Looking for 5 People to Experiment with Thermocouple/RTD Connectors

I will be unable to finish my project, customs ate my components?

I received the package today and it only contained the binding posts. The terminals that connect to the binding posts were not in the package. I thought the package was rather loosely taped when I discovered it at my door from the shipper. When I opened it, the few items inside were not in packing but, the packing material was in the box. How the thin binding posts remained in the box and the terminals disappeared is anyone guess. I don't have all the components.

How would you like me to proceed?

I will be unable to finish my project, customs ate my components?

I received the package today and it only contained the binding posts. The terminals that connect to the binding posts were not in the package. I thought the package was rather loosely taped when I discovered it at my door from the shipper. When I opened it, the few items inside were not in packing but, the packing material was in the box. How the thin binding posts remained in the box and the terminals disappeared is anyone guess. I don't have all the components.

How would you like me to proceed?

Were terminals listed on the packing slip?

The packing slips lists 9 ea Omega PCC-SMD-20 connector. From the documentation pic, I am assuming a connector contains both the clips (doc reference) and what I am calling the binding post (no reference in the document)

Appreciating the binding posts do come in two and three wire configurations, I am again assuming three wire configuration because 9 clips were included.

You may be correct DW, maybe the kit is only the clips. The exercise is just to the solder clips to a PCB. Rather odd if that is the case. The clips have a wide and narrow flange (black circle) that looks to mate with the binding posts to ensure polarity. Also the accuracy of the clips solder position would determine if the binding post fitted to the board.

Mounting the clips themselves does create a challenge. Note in the pic (red circle) there is an oval alignment hole for the clip. It appears to be larger than two through holes, maybe even three. It also has a left and right position.

My offer was to evaluate the connector using over the counter purchased perf boards. What would it take to use the connector on the electronic hobbyists go to PCBs?

Hi Sean,

Ordinarily the plug end would come pre-attached to a thermocouple (such as this one in the photo), although it is possible to obtain connectors on their own for self-assembling thermocouples.

I just visually tried to place the thermocouple plug against a stripboard, and it looks like two strips of copper will fit between the two connections, i.e. the centers of each are spaced approx 0.3" apart.

I don't feel they are suitable for stripboard (alternative through-hole sockets are available), but worst-case maybe they can be soldered upside-down? i.e. so that no oval hole is needed.

Maybe DW dougw is correct and there was only clips in the shipment. I would like to confirm that though.

I have been examining the clips to understand the requirements to install them. Mine is a research effort to determine if the connectors are suitable for perf boards. I saw the post from RS rscasny looking for volunteers and had a project that uses some thermal devices. I figured I could provide some feedback while working on the project.

I'm not sure if I am missing parts in the shipment or not. I am going to take the clips to the workshop and do some preliminary investigation. I think I really need the binding posts to determine if after the soldering work everything fits as hoped.

There are a number of challenges I think to using the connector in the pref board world. I'm hoping I can jury rig something to provide some insight if someone is thinking they would like to try using them. I always did like the old MacGyver TV show rather than the new one.

Sean,

I think all we were sent were the connectors, not the binding posts. Let me ask my shipper.

Randall

Nothing is missing. You were just sent the strip of connectors.

So, what do you need. Send it to me and I'll see what I can get.

Randall

The clips without the binding posts seem short sighted but by the look of it, there appears to be different binding posts that fit the clips. I assumed from the picture clips (black) and binding post (red) were a complete unit.

I received nine clips (black) would you have three three terminal binding posts (red). The temperature sensors I have each contain three wires.

I don't know about short-sighted. They are on a strip so I can only guess they are part of an automated machine that attaches them to the board.

I've done this kind of project before and I just provided the connectors. It was up to the person how to work with them.

But like I said, tell me what you need. I'll see if I can get it for you.

Randall

Hey, I'm trying to help not impede your efforts. Maybe short sighted is incorrect. Lack of clearly defined requirements might be more appropriate.

I looked at the documentation and it shows clips and binding posts in the picture. I get a package that has only clips. I'm not familiar with the product or how it is used. My offer was use the product in a project I am doing that involves temperature sensors and perf boards. A hobbyist application of the product. I'm not operating an automated assembly line manufacturing a number of boards.

If I need to purchase the binding posts, I can do that. It pretty difficult to evaluate the clip product if I don't have or I didn't know I needed to have binding posts to make a connection. As I indicated in my post it appears from shabaz post above, the clips may work with multiple binding posts. Who knew, not me.

I am more than willing to return the clips if what I offered doesn't align with your needs. 

Just to make the terminology clearer (because a search for binding posts for thermocouples won't reveal much).

Really it's just plugs and sockets. You've got sockets which happen to be surface-mount (the photo below shows sockets which are through-hole just as an example).

The plugs are known as thermocouple plugs, also known as 'mini thermocouple plugs' or 'miniature theromocouple plugs'.

Note: There are larger plugs with round pins instead of flat pins, they are physically larger and not as popular I think, they may be more popular in other industries.

Anyway the plugs usually happen to have screw terminals inside the plastic shell, which is why you're referring to them as binding posts, but really it's just known as a thermocouple plug. The photo below shows two plugs, both of which came pre-wired to thermocouples (although it is possible to purchase the plugs individually, usually people will just buy a pre-assembled thermocouple). (This is a bit like mains power sockets, it is expected that the end equipment is already terminated in a plug, so it's rare to purchase plugs). For instance I have maybe half a dozen thermocouple sockets for prototyping, but not a single bare plug.

If you wish to test if it will physically solder onto a stripboard, then provided you can space them 0.3" apart (i.e. two stripboard tracks between the terminals) and solder them, then that's mission accomplished.

If you're planning to build a circuit to measure temperature, then you'll likely want a pre-assembled thermocouple, because the plug on its own may be hard to utilize, because then the problem is moved to sourcing a thermocouple with wires ends (again, less popular than a pre-assembled one).