Where can I get IDC plugs? (Male version of standard ribbon cable connector)

[scswift]

I need a 16 pos 2.54mm IDC connector like this:
(The one with the pins in it.)



Anyone know where I can find those?  I've searched Digikey and Mouser and Newark but haven't had much luck.  All the ones I've found have latches and are really expensive ($5-$10 each), or the minimum order quantity is 1000 and I need more like 30. 

The intent here is to plug some jumpers into the ribbon cable.  I realize I could get some long pins and shove them in the socket, but I figured it would be cheaper and simpler to just use the male version of the connector in the first place.

I'd also like to get a 6 pos and 10 pos version of the connector, but I need both if I do that and I doubt I'm going to find a 6 pos version of this anywhere.

[Grumpy_Mike]

Try Newark again, they have them.

[scswift]

The only one I found there was this one:
http://www.newark.com/3m/4616-6001/wire-board-connector-plug-16pos/dp/87F4001

And they're $4 each, and there's some kinda weird strip on the top half where the indents should be that concerns me.

I was hoping to find the black ones somewhere, the gray 3M ones are all fairly expensive.  I'd rather not spend $100+ on connectors.

[CrossRoads]

Try www.phoenixent.com also.

[Henry_Best]

I presume you want 2 * 8 and not 1* 16.
I'm going to my local electronics shop tomorrow. They stock some weird and wonderful bits that you can't get elsewhere. I got some male 40 pin IDC ones (IDE hard drive connectors) from them a couple of months ago. I'll enquire for you. They're not on-line.


I went there. The shutter was down and a sign read "Due to unforseen circumstances, we will be closed until further notice". Sorry.

[Grumpy_Mike]

and there's some kinda weird strip on the top half where the indents should be that concerns me.

It's the top part of the connector, it is what pushes down on the top part of the ribbon cable and clips in.

And they're $4 each

Is that expensive to you?

[scswift]

It's the top part of the connector, it is what pushes down on the top part of the ribbon cable and clips in.

All the IDC connectors I've seen have semicircular indents on that portion of the connector which wrap around the wires.  That looks like it might be some kind of tape you have to peel the backing off of.  Or perhaps it's just some cardboard which is there to prevent the connector from seating in place during transit?  I think I got some connectors once with something like that.

And they're $4 each

Is that expensive to you?

When I need to make or get 50 of these cables manufactured and I'm working on a shoestring budget?  Yes.

Anyway, thanks for the help guys. I determined that it was cheaper and easier to just get the cables manufactured. 

This was what I was planning to do originally on one end of the cable:


But for what it would have cost me for the 300' of ribbon cable and IDC connectors (the second rainbow cable was another $100 on top of that), I was able to get 375' of cable with crimp connectors on each end plus housings, so I can have the cable terminate with the proper connections instead of doing a half-assed job.  I was only considering the IDC connectors because the other option would have been crimping 1600 connectors by hand myself, and aside from having no interest in doing that, I was also pressed for time.

This is what the cable is for by the way.  It's a 7.5' long cable which extends all the switch, strobe, and vibration motor cables from the gun to the backpack:
http://www.mightymicrocontroller.com/kits/proton-pack/

In the videos, the kit is installed in the gun, but many people wanted to be able to install it in the backpack so as to have more room in the gun for tip extension mechanisms and speakers and the like. 

[Sembazuru]

It's the top part of the connector, it is what pushes down on the top part of the ribbon cable and clips in.

All the IDC connectors I've seen have semicircular indents on that portion of the connector which wrap around the wires.  That looks like it might be some kind of tape you have to peel the backing off of.  Or perhaps it's just some cardboard which is there to prevent the connector from seating in place during transit?  I think I got some connectors once with something like that.

My interpritation of that is there is double-sided tape on the inside of the top part of the connector. Peel the backing (brown bit) off and the top part of the connector will stick to your ribbon cable, helping to keep it aligned when crimping. (I don't know how many times I've had a cable shift a little bit during the crimping process. Usually not an issue, but if it shifts too much one gets shorts. I like this design.)

[... trim ...]

But for what it would have cost me for the 300' of ribbon cable and IDC connectors (the second rainbow cable was another $100 on top of that), I was able to get 375' of cable with crimp connectors on each end plus housings, so I can have the cable terminate with the proper connections instead of doing a half-assed job.  I was only considering the IDC connectors because the other option would have been crimping 1600 connectors by hand myself, and aside from having no interest in doing that, I was also pressed for time.

Plus, you have the added benefit of the crimp connections being more rugged and reliable than IDC connections. Sounds like a win-win for you.