Tim just shared a new tutorial: "Identify Electrical Connectors"
There are a ton of electrical wire connectors, too many to elaborate on in a single guide, however there are a couple of connectors that as a maker you will come across. Often when starting your way into the electronics world all you need is the righ…
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Hi Tim
Just had a look at this site, pretty useful. There is a bewildering array of small connectors in use these days. It seems like every different piece of equipment uses a different connector.
Of particular interest is the JST line. Your pic shows the JST XH connector with a 2.54mm pin pitch. The table quotes a JST XH connector as having a 2.5mm pitch. Which is it ??
One interesting aspect of that table is there is only one connector listed with a pin pitch of 2.54mm. This would make them pretty useless for anyone building up anything with a “standard” 2.54mm board layout. Even using a battery with pre fitted leads and a JST connector would entail cutting the connector off and finding something else. It would appear the 2.54mm pitch connector is not keyed in any way so the only way to connect a battery in a fail safe manner using this one would be to use a 3 pin set and connect the positive to the centre and negative to both the outside pins of the male header and the positive to centre and the negative to one outside pin of the female so it does not matter which way around the connector is mated.
I just had a look elsewhere and at first glance it appears the XH series are 2.54mm pitch. Maybe your table is incorrect. Could you please clarify.
Cheers Bob
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Heyya Bob,
Just pulled one of the JST XH connector off the shelf to give it a measure. You are absolutely correct the pitch is 2.54mm (which is 0.1 Imperial Inch). I’ll fix up the table right now 
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Thank you hugely for pointing that error out to me! Our world of connectors is mind-boggling and I need this page to be as accurate as possible to help me (and everyone else) unravel it all.
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Hi Tim
As there are some people out there that would treat your table as gospel I would be inclined to research all of the entries. This subject is confusing enough already without inserting more uncertainties.
Especially as the right hand column states definitely “NOT” 2.54 or 0.1"
Cheers Bob
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Have you considered the Anderson Powerpole connectors - specifically the small 15-30-45 Amp series for low voltage main power connection? They are extensively used in the Amateur Radio field for mobile and portable gear.
And also the larger Powerpole connectors as (incorrectly) sold at Jaycar etc … There is a recommended colour coding of the connector shells that-along with mechanical keying-prevents mixing voltages! For 12 volt as in vehicles the colour is yellow, red is 24v, and the extremely common (mis-used) grey should be for 36v, not for general use for anything. Colours go all the way up to White at 144V, through 48v, 72v,80v, 96v, and 120v. These are only the Anderson recommendations, but sticking to them saves the smoke escaping 
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Heyya Bob,
I’ve dived deeper into this JST XH Pitch length conundrum. Turns out JST operates only in metric standards. So the existence of a 2.54mm Pitch JST XH Connector is completely not to JST standards.
However, many organisations (in this case DFRobot) sell these JST XH Connectors with the label 2.54mm Pitch length. They only do this for JST XH connectors that are 4 pins or less. Restricting it to less than 4 Pin results in it being compatible with both Metric and Imperial receiving ends.
So Officially JST XH Connectors are 2.5mm Pitch. Unofficially some 4 Pin or less JST XH Connectors will be labelled as ‘2.54mm’ Pitch.
This was a peculiar can of worms, I’ve added a note at the bottom of the table to help clarify more. Love your keen eye 
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Kind regards,
Tim
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Hey Murray,
Looking forward to adding those connectors, they definitely fit into the bigger picture of this guide. Thank you kindly for identifying some gaps if you can think of any other worthwhile connector contenders for the Maker Education space hit me up.
Kind regards,
Tim
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Hi Tim
Just to confuse the unwary. Don’t know why people use this sort of thing when they seem to mix and match somehow.
Reminds me of tyre sizes. The first number is the width in mm, the second is the height or profile as a percentage of this width and the last is “R” rim diameter in inches. The mind boggles. Someone must have had nightmares thinking this up.
Getting back to connectors, if I am doing something from scratch I tend to stick with the 2.54mm or 0.1" series, at least I have some idea of where I stand then.
Cheers Bob
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Hey Murray,
Looking forward to adding those connectors, they definitely fit into the bigger picture of this guide. Thank you kindly for identifying some gaps if you can think of any other worthwhile connector contenders for the Maker Education space hit me up.
Kind regards,
Tim
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I need help identifying a 5pin connector in my truck. Trying to find the female end of this to connect to the male end in my truck. I will need to send a picture, as I have no other info on the connector. Please let me know if someone can help!!!
HiBrent
Need a picture or 2 and also some dimensions if possible. There are many hundreds (or thousands) of “5 pin” connectors out there
Being used on a truck might narrow the field a bit. Knowing its use might help somewhat too.
Cheers Bob
Here is a pic. It’s on a 2013 Tacoma. It’s for the brake controller. Dimensions are as follows:
0.75” W x 0.5” T
Your image is the female connector. Is that the one you want or are you after the matching male connector? The female is probably a Toyota part, but the male is available as part of the trailer wiring harness kit. For example:
Tekonsha 3040 2-Plug Brake Control Wiring Adapter for Toyota | LeoForward Australia
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I am looking for the male connector only. I don’t want to buy the harness. Just the plastic connector. Is there a part number for this male connector?
Correction. . What’s shown in the pictures is the male end of the connector. I need the female.
Hi Brent
Jeff is right. The image is the female. Even if it goes inside the other half (which I think it does) you will find the other bit has male pins which are shrouded which could give the impression it is female. I suppose you could call it male pins in a female shroud. Could be wrong but I don’t think so.
There may be some similar connectors around the harnesses somewhere you could have a look at and you will see what I mean.
Cheers Bob
Hi Brent
Just had a bit of a browse around the good ole internet. There are plenty of the harnesses for sale but no connectors or the connector type. You could always trawl Element 14 or RS components but allow a week or so as they stock a LOOOOOOT of connectors and you would need more info to use the filters effectively.You just might find it easier and quicker to go for the whole harness.
Cheers Bob
What’s shown in the picture is the female connector. The gender is always based on the electrical component of the socket or plug. It appears that the matching male connector is contained within a shroud. The supplier of the harness may be able to provide you with a part number, or perhaps they have a damaged or returned harness they could supply at a discount. It appears to be an imported product so it is unlikely they have the component parts in the country.
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Would you be able to point me in the right direction to one of these sites? I’m totally new to connectors (as you can see with my mix up of male/female). I wouldn’t know the first thing to “google” to try and find it. Any particular keywords apart from “5pin”?
Another option is to depin the connector in the photo and install a new one that I can get a male/female pair for. If I go that route, I assume any connector with at least 5pins would work? Is “depinning” a thing or is it cut and repin? It’s tucked way up in the dash so either of these options is brutally difficult.
Thanks for your help so far. What would be awesome is if you had a lead on the connector I need… I’m LOST.
Thanks,
Hi Brent
Just put Element 14 or RS Components in your browser and navigate to connectors. You should be able to do some filtering and if there are any numbers on the connector this would help.
I don’t think this is an option you want to get involved with. Reading between the lines your experience with this sort of thing seems to be about Zero. I have been around for many years and I would certainly stop short of crimping pins on wires to fit another connector up under a vehicle dash. I don’t believe you would have the tooling to do this anyway or the expertise to use it.
I think that by the time you mucked about with all these ideas it will be more economical, quicker and easier to just go out and purchase the correct harness. Believe me a decent crimp tool will cost you more than the harness, There are some on E-Bay but they all seem to come from USA. There is one user found by selecting “Australia only” but his shipping time quotes 1st May earliest which sounds suspiciously like the item is off shore somewhere.
Cheers Bob
