Terminal block connectors

[Rachie5272]

I have some stepper motor drivers which use this style connector for the motor wires.  It works, but having screw terminals for the wires seems so messy and prone to shorts.  Are there any alternatives for this type of connector?  Something with a protective hood would be ideal.

Also, another piece of equipment has a bare PBC edge style connector.  Is there a nice way of connecting cables to this, aside from blobs of electrical tape?

[128er]

You can take a look here:
https://www.phoenixcontact.com/online/portal/us?1dmy&urile=wcm%3apath%3a/usen/web/main/products/list_pages/PCB_connectors_P-11-02-11/dc587a67-b540-4666-a204-ee32b6f71398

There are push-in spring terminals available. But the risk of shorts with this screw terminals seems very unlikely to me. excecpt you have a big mess of loose wires hanging around.

With respect to the pcb edge connection. There are also connectors for this task. Look at the big distributors.

http://uk.farnell.com/card-edge-backplane-connectors

[RobertHolcombe]

I've begun terminating wires with bootlace ferrules rather than bare stranded wire when using terminal blocks, works a treat

[T3sl4co1l]

FYI, ferrules (or something to gather the strands, like tinning the wire, or using solid core wire) is SOP for professional (CE marked) equipment.

Tim

[Ian.M]

A tinned wire end is *NOT* reliable in a screw terminal block.  The solder cold flows relieving the clamping pressure.  Either use a sprung terninal or only tin the very tip of the wire so the screw clamps on untinned wire.

It would be worth researching which connector series has been used.  Maybe there is a compatible connector with crimp terminals.

[T3sl4co1l]

A tinned wire end is *NOT* reliable in a screw terminal block.  The solder cold flows relieving the clamping pressure.  Either use a sprung terninal or only tin the very tip of the wire so the screw clamps on untinned wire.

I know, that's what surprised me about the statement.  But apparently it's in there.

Tim

[128er]

A tinned wire end is *NOT* reliable in a screw terminal block.  The solder cold flows relieving the clamping pressure.  Either use a sprung terninal or only tin the very tip of the wire so the screw clamps on untinned wire.

I know, that's what surprised me about the statement.  But apparently it's in there.

Tim

Yes, that's never good practice and never heard of that. This type of terminals shown in the picture have a dead end/blind hole (sry, for lack of right terminology). And you will always end up with the tinned end of the wire clamped in the terminal.

As T3sl4co1l mentioned, ferrules are the right tool for the job. And as I said in my first post. Never had any problems with those bare screw type terminals. I have to deal with them almost every day in my job. If you want protection against wrong contact, you can use those push-in terminals. They provide almost fully protection against accidental contact, if the wires are connected properly