MTA-100 connectors

[Winfield Hill]

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

The male-pin headers have 2.54mm spacing,
with standard 25-mil square pins, and the
female receptacle "plugs" employ a punch-
down system with a range of wire sizes.
There are strain-relief covers as well.

Sample base p/n scheme: headers 640456,
red plugs 640440 #22AWG, blue 644043 #26,
green 640443 #28, and covers 643075. Use
base p/n to search, build up full p/n.



--
Thanks,
- Win

 

[mpm]

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 6:11:04 PM UTC-4, Winfield Hill wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

The male-pin headers have 2.54mm spacing,
with standard 25-mil square pins, and the
female receptacle "plugs" employ a punch-
down system with a range of wire sizes.
There are strain-relief covers as well.

Sample base p/n scheme: headers 640456,
red plugs 640440 #22AWG, blue 644043 #26,
green 640443 #28, and covers 643075. Use
base p/n to search, build up full p/n.



--
Thanks,
- Win

When you assign the pins, put power in the middle and the grounds on the outside pins, that way, you can't blow things up with someone inevitably plugs the thing in backwards, even though it's keyed.

 

[John Larkin]

On 16 Sep 2019 15:10:49 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com>
wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power into PCBs, and for fans and
such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1


They work great. The wire connections are very tough and reliable.

We have an old gun-type wire shooter that's a lot better than the
manual punch-down tool.

The male-pin headers have 2.54mm spacing,
with standard 25-mil square pins, and the
female receptacle "plugs" employ a punch-
down system with a range of wire sizes.
There are strain-relief covers as well.

Sample base p/n scheme: headers 640456,
red plugs 640440 #22AWG, blue 644043 #26,
green 640443 #28, and covers 643075. Use
base p/n to search, build up full p/n.

 

[John Larkin]

On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 15:35:50 -0700 (PDT), mpm <mpmillard@aol.com>
wrote:

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 6:11:04 PM UTC-4, Winfield Hill wrote:
I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

The male-pin headers have 2.54mm spacing,
with standard 25-mil square pins, and the
female receptacle "plugs" employ a punch-
down system with a range of wire sizes.
There are strain-relief covers as well.

Sample base p/n scheme: headers 640456,
red plugs 640440 #22AWG, blue 644043 #26,
green 640443 #28, and covers 643075. Use
base p/n to search, build up full p/n.



--
Thanks,
- Win

When you assign the pins, put power in the middle and the grounds on the outside pins, that way, you can't blow things up with someone inevitably plugs the thing in backwards, even though it's keyed.

The hazard isn't so much backwards - it's keyed pretty good that way -
it's getting offset by one pin.

 

[Martin Riddle]

On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 15:25:37 -0700, John Larkin
<jlarkin@highland_atwork_technology.com> wrote:

On 16 Sep 2019 15:10:49 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com
wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power into PCBs, and for fans and
such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1

https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1


They work great. The wire connections are very tough and reliable.

We have an old gun-type wire shooter that's a lot better than the
manual punch-down tool.

I used these in the 90's, when they were AMP. The gun is neat,
advances to the next position, makes loading large circuit counts
easy.

Cheers
>>

 

[Winfield Hill]

John Larkin wrote...

On 16 Sep 2019, Winfield Hill wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power
into PCBs, and for fans and such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1

Hey, you don't place the covers!

There's a smaller 2mm series as well.


--
Thanks,
- Win

 

[Phil Allison]

Winfield Hill wrote:
------------------

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

** See a lots of them in various bit of audio gear, I also see lots of reliability issues with them too.

Manufacturers love to use many of them for quick assembly of multiple PCBs into a product - creates a huge number of potential failure points.

The contacts are merely tin plated, which is not ideal over the long term for high currents or for small signals either. Time left in storage or any dampness results in bad electrical contact.

Poor crimping on the plugs is also a cause of intermittent faults and burning.

Sometimes using a cleaning fluid is an adequate fix, but otherwise the only solution is to cut the plug off the flexible lead and solder wires direct to each pin - aka hard wiring.



...... Phil

 

[Phil Allison]

Winfield Hill congenital over-snipper wrote:

-------------------------------------------

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.


** See a lots of them in various bit of audio gear,
I also see lots of reliability issues with them too.

The lack of a gold choice is unfortunate.

** I have sometimes seen gold plated ones, on high class products.

If one fails, repair by cutting the wires
off 1/16-inch in, and punching them into
a new connector.

** No way.

That is just reinstalling the problem.

Multi-pin connectors on PCBs are there for quick (ie tool free) assembly at the factory - after which they serve no purpose except to create faults.

Hard wiring is a permanent solution.

Something few ivory tower designers know and factory owners don't care much about.

Reliability is not their problem, even during the warranty period.




..... Phil

 

[Rick C]

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 6:11:04 PM UTC-4, Winfield Hill wrote:
> I've become a big fan of MTA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0

--

Rick C.

- Get 2,000 miles of free Supercharging
- Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

[Winfield Hill]

Phil Allison wrote...

Winfield Hill wrote:
------------------


I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.


** See a lots of them in various bit of audio gear,
I also see lots of reliability issues with them too.

The lack of a gold choice is unfortunate.

If one fails, repair by cutting the wires
off 1/16-inch in, and punching them into
a new connector.


--
Thanks,
- Win

 

On 16 Sep 2019 17:30:15 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com>
wrote:

John Larkin wrote...

On 16 Sep 2019, Winfield Hill wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power
into PCBs, and for fans and such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1

Hey, you don't place the covers!

I never knew that there were covers.

There's a smaller 2mm series as well.

 

[Phil Allison]

Rick Cunt Criminal TROLL wrote:

--------------------------------

Winfield Hill wrote:
I've become a big fan of MTA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0

** That gets the troll of the week award.

Wot a fucking retard.



.... Phil

 

[John Robertson]

On 2019/09/16 7:03 p.m., jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

On 16 Sep 2019 17:30:15 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com
wrote:

John Larkin wrote...

On 16 Sep 2019, Winfield Hill wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power
into PCBs, and for fans and such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1

Hey, you don't place the covers!

I never knew that there were covers.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en?keywords=MTA-100%20cover

The covers help keep the wires from being pulled out a wee bit. I do
find the insulation displacement connectors to not have as good a grip
on the pin as the Trifurcon pins, especially in circuits where you are
passing something close to the rated current capacitor of the pin in
question.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-contacts/331?k=trifurcon

John :-#)#

There's a smaller 2mm series as well.

 

[Rick C]

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 10:37:55 PM UTC-4, Phil Allison wrote:

Rick Cunt Criminal TROLL wrote:

--------------------------------

Winfield Hill wrote:
I've become a big fan of MTA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0


** That gets the troll of the week award.

Wot a fucking retard.



... Phil

Coming from Phil comments like this are high praise! Thanks Phil, maybe I'll add this to my resume.



--

Rick C.

+ Get 2,000 miles of free Supercharging
+ Tesla referral code - https://ts.la/richard11209

 

[John Robertson]

On 2019/09/16 7:32 p.m., Rick C wrote:

On Monday, September 16, 2019 at 6:11:04 PM UTC-4, Winfield Hill wrote:
I've become a big fan of MTA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7Jw_v3F_Q0

"...Oh he'll never return and his fate is still unlearned..." One of my
favourite songs when I was a kid!

Perhaps JT is a prisoner of the MTA?

John :-#)#

 

[John Robertson]

On 2019/09/17 7:52 a.m., jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:

On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 21:00:43 -0700, John Robertson <spam@flippers.com
wrote:

On 2019/09/16 7:03 p.m., jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
On 16 Sep 2019 17:30:15 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com
wrote:

John Larkin wrote...

On 16 Sep 2019, Winfield Hill wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power
into PCBs, and for fans and such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1

Hey, you don't place the covers!

I never knew that there were covers.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en?keywords=MTA-100%20cover


Do you have to pass the wires through the holes on the cover before
shooting the wires into the connector? Looks like a nuisance.

Many of these simply snap over the completed connector - which would be
the case for your three wire fan plug as shown in your dropbox image.
Looks tidier with the cover. Also resists the wires being pulled out if
an idiot pulls on the wires instead of the plug...

John :-#)#

 

On Mon, 16 Sep 2019 21:00:43 -0700, John Robertson <spam@flippers.com>
wrote:

On 2019/09/16 7:03 p.m., jlarkin@highlandsniptechnology.com wrote:
On 16 Sep 2019 17:30:15 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com
wrote:

John Larkin wrote...

On 16 Sep 2019, Winfield Hill wrote:

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

We use the 3-pin version to bring power
into PCBs, and for fans and such.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/lkn1gxtrmxcvnzc/3p_pair.jpg?raw=1
https://www.dropbox.com/s/gq1pxwq1hyhyfox/Uzed_Fan_Top.JPG?raw=1

Hey, you don't place the covers!

I never knew that there were covers.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en?keywords=MTA-100%20cover

Do you have to pass the wires through the holes on the cover before
shooting the wires into the connector? Looks like a nuisance.

The covers help keep the wires from being pulled out a wee bit. I do
find the insulation displacement connectors to not have as good a grip
on the pin as the Trifurcon pins, especially in circuits where you are
passing something close to the rated current capacitor of the pin in
question.

https://www.digikey.ca/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-contacts/331?k=trifurcon

John :-#)#


There's a smaller 2mm series as well.

My AC source box will have a 48 volt 500 watt power supply. It will
feed the main control board with big wires and fastons. The control
board connects to six other boards, three being class D power amps.
We'll feed each of them with a ribbon cable from the controller, power
and data and analog stuff. Standard ribbons are rated for 4 amps per
wire, maybe derate to 2 for luck. It seems to me that a ribbon cable
is a perfectly sensible way to distribute power. The flat array has
good cooling.

One can order the cable assemblies all made, absurdly cheap.

https://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/3m/D89110-0131HK-3365-10-S-6/3M156030-MC10G-X-6-ND/6024553

The board ends can be surface mount shrouded males. Easy.

The Amp shoot-in things are good when the other end isn't a PC board,
like a fan or something. Otherwise, too much hassle.

 

[Tim Williams]

Easy, yes; worked with a company that was moving away from them though (we
went with Molex SL and Mini-Fit mostly).

IDC connectors are notorious for bad connections. Great when they work, but
frustrating when they fail.

It's like when Joerg noted to a press-fit connector mfg rep, "you claim a
99.7% connect rate; if I have a 1000 pin connector, can you tell me which
three pins have failed?"

Probably, an important part this misses for you is, that's a production
context -- my example, they just buy the harnesses and let the CM figure
them out. And the CM probably has those huge expensive ker-chunk machines
that does up crimps instantly and automatically.

That wouldn't cut it for lab use. Your requirements will be more towards a
compromise between ease of use (punch-down is cheap and fast; crimps need an
expensive tool, and are more tedious to apply), low quantity, and tolerable
failure rates. Say if 1% of pins fail after 10 years, that's still not all
that many connectors affected, out of the protos and test equipment you've
made in that time; and they're easily serviced, if they're still local
anyway.

Tim

--
Seven Transistor Labs, LLC
Electrical Engineering Consultation and Design
Website: https://www.seventransistorlabs.com/

"Winfield Hill" <winfieldhill@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:qlp1990os3@drn.newsguy.com...

I've become a big fan of MTA-100 mass-
termination connectors (as Tyco
TE Connectivty calls them), used for
off-board wiring. Here's a link to
the PCB-mount headers at Digi-Key.

https://www.digikey.com/products/en/connectors-interconnects/rectangular-connectors-headers-male-pins/314?k=mta-100

The male-pin headers have 2.54mm spacing,
with standard 25-mil square pins, and the
female receptacle "plugs" employ a punch-
down system with a range of wire sizes.
There are strain-relief covers as well.

Sample base p/n scheme: headers 640456,
red plugs 640440 #22AWG, blue 644043 #26,
green 640443 #28, and covers 643075. Use
base p/n to search, build up full p/n.



--
Thanks,
- Win

 

[John Larkin]

On 17 Sep 2019 17:00:26 -0700, Winfield Hill <winfieldhill@yahoo.com>
wrote:

Tim Williams wrote...

failure rates. Say if 1% of pins fail after 10 years,
that's still not all that many connectors affected,
out of the protos and test equipment you've made in
that time; and they're easily serviced, if they're
still local anyway.

That's my situation. We've made thousands of amazing
instrunments over the last 30 years, but few have been
used for more than 10 years. Our precious technician
died 10 years ago, R.I.P. Since then it's been a matter
of assembly simplicity. For us now, if it fails, snip
wires, re-punch, and get 10 more good years of life.

It's important to be able to remove and re-attach PCBs,
direct soldering can be a disaster. I recently spent
two days to repair a pair of failed Keithley 2400 SMUs.
These are workhorses in the labs. But they have two
large PCBs, with a mass of soldered wires into pads.
The holes are too small, so it's a horrific experience
working with them. Despite its $2500 value and serious
lab needs, I still have a working set of pieces waiting
for painful re-assembly, 3 wires done, many more to go.

I had a Keithley 2401. Sent it back.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ou52exjqkta2shz/2401_EMI.JPG?dl=0

We use the Keysights in our test rigs.

Also had a Keithley DVM with a small issue. Here's my fix:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/bvksbc4t0uhz5ye/KeithleyFix.jpg?dl=0

 

[Winfield Hill]

Tim Williams wrote...

failure rates. Say if 1% of pins fail after 10 years,
that's still not all that many connectors affected,
out of the protos and test equipment you've made in
that time; and they're easily serviced, if they're
still local anyway.

That's my situation. We've made thousands of amazing
instrunments over the last 30 years, but few have been
used for more than 10 years. Our precious technician
died 10 years ago, R.I.P. Since then it's been a matter
of assembly simplicity. For us now, if it fails, snip
wires, re-punch, and get 10 more good years of life.

It's important to be able to remove and re-attach PCBs,
direct soldering can be a disaster. I recently spent
two days to repair a pair of failed Keithley 2400 SMUs.
These are workhorses in the labs. But they have two
large PCBs, with a mass of soldered wires into pads.
The holes are too small, so it's a horrific experience
working with them. Despite its $2500 value and serious
lab needs, I still have a working set of pieces waiting
for painful re-assembly, 3 wires done, many more to go.


--
Thanks,
- Win