Small cheap 3 pin SMD socket

[Mike Warren]

I'm looking for a 3 pin socket to use as a programming port on a project I'm designing.

Must be:

-Small
-Surface mount
-Connect parallel to the PCB (Horizontal)
-Cheap in 100 quantities

More than one source would be nice since I anticipate wanting to make these for several years

It doesn't need to be particularly rugged as it will only ever be used once or twice, but the plug the connects to it does need to be decent and it will be used many times.

What I've found so far is this 3.5mm socket, which has the advantage that I can use off the shelf cables for the programmer.

http://au.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=161-3934-Evirtualkey11180000virtualkey161-3934-E

I've pretty much decided on this, but I haven't been able to find another source, and I'd prefer something cheaper if possible.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[kingofkya]

Why not just standard pin headers? I don't think you can get mutch cheaper than that, and you can get them keyed if needed. http://mouser.com/ProductDetail/Molex/171857-1003/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs%252bGHln7q6pmySggPlC%2fDRbgQFC88fsCbY%3d

You can get much better prices than that, on generic ones.
http://www.taydaelectronics.com/connectors-sockets/wafer-housing-crimp-terminal/serie-2400-3-96mm.html

Or one of thouse pcb edge connectors thous are free on the device side. And the common ones like pcie-x1 are cheap. most are not smd though.
http://www.digikey.com/product-search/en?FV=fff40016%2Cfff80093&mnonly=0&newproducts=0&ColumnSort=1000008&page=1&stock=0&pbfree=0&rohs=0&quantity=&ptm=0&fid=0&pageSize=100


I was going to play with a few of theses http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/EBC06DCWN/S3293-ND/927245

[Mike Warren]

Thanks for your reply.

Why not just standard pin headers?

It must not protrude from the bottom of the PCB so SMD is my only real option.

Or one of thouse pcb edge connectors thous are free on the device side.

That's something I had thought of, but it would require the bare connections to be exposed. I can't have that. Otherwise, this would be ideal.

http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/368-004-520-201/368-004-520-201-ND/2522104

And the common ones like pcie-x1 are cheap.

But not small enough.

[Mr.B]

It must not protrude from the bottom of the PCB so SMD is my only real option.

Surface mount pin headers are common, even in 1mm pitch if you want really small.

[Mike Warren]

Surface mount pin headers are common, even in 1mm pitch if you want really small.

Yes, I see them in all sorts of equipment, but I guess I don't have the right search parameters for Mouser or Digikey. Anything I can find even approaching what I'm after goes through the roof, price wise. And yet, I see these sorts of things used in very cheap equipment.

For 3 pins I could even go as large as 2.54mm spacing.

Thanks for your reply.

[JSnyder]

How about a JST- type smt right angle connector such as http://uk.farnell.com/jst-japan-solderless-terminals/s3b-ph-sm4-tb-lf-sn/header-smt-right-angle-2mm-3way/dp/9492623?

[Mike Warren]

How about a JST- type smt right angle connector such as http://uk.farnell.com/jst-japan-solderless-terminals/s3b-ph-sm4-tb-lf-sn/header-smt-right-angle-2mm-3way/dp/9492623?

Thanks for the suggestion.  $2.46(100+) from E14 and non-stocked by Mouser, but Digikey have them for $0.65. It's probably not enough cheaper than the 3.5mm socket to justify the greater complexity of the programming cable.

But something to think about.

[JSnyder]

but the plug the connects to it does need to be decent and it will be used many times.

Are you referring to connector on the cable?

If your only going to use it a couple of times as a programing header, why add the cost of a per-board connector into the BOM? you can use exposed pads and a programming cable with pogo pins, or a programing cable terminated with standard pin header and a matching footprint on the board. Just stick the pin header in the holes on the pcb and manually hold it while flashing, remove it when done. Just throwing out ideas, sorry if I'm way off base

[true]

As the previous post said, why not just pads+pogopins?

But that said, why are you looking at the standard distributors for high-priced mechanicals? You are using it once or twice per board. Get a good quality cable and look for the cheapest crap you can find on eBay or some other web seller. Terrible example but http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2055845.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC4.A0.H0.X100pcs+jst+panel.TRS5&_nkw=100pcs+jst+panel

[Mike Warren]

Are you referring to connector on the cable?

Yes.

If your only going to use it a couple of times as a programing header, why add the cost of a per-board connector into the BOM?

This is for use by the end users to dump EEPROM configuration data to the device. They would buy a programming interface, cable and software that allows custom configuration and then plug it in to the devices. I would estimate 1 programmer set up to every 100 to 1000 devices over maybe a 5 year period.

I already do my actual programming of the micro with pogo pins.

Thanks for your input.

[Mike Warren]

But that said, why are you looking at the standard distributors for high-priced mechanicals?

Because I want to be able to get them over a period of several years.

But if I can get something that's pin-compatible I could do that. I hadn't thought of that. I'll do some eBay searches now. Thanks.

[poorchava]

JST connectors. Chinese knockoffs are ridiculously cheap.

[Mike Warren]

JST connectors. Chinese knockoffs are ridiculously cheap.

Thanks for the suggestion. Do you have a link to something?

[Gribo]

A quick search on mouser gave me this:
http://il.mouser.com/Connectors/Headers-Wire-Housings/_/N-ay0lo?P=1z0x3z7&Keyword=1.25mm+wire+to+board&FS=True

[sleemanj]

Mini USB, crazy cheap, available anywhere, surface mount, tiny - nobody said you HAVE to use them as a USB connector, just make up your own cable/dongle/whatever.

Although if it's end-user visible, they might try to plug it into USB, so you'd want to make it so that no-harm was done if that was the case.

[Mike Warren]

A quick search on mouser gave me this:
http://il.mouser.com/Connectors/Headers-Wire-Housings/_/N-ay0lo?P=1z0x3z7&Keyword=1.25mm+wire+to+board&FS=True

Thanks, but any of those that are suitable fro my application are more expensive than the 3.5m sockets from Mouser.

[Mike Warren]

Mini USB, crazy cheap, available anywhere, surface mount, tiny

Thanks for the suggestion. I would love to be able to use mini USB, but the risk of damaging someone's computer is too great.

[Mike Warren]

Searching eBay, looks like this would be almost ideal. The price is perfect.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1000PCS-4Pin-SMD-1-8-3-5mm-Headphones-Stereo-Jack-Socket-PCBs-Panel-Mount-PJ321-/141068417868?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20d8553b4c

The only issue I have is whether these are packaged for pick and place. I suspect not.

I've also looked on Alibaba, but no one seems to list any prices. There must by many Chinese suppliers that would have something suitable.

This style may be good as there seems to be lots of different suppliers selling what looks like the same thing, but I can't find anyone with a deal approaching as good as the one above.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/50-PCS-6-Soldering-Pin-3-5mm-SMD-PCB-Stereo-Jack-Female-Connector-Socket-Yellow-/400752181572?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_15&hash=item5d4eb10144

 

[rs20]

Oh God. A thread where there have been suggestions both to use a 3.5mm AUDIO cable for something that's not audio, and a mini-USB cable for non-USB purposes. "Make sure it doesn't blow up if you plug it into USB" -- never mind device damage, don't you care about user confusion? It's like labelling the on button with "off", and noting the discrepancy down in the fine-print of the manual. I don't care if the electrons don't care, it's a confusing user experience and looks super-amateurish. Running away...

To be fair, I don't know the specific end-use here, but I'm not sure I can imagine one that justifies such horrors.

[Mike Warren]

Oh God. A thread where there have been suggestions both to use a 3.5mm AUDIO cable for something that's not audio,

I consider the risk of using 3.5mm very low since if someone plugs anything (headphones, audio player etc.) into this no damage will be done. However, plugging a computer in via USB does risk damage because of the power being supplied via the USB cable.

Also, these do connect to a computer (through an interface), so many people would think it logical to connect USB directly. So that's why USB is completely out of the question.

[JSnyder]

Oh God. A thread where there have been suggestions both to use a 3.5mm AUDIO cable for something that's not audio, and a mini-USB cable for non-USB purposes. "Make sure it doesn't blow up if you plug it into USB" -- never mind device damage, don't you care about user confusion? It's like labelling the on button with "off", and noting the discrepancy down in the fine-print of the manual. I don't care if the electrons don't care, it's a confusing user experience and looks super-amateurish. Running away...

To be fair, I don't know the specific end-use here, but I'm not sure I can imagine one that justifies such horrors.

Hence my suggestion, I filled all of the requirements listed. OP if you were dead set on using stereo jacks why did you bother asking for suggestions in the first place?

[Mike Warren]

Hence my suggestion, I filled all of the requirements listed. OP if you were dead set on using stereo jacks why did you bother asking for suggestions in the first place?

I'm not dead set on using 3.5mm jacks. Your suggestion didn't fit one of my requirements, which is price.

In a perfect world I would use something like this and a custom made cable:
http://il.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Molex/504195-0370/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs%252bGHln7q6pm58uVUMQZrFtsGEhKmnRnJUaIG6dvNjntw%3d%3d

But, it has 2 disadvantages: too expensive and requires a custom cable to connect to the computer interface.

At this point, 3.5mm stereo socket (now that I'm beginning to find cheap ones) solves those, but has a slight risk that someone will plug audio equipment into it.

Considering the context these will be used in, that is quite unlikely, but even if someone did that, no damage would be done to anything.

The only risk is that someone could plug in the 3.5mm cable from the interface into an audio device. Even then, the risk of damage is not great as the voltage on the line is only 3.3V and current limited to 15mA.

[westfw]

plugging a computer in via USB does risk damage because of the power being supplied via the USB cable.

It shouldn't, if you only need 3 of the 4+ connections that USB provides.  Leave VUSB+ unconnected.

What about an FPC connector?  like http://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/FCI/HFW4R-1STE9LF/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs7i6cT6ogu4xCAcU97Lcm6UdXcPNdqkLc%3d
Compact, cheap, obviously not "general purpose."  the big disadvantage is probably that the thin PCB you'd want to use for the other side is not very robust...

[Mike Warren]

plugging a computer in via USB does risk damage because of the power being supplied via the USB cable.

It shouldn't, if you only need 3 of the 4+ connections that USB provides.  Leave VUSB+ unconnected.

Thanks for your reply.

I can still see it causing problem when people think they can plug it directly into their computer.

What about an FPC connector?  like http://au.mouser.com/ProductDetail/FCI/HFW4R-1STE9LF/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMs7i6cT6ogu4xCAcU97Lcm6UdXcPNdqkLc%3d
Compact, cheap, obviously not "general purpose."  the big disadvantage is probably that the thin PCB you'd want to use for the other side is not very robust...

Yes, the other end is the part that needs to be reliable as it will be used on lots of devices. That connector is still not much cheaper than the 3.5mm socket I was looking at originally.

[Mike Warren]

I've talked to my assembly place and they say they can handle loose parts economically, which has made me look further into the idea of the cheap eBay and Alibaba sockets.

I think going to 2.5mm will reduce the casual occurrence of plugging headphones and audio devices into it, and have found this from China. The only downside of 2.5mm compared to 3.5mm is that there are very few cheap off-the shelf cables available, that I've been able to find.

http://koumay.en.alibaba.com/product/1654572344-219578306/2_5mm_SMD_SMT_Female_Phone_Jack_PJ_223.html

I've asked for a quote and they came back to me quickly with a cost of US$75 per 1000, which is a good price, and US$53 for DHL freight, which is not so nice. They've even offered to supply some free samples.

Never having dealt with Alibaba suppliers before, I'm not confident I know how to look out for the scammers, but nothing looks off to me.

Does anyone see anything that might make it suspect?