What type wire for IDC connector?

[js412000]

I am hooking up my Universal PWM motion controller board and am not sure what kind of wire should be used in the punch down insulation displacement connectors.

It looks like a Phoenix Contact product.
The catalog says it will take 22-26 awg.

Should I use - stranded or solid
tinned or plain copper.

I am looking for the best reliability.

[Al_The_Man]

Tinned Stranded.
Al.

[js412000]

Thanks for the fast response. I will get some wire ordered.

[jmelson]

Originally Posted by js412000 I am hooking up my Universal PWM motion controller board and am not sure what kind of wire should be used in the punch down insulation displacement connectors. It looks like a Phoenix Contact product. The catalog says it will take 22-26 awg. Should I use - stranded or solid tinned or plain copper. I am looking for the best reliability.

I use some stranded 26 Gauge aerospace wire I get at the surplus shop. it has relatively thin insulation, so it connects real well. If you use heavier wire, the insulation may be too thick to fit into the orange plunger. If you strip the wire, it fits, but then the few strands that get sheared off by the tines fall loose and eventually get all over the board. Having tiny hairs of wire floating around a high-density board is "not good". I use these connectors with some distaste, but due to the number of connections on that board, I didn't have much choice. I priced 2-part screw terminals and it would have added $60 incremental cost to the board.

You DEFINITELY want to use ALL stranded wire in any of this type of gear, except possibly in the local wiring of a motor DC power supply or something like that.

Jon

[Al_The_Man]

They are also not my connector of choice, by any means.
If you must use them use either the semi-automatic hand tool if you are into production, for a one-off it pays to get the simple plunger hand tool for the price it is.
With the exception of Printed Cct board jumpers, I never use solid conductor, period.
Al.

[js412000]

I have used IDC connectors ,a couple of times, in automotive applications and suffered from poor reliability.

The board also allows , as an option, a plug in ribbon cable connector.

I am just bench testing now, so the IDC connector will be ok.

I looked at ribbon cable connectors in the Digi-Key catalog , and they appear to use IDC connections ,not solder, so I don't know if they would be any more reliable.

Jon, I understand your desire to keep the product price low, and think that you have done a great job.