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I'm trying to order a batch of headers, the same kind of female headers found on Arduinos and Arduino shields that take male jumper wires as inputs.

When I put in the physical characteristics of the header:

  • Female OR Socket
  • 2.54mm pitch
  • Through Hole
  • Vertical OR Straight
  • [pin count]

...I still find myself with pages on pages of headers to scroll through, and the kind I'm looking for nowhere to be seen.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ I've tried various keywords like "pin header", and even "arduino header". Googling for "[number] pin pcb header female -stackable" finds them on some websites, but the goal here is to be able to throw them into a BOM to be fulfilled at a major supplier (e.g. Digikey, Mouser, Arrow, etc..), and that search only turns up specialty sites that won't have the other parts I'm wanting to put on a BOM. \$\endgroup\$
    – baudot
    May 16, 2018 at 0:15
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    \$\begingroup\$ I just call them female headers and I haven't found a problem finding them. What doesn't work for you with female headers? \$\endgroup\$
    – user253751
    May 16, 2018 at 0:28
  • \$\begingroup\$ Too many false positives. My searches come back loaded with brand name connectors, locking connectors, all connectors with extra features I don't want, that drive up the price. My neighborhood electronics store carries these for 25 to 75 cents each, depending on size. When all the entries I find on octopart and major suppliers are more expensive than buying them by the single at a brick and mortar store, I know something's wrong with my search. \$\endgroup\$
    – baudot
    May 16, 2018 at 0:35
  • \$\begingroup\$ @baudot Try breakaway header \$\endgroup\$
    – Axis
    May 16, 2018 at 0:52

2 Answers 2

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They go under a variety of names. These connectors are usually listed in a category called "Rectangular Connectors - Headers, Receptacles, Female Sockets" (205377 items on Digi-Key)" Then you specify number of rows, pitch size (2.54mm or 0.100"), etc. 3M calls them "boardmount sockets". They are also known as "female headers" (Sullins), or "vertical receptacle" by Molex and FCI-Amphenol. Or just simply "0.100" receptacle".

The cost of headers varies depending on complexity of pin receptacle construction (from simple fork-like receptacle, through two-four-sided leaf springs, to CNC machined round ones with multiple tiny springy wires inside). The next level of pricing depends on plating and its thickness, from tin-nickel on cheap side, to gold, from 0.05 um finish to 5 um finish. All this results in different contact current rating.

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I wanted to comment but I can't due I'm new on this side of stackexchange but there are several kind of connectors but tipically the pin headers (the stright one) are called dupont, this comes as headers like 2pins, 3, 4, 8, 10, 20 in one line or two, there are other connectors similar to stepper motor header (can be locked), this connector are called Molex; normally you can find it with the name of manufacturer. Also this part can be found for an express dealing on Aliexpress, DX or any other chinese dealer.

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    \$\begingroup\$ Fernando, Molex is a multi-national corporation with revenue in excess of $4B. It makes thousands and thousands of different connectors of huge variety and shapes and other electronics for all industrial sectors. Calling pin headers and female receptacles by street name "Molex" is not exactly an engineering. \$\endgroup\$
    – Ale..chenski
    May 16, 2018 at 1:34
  • \$\begingroup\$ Correct. There are MANY kinds of molex connectors, most of which (and the most well known of which) have the extra bells and whistles and cost I'm specifically looking to avoid. \$\endgroup\$
    – baudot
    May 16, 2018 at 2:01
  • \$\begingroup\$ Also note that the connectors that I at least think of as "Molex connectors", which are power supply connectors for older hard drives, are no longer made by Molex; they're made by TE Connectivity / AMP. \$\endgroup\$
    – Glenn Willen
    May 16, 2018 at 2:40
  • \$\begingroup\$ Well, the term Molex is given when some brand is known as the top or common as manufacturer; for example white schoolar adhesive is known as Resistol or if is an stick then is known as Pritt. A "name" never will be an engineering who thinks that of course is not an engineer. Try to browse using the dupont connector or dupont wires then you will have a lot of images then visualy you can select that what you need even if the multinational produces a lot of kind of connectors, ooh! that browsing also are called catalog. \$\endgroup\$
    – Fernando Baltazar
    Jan 13, 2019 at 21:33

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