40 pin breakaway pin male headers

[Legion]

I'm looking at these on digikey and from the pictures I can't see a difference between the ones labeled breakaway and the ones that aren't. Headers not labeled breakaway are $0.67 each. Headers marked breakaway are $2.15. So the price difference is significant. Sometimes I find digikey makes distinctions between products where there isn't any. So I'm not sure if this is one of those cases.

If there is a difference, can you buy non-breakaway headers and snip them apart with side cutters? Or do they not snip "gracefully"?

[Hideki]

How about these at $0.15  http://www.taydaelectronics.com/connectors-sockets/pin-headers/40-pin-2-54-mm-single-row-pin-header-strip.html

[Len]

Without knowing which actual parts you're talking about, it's impossible to see what the differences are. Are they from the same manufacturer? Are they made of the same materials? Is one priced in quantities of 10000?

[sacherjj]

My guess is that the non-breakaway style is those without the little notches that center your cutters.  I use the really cheap tayda headers.  One difference I've found is the plastic isn't nearly as high temperature.  So be quick with the soldering.

[Legion]

Without knowing which actual parts you're talking about, it's impossible to see what the differences are. Are they from the same manufacturer? Are they made of the same materials? Is one priced in quantities of 10000?

Here's the $0.67 one: http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/PREC040SAAN-RC/S1012EC-40-ND/2774814
Here's the $2.15 one: http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/4-103741-0/A26509-40-ND/297917

Spec-wise I need 0.100" pin pitch, through hole. It will be used with breakout boards, breadboards and perfboard.

[senso]

For my use, I spent 20€ on ebay and got a few dozens of right angle, straight, male and female headers, single and dual row, for products I usually buy them form mouser.

[ConKbot]

Without knowing which actual parts you're talking about, it's impossible to see what the differences are. Are they from the same manufacturer? Are they made of the same materials? Is one priced in quantities of 10000?

Here's the $0.67 one: http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/PREC040SAAN-RC/S1012EC-40-ND/2774814
Here's the $2.15 one: http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/4-103741-0/A26509-40-ND/297917

Spec-wise I need 0.100" pin pitch, through hole. It will be used with breakout boards, breadboards and perfboard.

One of those is amphenol, one of those isnt. Mystery solved

[Legion]

One of those is amphenol, one of those isnt. Mystery solved

What is amphenol?

[Legion]

So getting back to the original question. Can I snip non-breakaway header pins or does the plastic crush/crack?

[T3sl4co1l]

I've been known to buy extra-long female socket header strips and cut them to length.  I cut one pin extra because that pin gets crushed; then I file down the broken ends smooth, and no one's the wiser.

What, it's not like the whole damn strip is going to just crumble if you hold your pliers funny near it.

Tim

[Legion]

I've been known to buy extra-long female socket header strips and cut them to length.  I cut one pin extra because that pin gets crushed; then I file down the broken ends smooth, and no one's the wiser.

What, it's not like the whole damn strip is going to just crumble if you hold your pliers funny near it.

Tim

You make a good point. Last thing. I've seen both square and machined round pin headers. Any particular reason to get one over the other? Should I get both?

[gxti]

I get the regular ones, and snap them with pliers. Every once in a while it doesn't break in the right spot, but I doubt the ones labeled "breakaway" would fare any better. Clearly they're all meant for it, there can't be many people using 36- and 40-pin straight header connections in one place.

[ConKbot]

One of those is amphenol, one of those isnt. Mystery solved

What is amphenol?

Amphenol is a connector brand, they are big in .mil, aerospace and industrial work. Their stuff generally isnt cheap, and it doesnt surprise me to see that theirs header is more expensive than others.  Not to say that they dont make good stuff, but will it make a difference on a pin header? probably not.  And as for if you can snap apart headers that arent designated for it? Sure, as said, sometimes one pin at the joint gets broken, but at $0.67 / header its still cheaper than buying the expensive ones.

[Rudane]

Cut them with a box cutter, and you'll never know the difference. Using a box cutter, I've never had any problems with the connector not breaking in the right spot. As mentioned earlier, the cheaper ones may melt if you hold heat on them too long.

[ElektroQuark]

Cut them with a box cutter...

What's that?

[jeremy]

Cut them with a box cutter...

What's that?

http://purplefish.edublogs.org/files/2011/11/craft-knife-trtnt8.jpg

[ElektroQuark]

We call it "a cutter" here

The "box" part has confused me.

Thank you for the picture.

[Crazy Ape]

We call it "a cutter" here

The "box" part has confused me.

Thank you for the picture.

While occasionally used to hijack aircraft, they are most often used to cut open cardboard boxes, or the tape sealing the boxes.