Based on questions from customers, this article explains the meaning of contact resistance and insulation resistance of connectors.
Both are important basic terms because they are directly linked to the connection capabilities of connectors. Please make use of this information when designing devices.
This time, we aill explains contact resistance and insulation resistance of connectors.
You may have seen it in the catalog what connectors you use.Both are important words because they indicate the capabilities of “connect correctly” which in the essence of connectors. We will explain the meaning of each term.
1.Contact resistance
Contact resistance indicates the difficulty of current flow.
Panasonic indicates contact resistance (resistance to current flow) of a narrow-pitch connector between the mating socket and header terminals and that of an FPC connector at the mating area between the connector terminal and FPC. It contact resistance of the connector is large, the following will occur:
- Tendency to generate heat.
- Increase in wasted power consumption.
- Conduction failures are caused in the worst case.
Therefore, a smaller contact resistance is better.
Contact resistance of a connectors is determined by three factors which are terminal materials, cross-section and length of current path, and contact resistance .
Panasonic guarantees contact resistance value of connectors under the conditions specified by JIS C5402 Standards.
If you want to allow to flow a large current on the actual machine, you needunderatand an effective method of using connectors to prevent connection problems caused by their contact resistance, for example, by using multiple pinsto allow current to flow.
2.Insulation resistance
Insulation resistance of connectors indicates performance that current does not leak between adjacent terminals.
Insufficient insulation resistance causes a short-circuit current between adjacent terminals.
Contrary to the contact resistance, higher insulation resistance is better.
Insulation resistance value of connectors is determined by the spatial distance between its adjacent terminals, the molding materials, and creepage distance of the molded part.
Panasonic guarantees insulation resistance value of each connector after measuring them with a 250-V DC megger for one minute.
In the connector, the contact resistance indicates the electrical resistance between connectors and its counterpart to be connected, the insulation resistance indicates the electrical resistance between the adjacent terminals of a connector. (Figure 1)
How were about explanations? This time, Panasonic had introduced basic knowledge of connectors' contact resistance and insulation resistance of connectors, which are essential information.
