DEMO — fictional range. Local brief only, NOT SENT. No personal data is collected or transmitted.
MATING
Two connectors that fit are not necessarily compatible.
A connector pair is specified as a pair. Buying two halves separately from two sources produces a joint that mates and does not meet the rating, or mates in the wrong orientation.
The four questions worth asking.
They are asked before the order, because each one is a property of the pair rather than of a part.
- Which half is fixed
- The free half carries the coupling, and that decides which side has the keyway
- How it is keyed
- One keying for one application, or two similar connectors will be mated wrongly
- What the plating is
- Two different platings on a pair is a corrosion cell at the contact
- How it is unmated
- A joint that cannot be separated without a tool is a maintenance problem
Where each decision comes from
| Condition | What it decides | What it costs to get wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Similar connectors nearby | Keying and colour coding | Two harnesses mated to the wrong halves |
| Mixed platings | Contact finish on both halves | Corrosion at the contact in a damp environment |
| Repeated mating | Contact design and plating thickness | A contact that wears through its plating |
| Sealed interface | Gasket and shell tolerance | Ingress that only shows up after a season |
The expensive mistake.
Buying halves separately. Both meet their own specification and the pair does not, and the failure is attributed to whichever half was bought last.
And the one that looks harmless.
Two similar connectors on one panel with the same keying. They will be mated wrongly at least once, and the damage is done before anyone notices.