Electrical Contacts, 2nd Edition

6

Low–Power Commercial, Automotive, and Appliance Connections

Anthony Lee and George Drew

They weighed me, dust by dust—

They balanced film by film

Emily Dickinson

CONTENTS

6.1      Introduction

6.2      Connectors

6.2.1      Functional Requirements

6.2.2      Types of Connectors

6.2.3      Mechanical Considerations

6.3      Contact Terminals

6.3.1      Contact Physics

6.3.2      Terminal Types

6.3.3      Other Electrical Contact Parameters

6.4      Degradation of Connector Contact

6.4.1      Surface Films

6.4.2      Fretting Corrosion of Tin-plated Contacts

6.4.3      Examples of Contact Failures

6.4.3.1      Automotive Position Sensor Connector

6.4.3.2      Fuel Injector Connector

6.4.3.3      Glowing Contacts

6.4.3.4      Electrolytic Corrosion ...