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Wire Connection for Encapsulation Suggestions

Former Member

I have a product that installs under the hood of a vehicle - harsh environment hence the encapsulation. The encapsulation is about 1cm thick in a 4cmx4cm enclosure.

I currently use pigtail wires that are directly connected to the PCB by through hole soldering. I am replacing all but one of the wires with a prefabbed wiring harness.

I do not want to leave this one wire as a pigtail connection but it is the only connection that must be made separately at installation and it cannot be included in the harness.

I think what I am looking for is some sort of standoff screw terminal or a binding post that will protrude from the epoxy. I would prefer something that doesn't require a

connector to be used since it is a customer/installer made connection.

Something like this would work http://www.keyelco.com/product.cfm/Vertical-Mount-Terminals/7699/product_id/1370 but my encapsulation would interfere with the screw and

ideally I could get almost flush with the encapsulation since this terminal will occasionally be energized with 12V.

This vertical screw terminal is also about all the room i can spare on my board, maybe a little more if I get creative.

 

I have scoured the Newark catalog and my other sources for something more suitable but can't find anything.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a way to make this single wire connection during the installation without any special tools or a terminal on the wire?

  • 0

    Hi Paul,

     

    How about the opposite method, i.e. a screw end, like a long self-clinching stud on the PCB, so that the screw end sticks out. Then, the user can make use of a nut and washers, and an eye terminal if they have a tool for it (just takes a cheap DIY tool which everyone will have).

     

    I don't know how long they are though, and a punch is needed for insertion, and probably very accurate boards to prevent them getting damaged. The alternative could be just a shakeproof washer at the board end, and conventional bolt, not self-clinch.

     

    Or, continue with the wire method, i.e. a short wire egressing from your module, and supply one of those automotive splice things - no idea what they are called though!