Our receptacle is nearly finished. Now we must decide what type of contacts are needed, sockets (female) or pins (male). If building a mated pair, we must decide which side of the connector pair the socket contacts will be placed. Generally, the socket contacts go on the powered or “hot” side of circuit because they are recessed in the insert. This protects the operator from shock and the equipment from damage that may come from touching an exposed contact. Pin contacts are exposed and are recommended for the load side of the circuit (the equipment receiving power). However, in low power or low voltage applications, this may not be a concern and it is up to the engineer to decide the design requirements for her or her application.
| Male Pin Contact | Female Socket Contact | |
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Summary
- A set of contacts consists of two parts, the pin (male) and the socket (female)
- Socket contacts generally go on the powered or “hot” side of a circuit
- Pin contacts are exposed and are recommended for the load side of the circuit
