Pin Selection Features for TE Connectivity (TYCO) Connectors

The international company TE Connectivity, which until 2011 had the name TYCO Electronics, has been present on the market of electronic components for more than 50 years. Currently, the company is the undisputed leader in the production and development of systems for switching and connecting equipment.

However, despite such a long time in the use of connectors manufactured by TE Connectivity, many users still have questions about the connectors of this brand. And the main issue, as a rule, is the issue of completing the connectors with contacts. Contacts are supplied separately from connectors. And the point here is not at all to confuse the consumer, or to earn "surplus profit" by releasing a rather extensive list of contacts applicable to this connector. The main problem with the selection of contacts is due to the fact that TE Connectivity uses a hard-to-understand naming system for their products. By the name of the connector, it is not possible to understand which contacts are intended for it. Let's try to deal with all this in order using the popular Superseal 1.5 series connectors as an example. And to do here without the help of reference materials does not work.

The order of work on the selection of contacts begins with determining what type of contacts (pins or sockets) we need. There are series of connectors for which the type of contact is determined by the type of the connector itself (male-female). Namely, for a female connector, female contacts are used. For connectors of the "plug" type - respectively, the type of contact is "pin". However, there are also such types of connectors, in which both "socket" and "pin" contacts can be inserted. Why is it necessary? In order to create your own system of "keys". So, when using only one type of connector with three contacts, by varying the types of contacts, it is possible to create as many as seven variants of contact combinations. The result is the elimination of erroneous connection of the connectors to each other.

For example, we need pins for connector 282105-1, Superseal 1.5 connector housing, male, 3PIN .
We go into the catalog of this series of connectors, select contacts of the "pin" type.

Further, the main parameters are the cross section of the wire used and the diameter of the insulation.
For example, we use a wire with a cross section of 0.5mm².

We find a row with this value in the table, and we see that two contacts satisfy our parameters - 282404-1 and 282404-3 .

According to the same table, you can see that they differ from each other only in contact coverage.
282404-1 has tin plating, 282404-3 has gold plating.

In a similar way, you can match the contacts to any TE Connectivity connectors. This example is simple. So, for example, as seen in the following image, for AMPSEAL 16 series connectors, the number of pins used is 12 for pins, and the same number for pins of the socket.

Certain parameters can be critical when selecting contacts, such as whether these contacts are supplied in a tape or in bulk. For some, contact coverage may matter. Some may overlook this...

We have to admit that for the correct selection of pins for TEConnectivity connectors, there is no other way than working with the manufacturer's catalog. Of course, many electronic component vendors create their own cross-references to connectors and the most requested pins. Or indicate in the name of the contacts for which type of connectors these contacts are intended. But as soon as you set more stringent selection parameters, you inevitably have to return to the manufacturer's catalogs.