Connector
A connector is a latched and usually keyed connection element that joins a device to a wiring harness in a way that can be separated without tools. It is defined by pin count, current rating, sealing class and latch type. While it makes service and replacement easier, it also adds a new contact point.
Every connector brings one convenience and one risk. The convenience is being able to replace the device without dismantling the harness. The risk is that every pin pair adds its own contact resistance and its own probability of failure to the circuit.
- Current sharing: there is a current limit per pin; splitting a high current across several pins is done only in the arrangement the manufacturer permits.
- Latch: on vibrating installations a mechanical latch or a secondary lock is essential; friction contact cannot be trusted.
- Sealing: outdoors a gasketed type is used and unused pin cavities are closed with blanking plugs.
In the field, connectors are where faults most often start: a housing that has taken water, a backed-out pin, a worn contact surface and a wrongly mated socket. If unplugging and replugging the connector temporarily fixes the problem during diagnosis, the fault is most likely in the contact itself; instead of disconnecting it, confirm this by measuring the voltage drop across its two ends under load.
Context in which this term is used: Installation, redundancy and field continuity