Molex High Current-Density Mega-Fit Power Connectors Fill a Critical Power Gap with a Small Footprint

Molex High Current-Density Mega-Fit Power Connectors Fill a Critical Power Gap with a Small Footprint

This wire-to-board, mid-range product line fills a significant power void in today’s interconnect marketplace by delivering 23.0A in a small 5.70mm footprint. The compact design, paired with the high current terminals, provide one of the most power dense connectors in the industry. These feature-rich connectors are ideal for applications requiring power for 14.0 to 23.0A per terminal across multiple industries including consumer/home appliance; networking and telecommunications; industrial and commercial vehicle.

“Design engineers are looking for power interconnects in the 14.0 to 23.0A range, but historically find their choices limited to either much lower or much higher amperage than required. This gap often leaves design engineers to choose between a connector that is too large for the application or splitting power between multiple contacts on a smaller connector, in both instances increasing the PCB space required,” said Corey Schroeder, global product manager, Molex. “Molex solves this dilemma with its Mega-Fit power connectors, which feature high-current terminals and tight pitch and row spacing to enable delivery of more power per linear and square millimetre than other mid-range power products in the industry.”

Due to the critical nature and safety requirements of power interconnects, the terminal interface and crimp section of the Mega-Fit connector integrates advanced technology into this next generation of power connectors. The split-box terminal design staggers six contact points, each of which moves independently on a separate flexible beam in order to deliver a redundant, secondary current path for long-term reliability.

The staggered contacts allow the front four ‘sacrificial’ contacts to protect the two rear points of contact when un-mating, allowing the system to be ‘hot plugged’ at 48V/23.0A and up to 30 cycles. The terminals also feature an extended barrel conductor crimp, providing an extremely strong terminal-to-wire retention, which provides long-term durability and reliability.

The Mega-Fit 5.70mm pitch connectors also maintain many of the same characteristics found in the premium lines of Molex power products, including isolated terminals, positive housing locks and polarised housings.

Numerous applications would benefit from the Mega-Fit 5.70mm pitch connectors, including:

• Power delivery requirements between 14.0 and 23.0A: Many general market mid-range power connectors are rated below 14.0A. The Mega-Fit system not only provides power delivery in the higher range, but it does so in a compact size, allowing more power without sacrificing PCB space.

• When low power applications benefit from ‘power headroom’: Mega-Fit power connectors can also be used when additional current carrying capacity is preferred rather than using the maximum power on a smaller connector.

• To replace lower power connectors being used for current sharing: In some applications, design engineers may introduce current sharing, or splitting power between contacts with lower power connectors in order to achieve up to 23.0A. However, it is not only safer to use one current path with the Mega-Fit power connector, but it also reduces the PCB footprint.