Inspection and Connection Troubleshooting of Board-to-Board Connectors

In this article Greenconn will introduce the testing and inspection of board-to-board connectors, and board-to-board connection issues and common fault handling.

Testing and Inspection of Board-to-Board Connectors

The loading voltage on the board-to-board connector should not exceed 50% of its rated voltage.

The installation size of the board-to-board connector requires that the length of the header for plug-in insertion and the soldering feet on the soldering PCB be exposed by more than 0.5mm of the PCB.

For board-to-board connectors with higher precision and density, if the PCB space allows, try to choose models with slightly positioned locating pins for easier operation when manual soldering is needed.

Check if there is any fool-proof design.

Check whether the materials used for board-to-board connectors contain lead.

For small-volume board-to-board connectors with low contact pressure used under lower current and voltage, it is recommended to use gold-plated or silver-plated connectors to avoid the influence of film layer resistance on the signal.

Pay attention to the mating height after the board-to-board connector is fitted and ensure that it meets the soldering height of the PCB's surrounding components. The mating height must be larger than the soldering height of the components around the PCB, and ensure that there is a certain margin to avoid interference. It is especially necessary to consider the possible height error of components after PCB soldering.

Board-to-Board Connection Issues and Common Fault Handling
Correctly connecting board-to-board connector products can improve product lifespan and ensure the proper operation of mechanical equipment. If fault happens to the board-to-board connectors without proper handling timely, it can lead to incalculable economic losses. The following content briefly describes the connection and fault handling methods for board-to-board connector circuits.
 

Connection problems of board-to-board connectors
Board-to-board plug and socket connector is used for electrically connecting two separate circuit boards. It consists of a first connector that is electrically connected to the circuit board and an adapter connector used to interconnect the first connector. The first connector has a first terminal that is electrically connected to the circuit board and a body that accommodates the first terminal. The adapter connector has a second terminal and a body that accommodates the second terminal. The two extended ends of the second terminal can be respectively inserted into and matched with the first terminal of the first connector to achieve electrical connection with the first connector, which is set on two separate circuit boards. Either the first or the second terminal has a reversely bent elastic part at its end. The body and the second terminal can have appropriate extended lengths according to the spacing standards of the circuit boards.

Connection troubleshooting of board-to-board connectors
Once the product fails to connect, it can be judged that the reason is that the wire is broken during use, or the product is loose, etc. The frequency of wire breakage in the middle is not high, and mostly it occurs at the connector part. Therefore, inspection should focus on the wires at the sensor and connection part to see if there are any problems such as looseness and poor contact. Generally, the open circuit fault caused by poor contact is mostly due to rust or external dirt entering the terminal or the connecting socket, leading to a decrease in contact pressure. To deal with this kind of failure, the connector needs to be removed and then re-inserted to change its connection status, so as to restore normal contact.