need such a large bandwidth; like I wrote above, 10Kbps is the max bitrate I need for this new project.

author: DiTBho
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 17, 2021, 04:12:40 pm
content: So, I will use two RJ45 8p8c. Cheap, simple.