Where can I get this stackable header *cheaply*?

[HwAoRrDk]

I'm trying to find a source for the attached type of stackable female header where I can buy them for a reasonable price in multiples of 5s or 10s. Ideally less than £1 each.

They are 0.1" (2.54mm) pitch double-row 2x20 pin with overall height (i.e. body plus exposed pin length) of approx. 23mm, approx. 8.5mm height plastic body plus shrouded part on the pins of ~5mm (i.e. two layers of 2.5mm).

The only sources I've found so far are egregiously priced. There are parts from Samtec and Sullins on DigiKey, Mouser, Farnell, RS, etc. but at prices of £5-9 each! There are also parts of unknown manufacturer from various 'maker' vendors at prices of £2.50+ each. I've found nothing on LCSC or AliExpress (only similar parts with no or smaller shrouding). There are a bunch of manufacturers in the far east on sites like globalsources.com that claim to make them, but I don't want to buy 1000 of them.

Anyone got anything helpful?

[nali]

You're probably best searching for Raspberry Pi headers.

E.g. this one from Adafruit £2.62 for 1x
https://uk.farnell.com/adafruit/2223/40-pin-pi-gpio-stacking-header/dp/2816268?ost=2816268

OK that doesn't meet your price but I'm sure there are loads others.

[HwAoRrDk]

You're probably best searching for Raspberry Pi headers.

Yeah, I already did and that's what I found for £2.50-ish from various Raspberry Pi and 'maker' vendors.

I even discovered that the magic words "PC/104" apply to these types of stacking headers and there are also industrial computing vendors who also sell things like them for enormous prices.

E.g. this one from Adafruit £2.62 for 1x
https://uk.farnell.com/adafruit/2223/40-pin-pi-gpio-stacking-header/dp/2816268?ost=2816268

Not a great example, as that's not the shrouded version I'm looking for. And I already know where to buy those on AliExpress for around £0.30.

[langwadt]

if you only need 5 or 10 is it really that important if they cost $2 ?

[HwAoRrDk]

Sorry, I should have written multiples of 5 or 10. I need more than that, but I don't need several 100 or a thousand.

[oPossum]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832710322745.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832777349207.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802129587874.html

[HwAoRrDk]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832710322745.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832777349207.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802129587874.html

Nope, nope, and nope. Those are all with a single layer of pin shroud. I'm looking for double layer of pin shroud. I need approx. 13.5mm between the top and the base of the pins, which is what 8.5+(2*2.54) will give. Thanks anyway.

[Infraviolet]

Looking at shorter lengths might help. If you need 20 in length, but can get a length=2*5 one for <1/4 of the price of a length=2*20 that's worthwhile. For this style of header though you wouldn't want to go for lengths >20 as cutting down to length will tend to damage these, where it would be fine for male headers.

You can also see if 1*5 is <1/8 the price of 2*20, single row might well be a lot cheaper than double.

Samtec is one of the big manufactuers of headers, and a datasheet for any header from them contains the "recipe" to let you construct the part number to use when searching on Farnell/Mouser/... for a header with the dimensons you want.

[mikeselectricstuff]

May well be something at LCSC but could be tricky to find it with their sub-optimal search.

[Buriedcode]

Toby haven't let me down yet:

https://www.toby.co.uk/board-to-board-pcb-connectors/254mm-sockets/309ae-254mm-elevated-single-and-dual-row-socket-strip/

Not only do they ahve variable pin length, but also vary the number of elevating strips.

Not the <£1 you're after bit for a stacking header with proper square pins I very much doubt you'll find 2x20 that cheap.

[HwAoRrDk]

https://www.toby.co.uk/board-to-board-pcb-connectors/254mm-sockets/309ae-254mm-elevated-single-and-dual-row-socket-strip/

Oh, interesting, thanks. They don't list the variant I want (309AE-40-SG-2Z-1555) though. Maybe I should enquire, as their prices are more realistic.

May well be something at LCSC but could be tricky to find it with their sub-optimal search.

Oh, believe me, I scoured LCSC from top-to-bottom. They only have two products like it, albeit not the same, with only single layer shrouding: C35165 and C5307344.

[NiHaoMike]

Nope, nope, and nope. Those are all with a single layer of pin shroud. I'm looking for double layer of pin shroud. I need approx. 13.5mm between the top and the base of the pins, which is what 8.5+(2*2.54) will give. Thanks anyway.

If the pin length is enough, 3D print some spacers?

[jonpaul]

Samtech

https://www.samtec.com/

[voltsandjolts]

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832710322745.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832777349207.html

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256802129587874.html

Nope, nope, and nope. Those are all with a single layer of pin shroud. I'm looking for double layer of pin shroud. I need approx. 13.5mm between the top and the base of the pins, which is what 8.5+(2*2.54) will give. Thanks anyway.

Please excuse me for being a little slow on the uptake, but don't these almost fit the requirements?
I mean, by sliding on a few extra 'shroud' pieces to the pins at each end, and perhaps in the middle, these would be adequate?
'Shroud' pieces can be slid off of standard pins headers with a bit of persuasion.

[HwAoRrDk]

I mean, by sliding on a few extra 'shroud' pieces to the pins at each end, and perhaps in the middle, these would be adequate?
'Shroud' pieces can be slid off of standard pins headers with a bit of persuasion.

An ingenious idea, but one problem: these stackable headers nearly all have 0.64x0.60mm pins (i.e. rectangular) and regular male pin headers are typically 0.64x0.64mm square, so the shrouds would just be all loose.

And anyway, I don't wanna have to do that dozens and dozens of times, nor waste a bunch of male pin header strips.

Samtech

Does no-one actually read the posts in threads any more?

[EPAIII]

They never did.

Does no-one actually read the posts in threads any more?

[NiHaoMike]

An ingenious idea, but one problem: these stackable headers nearly all have 0.64x0.60mm pins (i.e. rectangular) and regular male pin headers are typically 0.64x0.64mm square, so the shrouds would just be all loose.

And anyway, I don't wanna have to do that dozens and dozens of times, nor waste a bunch of male pin header strips.

Have you tried 3D printing some of the correct dimensions? Might take a few tries to get a snug fit, but the cost of material for such a small piece would be nearly nothing.

[HwAoRrDk]

I don't have, nor have access to, a 3D printer.

[thm_w]

Here you go: https://www.tinyosshop.com/raspberry-pi-extra-tall-header

An ingenious idea, but one problem: these stackable headers nearly all have 0.64x0.60mm pins (i.e. rectangular) and regular male pin headers are typically 0.64x0.64mm square, so the shrouds would just be all loose.

And anyway, I don't wanna have to do that dozens and dozens of times, nor waste a bunch of male pin header strips.

Does it matter if the shroud pieces are a tiny bit loose? You push down the header, solder, it should hold it in place. And male header strips are incredibly cheap.
Your quantity is too low that the savings is not really worth it, $2*30pc is ~$60 in savings. Is it worth your time?
If you are really that cheap, you won't complain about having to do a bunch of extra steps