Connectors are wonderful and terrible things. Wonderful, in that splicing wires every time you need to disassemble something is really, really annoying. Terrible in that it can be just such an incredible pain-in-the-assets to find the right one if you’re stuck with just a male or a female for some unfortunate reason. We’ve all been there, and all spent time growing increasingly frustrated poring over the DigiKey catalog (or its local equivalent) trying to figure out what the heck we were dealing with. That’s why [Davide Andrea]’s The Connectorbook exists–and even better, the free web service they call Identiconn.
The tool isn’t super new–the Wayback Machine has snapshots of it dating back to 2021–but it’s still very much worth highlighting. There’s a “quick pick” option that lets you narrow it down with photos, or if you want to get specific there are dozens of filters to try and help you find your exact part. You can filter based on everything from the pitch and geometry of the connectors, to how it terminates, attachments, latches, et cetera. While we can’t guarantee the database is fully exhaustive, it looks pretty darn big, and using it is going to be a lot less exhausting than pouring through catalogs hoping that particular vendor or manufacturer lists the matching part.
Some might argue that this database is not a hack, but it’s certainly going to enable a certain amount of hacking. That’s why we’re grateful to [Alex] for the tip! If you’ve got a know tool you think we all should know about that hasn’t been shared yet, please let us know.
Impressive. Without the “quick pick” option I’d be lost though :-D
I needed this! Thanks!
Woohoo!
So I have been trying to find those spring connectors like you find on those old 50-in-one electronic project boards with no luck. I tried a few searches on the link and even scrolled the “browse by picture” but couldn’t find them on the linked site either.
Are people just soldering normal SS springs to their boards or are there manufactured components for this purpose? I can’t find appropriate copper springs either, only SS.
Any advice or what term to search for? TY
https://makertradingpost.com/products/spring-terminals-pack-of-25?variant=32308209877075 I searched for “radio shack electronics kit vintage springs replacement” hopefully fits your bill?
Look on https://makertradingpost.com/ for coiled spring terminals or Science Fair-Style Spring Terminals
I salvaged a whole bag of the things when my X-in-1 kit died many years ago (mine are even tapered on both ends), and have tried to find a supplier of these things.
I do not think there are any, I think they’re just re-purposed “mechanical” springs, as they’re dirt-cheap and easy to thread into a hole just slightly narrower than the springs’ outer diametre, but I could be wrong.
That said, the closest I’ve found was by searching for “closed coil extension springs”; my tapered ones would be “closed extension barrel springs”.
The only one that comes to my mind is banana connector, it has a springy part, and has been used a lot in that type of use to my knowledge, but it doesn’t sound like that’s what you are looking for.
I’ve been trying to find which connector my 70’s soda vending machine has. It’s kind of like those XT connectors, but sharper triangle edge and locking hooks on the outside. No luck with the image browse either.
Could it be these Molex connectors?
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0003061023/61242
It’s kind of like this:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0003062024/26217
but that looks a bit “short” and the locking things are not quite the same. I don’t have access to the machine right now, so i can’t remember exactly.
POS comment system. Second try:
So i think it might be this:
https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/molex/0003092021/26275
I need to check the measurements.
Thanks for the suggestion.
‘poring’, not ‘pouring’
Indeed! Thanks, and fixed.
Of course, it depends on what you’re pouring over the musty tomes. I like maple syrup, myself.
now also fix the second iteration
(and have you tried with cream as well?)
If you navigate this website to its root, you discover that this database can be bought as a physical book! https://connectorbook.com/
I made a simple jtag adaptor over parallel port with this ‘sugar’ (sucre in french):
http://www.zoobab.com/simple-jtag
I’ve been looking for a solder sleeves, like crimp terminal cylinders but split “C” cross section so I can check the solder has flowed along the length. To allow wire to wire inline soldering. No insulation.
I used to use them for approx 12AWG to high current, discrete components, but can no longer find a supplier.
Any thoughts?
I used to order those from digikey and mouser, do they no longer stock them?
Struggling to locate on the digikey web site, if there is a range / SKU / link you could share that would be appreciated.
Any reference material that’s correct is always good. Better to have some knowledge than not
There should be an open database that covers it all from the very first vacuum tube to date.
Bet that book would have to be in volumes.
Thanks!
I don’t understand why there is no cable maker/searcher in electronics website.
end 1 : usb-c 90°
cable length : 25 cm
end 2 : usb-a
No exact match
try this :
cable length : 45 cm,
cable length : 20 cm,
end 1 : usb-c no 90°,
end 2: usb-c
I’m looking for a male usb-c to male usb-c connector with no cable.
Does it exist or are they prohibited by the specs ?
I want to “clip” a power bank to my device. But I’d like my device to have no protrusion when the powerbank is taken away. So i’d like to join (female) powerbank usb to my female device usb-c using a removable male/male connector
Should be nothing wrong with that since it’s essentially a standard c cable but with they forgot to add the cable. If you can live with very short rather than non existent look for usb c to usb c patch cables. Other than that I have seen rigid double 90 degree ones before too. Not sure if I’m helping though lol.
Thank you Tyler. If you want a copy of the book, please contact me through the Identiconn website.