Dilemma: shrouded header 2x4 pin

[tiborsimon]

Hi guys!
It seems to me that the 2x4 pin shrouded headers are really rare parts (at least in Hungary ). Do you think it is worth to design a product with these headers?

[David_AVD]

Connectors like that with less than 10 pins are way more expensive and really hard to find in small quantities.

If you have the space for the 10 pin version (2x5) you should go with that instead imo.

[tiborsimon]

Yeah, I am using 10 pin headers in the current revision. Thanks for the advice

[Monkeh]

Of course, if you can use slightly larger quantities: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/100PCS-Box-headers-DC3-8P-2-54mm-straight-IDC-Box-headers-connector-8Pins-2x4-DIP/1519079557.html

[ajb]

I've found Wurth to be reliable for this sort of thing.  8 pin shrouded headers are a standard part, so they should have them in stock with no MOQ.  Not sure how they are with hobbyists, if that's your situation, but our local rep has been happy to sell us 25-100 parts at a time.

[David_AVD]

That's a good price from that Aliexpress seller.  Just make sure you can get the matching cable crimps at a reasonable price. 

[tiborsimon]

Thank you guys for the answers. I realized, that I can fit in a 2x3 header too, which isn't as rare as the 2x4, so I would pick that.

I have another question. What are the benefits of a shrouded header? Do they worth the extra space? In my project I want to chain individual boards to each other. The headers and the corresponding plugs and cables will implement a common bus. It will be a modular human interface, so the connectors may get loose. But as I tried, the shrouded connectors get loose too. I used standard plugs/crimps and shrouded headers.

[Monkeh]

Keying.