This connector has one potentially fatal flaw, plus a few other weaknesses.
As always with uncertified connectors I do not recommend that these get used in safety critical situations or where liability could occur.
This modular connector system is quite neat. It can be stacked in various combinations, and the one connector acts as both plug and socket with shielded contacts on both sides.
The primary hazard is that these connectors are not keyed, and can easily be plugged in out of alignment, resulting in a risk of shock or equipment damage. That is a significant concern with users who don't understand the potentially fatal implications of an incorrectly mated connector.
In the pump scenario I describe in the video, if a maintenance operative was holding the earthed/grounded enclosure's door open with one hand and reached down and grabbed the pump with the other it would potentially result in a sustained and fatal shock.
A secondary issue is that the wire retaining spring is not linked to the metalwork in the same way as a Wago style terminal, and relies on plastic to hold it in place. That means that an arcing contact will potentially melt the plastic and loosen the connection further.
The connectors could have genuine uses for personal experimental projects, but I wouldn't recommend them for use in a professional environment. I'd also advise that they are only used at low current, as the mating area is quite small and of unknown pressure after the contacts have clicked past each other. Any contact heat will make the contact pressure worse too, due to softening of the plastic housing.
In summary, it's quite an interesting connector with a lot of potential uses. But it has its limitations.
I've only found one seller of these on eBay so far, but others are selling them on AliExpress. The item code is DF-2604D:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374321169827
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- https://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators
As always with uncertified connectors I do not recommend that these get used in safety critical situations or where liability could occur.
This modular connector system is quite neat. It can be stacked in various combinations, and the one connector acts as both plug and socket with shielded contacts on both sides.
The primary hazard is that these connectors are not keyed, and can easily be plugged in out of alignment, resulting in a risk of shock or equipment damage. That is a significant concern with users who don't understand the potentially fatal implications of an incorrectly mated connector.
In the pump scenario I describe in the video, if a maintenance operative was holding the earthed/grounded enclosure's door open with one hand and reached down and grabbed the pump with the other it would potentially result in a sustained and fatal shock.
A secondary issue is that the wire retaining spring is not linked to the metalwork in the same way as a Wago style terminal, and relies on plastic to hold it in place. That means that an arcing contact will potentially melt the plastic and loosen the connection further.
The connectors could have genuine uses for personal experimental projects, but I wouldn't recommend them for use in a professional environment. I'd also advise that they are only used at low current, as the mating area is quite small and of unknown pressure after the contacts have clicked past each other. Any contact heat will make the contact pressure worse too, due to softening of the plastic housing.
In summary, it's quite an interesting connector with a lot of potential uses. But it has its limitations.
I've only found one seller of these on eBay so far, but others are selling them on AliExpress. The item code is DF-2604D:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/374321169827
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:- https://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's algorithm quirks, allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
#ElectronicsCreators
It's almost good. Seems like a few very minor tweaks would make this a decent product. That plate to cap off the last module, if that protrudes to the connector it can prevent you from misalignment in at least one way. How easily do the modules separate by the way? Seems like if they do separate it will cause bare live contact to being exposed!
The misalignment issue could be solved by giving each color a different key pattern where they connect together. That way yellow nothing fits in yelow except yellow.
Those connectors are called hermaphrodite connectors because they're sexless – they plug into each other. There are many on the market and they're typically used where you don't want to worry about the sex of a connector. Though to be fair, most hermaphrodite connectors do ensure you cannot plug things in offset – usually they are sexed one way for one pole and the other pole has the other sex so when you plug it in, it only goes around one way. (I suppose those are bisexual connectors then too?)
Interesting concept. Looks quite flimsy on the negative side. Seems very handy for quick prototyping on the positive side, e.g. in a project where you haven't quite decided what types of connectors you will use and you know you will need more than a couple of types.
I'd consider them for low voltage and low current (both conditions met at the same time) applications. I don't like the fact that the spring is not permanently connected to the bar conductor and that its tiny pivot is made of plastic They don't look like they would last for decades in a permanent installation. Perhaps in a low voltage, low current installation that might be acceptable in certain cases, e.g. a small, low-powered battery toy.
Interesting. But I'll stick to wago.
Would be fun to see them tested at stated 32A
truefully i wouldnt really use them anything that does high power, there be ok for like i dont low power say 5v max, and for testing thw wiring making sure you got it all right and then swap to registered connectors that are safe to use, if that makes sense to you bigclive
This shows how important a proper risk analysis is when designing such a product.
In a situation where the connector is melting, more often than not the connector falling apart and going open is probably good
I think the simpler fix for these modular connectors being able to be connected out of sync with each other would have been to have each color key differently. Meaning that they come in pairs and the connector rod has a particular shape that can only push into its partner that it's paired with. Similar to how power connectors on a typical PC are keyed. So in this instance with three pairs of colors you can have One completely circular one completely square and one half circle half flat like a dome. This way when you try to fit them back together they should resist plugging in to things that aren't keyed to its mating pair.
I also niticed that they are marked 32 A 250V. So they would be unusable on 230/400 V 3 phase circuits(common in most of Europe even for small houses). It might also be 32 chinese amps, maybe 8 real amps.
Give it a coat of primer and it's an interesting greebly for scratch build scifi models
I see that they've modeled the mating connection off of Anderson Powerpole connectors.
Certainly very interesting
10 bucks for 10 connectors is out of this world expensive XD
a box of 50 wagos is 15bucks
Good for hobbyists, for temporary connections.
Let's see some destructive testing of these connectors.
Let's see them work at 32 amps. Good use for the flir camera 😁