3.96mm Pitch Connectors

3.96mm (0.156”) Pitch Connectors

Scondar’s Line of High-Grade Power Connectors

What is a 3.96mm Pitch Connector

Scondar offers a vast selection of 3.96mm (0.156”) power connectors that can be modified or customize to meet virtually any application requirement. Scondar manufactures top-of-the-line connectors likened to branded connectors such as Molex and JST. These connectors are used for achieving reliable power delivery and power distribution with 5A-7A of current delivered at 250V.

Molex KK396 Connector

KK396 connectors are ideal for low to mid-power wire-to-board and board-to-board applications, delivering up to 5A of current at 250V AC/DC rating for AWG 18-24, with up to 2-15 positions. Industries such as automotive, medical and consumer are greatly benefited by this connector. Extravagant features include dual-cantilever terminals offering an enhanced, rectangular-shaped area of contact that usually interferes with the male pin, whereas its anti-fishing feature (as an option) protects the wire during cable assembly.

Receptacles are available in right-angle, top-entry or board through-configurations and its housings, which are UL 94V-2, are completely polarized. The KK396 is available in single-row and unshrouded through-hole PCB termination styles, where a friction lock is incorporated for secure mating. Headers are equipped with high- temperature nylon allowing 260ºC wave and reflow solder processing. It also has a kinked PC tail that ensures safe and secure PCB contact during soldering.

JST VH Connector

The JST VH series connectors are designed for wire-to-board cable applications with high-density contact spacing SMT and a friction lock housing enabling secure connections. It has a large current carrying capacity up to 7A at 250V for AWG 18-22, and can be used as a signal, power and output circuit applications in multiple positions from 2-12.

JST VH is compact and has a stable contact and mounting, having a secure locking header with top entry height of 16.5 mm and width of 10.5mm. Side entry type is also available with a width of 20.5 mm and height of 10.5.

Molex SPOX Connector

Scondar’s Molex SPOX of wire-to-board and wire-to-wire connectors is a reliable, compact and durable connector for power delivery and power distribution requiring a huge amount of flexibility.“SPOX” is a name which originates from the shape of its terminal that is like a spring box, which provides multiple points of contact and protects the mating interface area, preventing fish-hooking and wire mishaps.

The 3.96mm pitch SPOX is available in 2-12 positions, dissipating 5A for AWG #18 – #24 and has a box-style terminal, polarized design, friction locks, kinked tail options and crimp and IDT housings, meeting a variety of design needs.

Components of 3.96 mm Connectors

Housing

The connector housing provides electrical insulation between the contacts and between the contact and the external circuit. Dielectric Withstand Voltage (DWV) usually verifies the voltage rating of the connector.

A well-designed housing holds the connector contacts providing trouble-free mating and unmating. Spacing between the contacts is also fixed by the housing. Creep (electrical tracking distance over surfaces) and clearance (linear “line‐of‐sight” distance) is also maintained by the housing.

The housing is smartly engineered to allow efficient signal and power transmissions and at the same time, provide some level of environmental protection to the electrical contacts.

Scondar manufactures the housing from Nylon 66, which is a material highly used when high mechanical strength, rigidity, stability is needed under varying temperature changes. That is why all Scondar connectors can withstand a wide temperature range from between -35 deg C to 85 deg C.

Furthermore, the housing is molded in UL94V0 natural ivory and is RoHS compliant, which has passed the flammability test for electronics and as such, the connectors produced by Scondar are ideal in rugged electronic devices, sustaining high environmental stresses. Also, the housing may be available with or without protrusions, depending on customer needs and specifications.

Header

The header contact is made up of copper alloy, tin plated over a phosphor bronze material.

Terminal

Scondar’s connector terminals are made of tin-plated, phosphor bronze.

Tin-Plating

Tin-plating is less costly and generally for applications carrying more than 0.5A, where high cycling is specified.

Phosphor bronze

Phosphor bronze is stronger than brass and has better spring properties that lends itself useful in smaller contacts that can best leverage its mechanical properties. This material is commonly found in small and medium‐pitch signal and moderate‐power connectors.

Wiring Harness/Cable Assembly

In many cases, a wire harness or cable assembly is needed to compress masses of wires stretching over a distance. By binding these wires into cable assemblies, these cables can be better secured against the adverse effects of vibrations, abrasions, and moisture.

Scondar’s wires are produced into a non-flexing bundle, for space optimization and safety purposes, where installation time can be decreased and the process of installing electronic circuits in standardized. Their positive locking latch provides only a slight increase in disengagement force of the terminals.

Blind-mating solutions implemented in the connectors allow engagement of the connector system without visual alignment. Scondar connector series has a heavy-duty, shrouded design providing positive polarization to aid in blind mating applications. Scondar meets close adherence to the connector system specifications for blind-mating solutions for a more efficient connecting system and interference capability.

Wire Gauge

For 3.96 mm connectors, wire gauges that can be accommodated with the rated current and voltage is between AWG #18-24. The following table represents the specs of these wire gauges