I am working on a project that demonstrates the differences between various sensors that can be used with an Arduino. I need to be able to plug and unplug multiple sensors to the same 4 or 5 wires leading to power, ground, and the Arduino. I am afraid they will be liable to bend/break, so wanted something a little bit more robust than the typical headers and pins used on an Arduino. I have not had much luck finding exactly what I need. I tried ordering a set of automotive cables from Amazon (image attached), and even with the locking mechanism and yellow rubber gasket removed, they are too difficult to connect and disconnect.
To summarize, I am looking for a connection with a good balance between, reliability, durability and ease to connect. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Well, we know we need polarized connections along with the voltage and the current requirements. But, how many insertion/removal cycles do you think you’ll need over the life of the project? It also sounds like low insertion and removal forces are desired, correct?
That info will help narrow the type of connector system desired.
Thank you so much for all of the quick responses. To try and narrow it down a bit: the different components will be switched in and out multiple times every time the demo is used. Also the lower the force required the better. I am afraid that JST and Dupont connectors will not hold up well over time. I did more research and I am thinking that d-sub connectors might be the way to go; however, I have been scouring different websites and am not having much luck finding exactly what I need.
I forgot to mention in my last post that I would like to mount the connectors to the individual components and main assembly so there are not loose wires laying around. I have attached a screenshot of a very preliminary CAD model of what I am trying to do. The light gray piece would house the sensor, small PCB, and either a male or female d-sub connector (Not shown in model yet). It would be connected to the main assembly (Darker grey) which houses the arduino, interface screen, and other components by sliding it into the other d-sub (blue). I can machine mounts with threaded holes, through holes, or any other fastening method if need be. Where I'm having trouble is finding the right d-sub connector that I can mount to the components without interfering with my ability to connect the male and female ends. I could be wrong, but most of the connectors that I am finding seem to include threaded holes for securely fastening the male and female connectors together and not fastening the connectors to their respective components.
Say I used ones without threaded standoffs and made a mount with threaded holes that sits behind each connector. Would the screw heads prevent them from being connected or is there usually space between the flat faces of the d-subs for this to not matter?
