UL Approved 4 Pin Panel Mount Connector

Connectors are a prevalent part of many electronic projects and knowing the various types available can help in making decisions regarding what is needed for a particular application. There are a variety of factors to consider when selecting an item such as its environment or mounting options.

Panel mount is a feature built into the design of a connector half that allows it to be secured to an enclosure or equipment panel. Items with panel mount features are usually cable connectors.

High Temperature Rating

When a connector needs to be used in an environment where temperatures can reach above 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it is important that the insulating plastics do not get hot enough to change their physical properties. UL standards are very strict when it comes to testing insulating materials for long term stability and safety. They are rated to certain maximum temperatures and the markings on wire and connector blocks are color coded to show what they can be safely used with.

PEI-Genesis stocks ITT Cannon’s MDM Micro-D (M83513-style) high-temperature connector series, which are ideal for mission-critical aerospace, industrial, and automotive applications. These ruggedized, microminiature connectors offer one of the broadest arrays of termination, configuration, mounting, and hardware options available in today’s marketplace. They’re designed to withstand harsh-environment conditions such as high vibration, shock, and temperature extremes.

These connectors feature molded Nylon 46 housings that are RoHS-compliant and compatible with standard 4 pin panel mount connector soldering processes. They also have flanged bases for stability and mounting tabs for easy attachment to PCBs. Each spring-pin contact is rated for 9A at a 10degC temperature rise and has a contact resistance of less than 20mO.

The connectors’ positive-lock receptacles and headers ensure fast, easy assembly, secure mating, and high retention of terminals in extreme environments. They’re available in I/O, straight, and right-angle versions that can be mounted vertically or horizontally. They’re compatible with a range of wire sizes, and they feature copper alloy FMLB or LMEB contacts with gold-over-nickel plating, matte-tin-over-nickel plating on the body, and a RoHS-2 compliant finish.

Dust-Tight

Connectors are a part of just about every electronic project. Knowing what types of connectors are available and the specification considerations to consider when selecting one for a project can end up saving time and money in the long run.

For example, if you’re designing for harsh environments it’s important to choose a dust-tight connector that can withstand the conditions where it will be used. This will prevent the ingress of particles and moisture that could disrupt or damage the circuitry.

To find a suitable option you can look for the IP (ingress protection) rating on the data sheet. The first digit identifies how resistant to solids the item is and the second digit indicates how well it’ll resist water. For example, an IP66 rated connector is dust tight but can’t be submerged underwater for prolonged periods of time while an IP69K rated connector is fully dust-tight and can handle high pressures and steams.

The mounting type also has an impact on how well a connector can handle harsh environment conditions. There are a few different mounting options, including free hanging or cable mounting where the terminating leads of the connector are mounted/fastened to the wire it’s connected to and board/card edge/cutout mounting where the terminations are designed to be through-hole soldered to the terminal pads on the surface of the PCB.

UL Approved

UL approval is a mark that signifies that the product has been tested by UL and found to meet their safety standards. The UL symbol is on the label along with information such as voltage and ampere ratings. The mark is typically found on the front of a product, although it may also be on a label attached to the packaging. The UL mark must be visible without disturbing the wiring or interior parts of the device.

This 4 pin panel mount connector is UL approved, making it suitable for use in electrical cabinets that adhere to the UL 508 12 volt 2 pin waterproof connector standard. Until recently, end customers building a cabinet to this standard were forced to subject their entire assembly to additional UL safety testing on their own – an expensive and time-consuming process. By working closely with UL, HARTING has achieved an important breakthrough in this regard.

The result is a number of HARTING products that have earned the status of UL-Recognized – a newly created approval category. There is now a UL-Recognized HARTING connector product for every conceivable control cabinet application, and more will be seeking this status in the months and years ahead.

In addition, the connectors are UL approved for use on equipment with a grounding connection. This allows users to connect the grounding wire directly to the connector and reduce the risk of fire due to improper grounding.

Low Profile

This panel mount connector features a low profile, making it easy to install in your equipment. It has internal gaskets that compress to fully seal around the cable as it exits the connector. This ensures that your devices are working in a dust-tight and waterproof environment, and it also reduces stress on the solder points inside the connector. This makes the connector ideal for use in industrial and medical devices that must be able to operate in harsh environments.

The connector is also easy to assemble, requiring only a soldering iron and wire cutters. The connector has male and female parts, and the pins are aligned to make a connection. The connectors are held together by magnetic adsorption, preventing mis-plugs. This feature is especially helpful in applications that require frequent re-connections, such as power and data connections.

It’s important to understand the difference between Panel Mount and Board Mount hardware. A Panel Mount device has a panel mount feature built into one of the connector halves, so it’s designed to be fixed in a panel or external enclosure. A Board Mount connector has hardware that fixes it to a PCB, so it lowers the stress on the solder points when connecting and disconnecting.

Panel mount connectors can be used in a wide variety of devices, from small electrical components to large appliances. These connectors are available in a variety of flammability ratings and configurations, and they’re often designed for rugged use.