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Trying something new out, I'd like to make an 'attachment' PCB that will slot into my mother-PCB, and all the questions here have said to use a kind of edge-to-edge connector or a ribbon connector.

My question is what exactly do I use for high power? Something like 2-3A rectified mains 170VDC.

Basically I know the 'mother' board works, but I don't know if the child board works, so I'd like to 'modularize' it.

Perhaps these things;

enter image description here

Would work? I just have no clue what they are called.

EDIT: Uhp, they're called banana connectors. Still don't know if they're good for high power PCB-PCB connection.

EDIT2: The boards will be side-by-side, edges touching.

EDIT3: pic

enter image description here

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I'm wondering if this is adequate? digikey.com/product-detail/en/J100-KIT/J100-KIT-ND/5878 a "banana" and a jack. \$\endgroup\$
    – ARMATAV
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 20:58
  • \$\begingroup\$ Banana connectors aren't usually used for board to board connectors. 2-3 amps @ 170 V isn't a ton of juice, there should be plenty of options of digikey or similar for board-to-board connectors. \$\endgroup\$
    – whatsisname
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:04
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    \$\begingroup\$ Watts isn't what you need to consider in connectors and wiring... it's just amperage. Voltage matters, but only from an insulation breakdown point of view. One wire carrying 1V 1A will heat up exactly as much as a wire carrying 1000V 1A. \$\endgroup\$
    – darron
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 22:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ @darron Ohh, that makes a lot of sense actually. I completely blanked on that. \$\endgroup\$
    – ARMATAV
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 22:04
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    \$\begingroup\$ @EMFields is confusing you a bit. Wattage is wattage, but your 340-510W is not what he's talking about. He's talking about the watts lost in the connector or cable itself... which should be a fairly small number. 3A with say a 0.1 ohm resistance wire would be 0.9 W. If you notice on Digikey or whatever you tend to just see amperage ratings and maybe insulation breakdown voltages. The real resistance is likely to be way lower, anyway. \$\endgroup\$
    – darron
    Commented Mar 11, 2015 at 1:41

4 Answers 4

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I work for GCT so express an interest. We have some board to board connectors for co-planar PCB mating, these are aimed at LED lighting applications. There are SMT and thru hole variations, they are available in 2-6 contacts and rated at 3A per contact. I think you will find this an inexpensive solution for co-planar mating which is also available from stock in Newark/Farnell.

SMT = BG300 socket mating with BG301 Header

Thru Hole = BG302 socket mating with BG303 Header

Here is the GCT link for general information:
GCT White Lite PCB Connectors

Link to Newark SMT headers BG301 Link to Newark SMT sockets BG300

Link to Farnell SMT headers BG301 Link to Farnell SMT sockets BG300

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Use connectors that are rated for the power you want. They might be edge-to-edge or board-to-board, or wires. At some point they might have product names that are power-edge-to-edge or something similar at some arbitrary threshold, but they're all in the same category.

For instance:

This connector is a standard card edge connector that is rated for 40A and 250V.

The main thing you need to figure out when choosing a different type of connector is how you want the boards to mate. Do you want a wire between two loose boards? Do you want them to slot in perpendicular? Do you want them to connect end-to-end? Etc.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Gotcha, guess I've got searching to do. \$\endgroup\$
    – ARMATAV
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:19
  • \$\begingroup\$ Not power, current. While @EMFields is correct in that it's ultimately power that heats the contacts and wires, it's not generally how you'd spec a contact. After all, you can't say that for instance 1000A at 5V is fine over that 40A 250V edge connector, since 5kW is way less than 10kW. It'd explode. \$\endgroup\$
    – darron
    Commented Mar 11, 2015 at 1:50
  • \$\begingroup\$ I agree with @darron here, EMFields is going on a tangent which while true is irrelevant. Current is the determining factor when searching for connectors, the contact resistance of the connector just helps determine the current rating! As well as possible high-speed signal degradation and voltage drop of course. But for DC power, go nuts as long as the isolation voltage is fine, and the current rating is correct for your application (x1.5 just to be safe lol) \$\endgroup\$
    – KyranF
    Commented Mar 11, 2015 at 2:25
  • \$\begingroup\$ The op specified a voltage and a current, that's power. No specification will specify a power rating, but looking at both factors is power. \$\endgroup\$
    – Samuel
    Commented Mar 11, 2015 at 4:41
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Maybe something like this?

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/6643220-1/A101989-ND/2056032 and http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/6643274-1/A114321-ND/2305428

I think they are considered a "two piece power connectors" meant for hot-swap power electronics. I've seen them mostly on hot-swap power supplies.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ It looks like the plug connects "up". These boards are gonna be side by side, you know? Like on the edge. \$\endgroup\$
    – ARMATAV
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:04
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ARMATAV: well, maybe if you'd put all your requirements in your question you'd get better answer. We can't read you mind. \$\endgroup\$
    – whatsisname
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:05
  • \$\begingroup\$ First of all, I'm only learning what it's called right now, second; "I'd like to make an 'attachment' PCB that will slot into my mother-PCB, and all the questions here have said to use a kind of edge-to-edge connector". \$\endgroup\$
    – ARMATAV
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:07
  • \$\begingroup\$ @ARMATAV: I doubt "all" the questions have used card edge connectors. Using pin header connectors to stack boards would easily handle the voltage and current requirements and are cheap and easy to work with. \$\endgroup\$
    – whatsisname
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:10
  • \$\begingroup\$ I'll go look for a side-by-side version of those then. I didn't think simple pin headers could handle that wattage. Thanks! \$\endgroup\$
    – ARMATAV
    Commented Mar 10, 2015 at 21:12
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You could also try DIN41612 connectors - there are variants with special high-current pins. Something like http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/din-41612-connectors/5424631/

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