Power Contacts/Connectors Part III: Current Rating 1 A number of issues need resolution in order to perform a current rating test program. Both practical and philosophical issues should be taken into consideration as you embark on this process. We first discuss the practical issues. The relevant document for this discussion is EIA 364 D: TP-70B,Read More

Power Contacts/Connectors Part II: Current Concerns Before we begin discussing current rating, let’s define the types of current a contact or connector may carry. There are four different current types: Transient, overload, steady state, and intermittent, also called duty cycle, currents. Figure 1 illustrates the first three current types in an induction motor application. RegionRead More

Power Contacts and Connectors Part I: What is Power? Understanding power is critical to the design of power contacts and connectors. By presenting a six-part series exploring these specialty contacts, I hope to empower you to make the best design decisions the next time you embark on a project. We’ll begin by defining what isRead More