Not a connector? What is it?

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Syn

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 7, 2018
Messages
56
Hello there,
today i was looking for a bus connector in my connectors collection and spotted what at first looks like a connector but is not (i guess).

I removed two pins of both types, they are very similar and it appears they can be blocked from touching (?) by a plastic fork, here is a picture so you can see what i talk about:

-

wit.jpg
*As size reference; Pin length is 5cm =~2inch


Any idea what this could be?
 
It's a connector pad for telephone lines, the brown plastic fork breaks the connection and disconnect a line (two cables) from the telephone exchange. There also is flat cable connectors that can be used to route the signal between different pads.
Usually found in the exchange but also in connection boxes along the way to the exchange.

There are a number of different designs in different countries. I haven't seen this model but several with the same function and similar design.

Göran
 
Thanks for your input Göran, your answer may be correct as the same box contained some other phone related connectors, however, it also included industrial PLC and Hi-Fi connectors & as i don't know where and when i got this, i can not tell if its related to each other or not, these parts just looked a bit weird.

Is there a chance for PGM's in it? Ag is obvious i guess :?
 
Check those little contacts that look like bars if they are soldered on. They are more than likely pd.
https://www.technology.matthey.com/article/26/3/106-117/
 
Depending on the age and usage it’s possible you have some palladium as it was widely used in old exchanges, if you have then it’s your lucky day as the price of Pd is now very high 8)
 
The picture may not show it, but roughly 65% of all modules have the typical silver tarnish, the other look 'silverish' too but have waay less tarnish. Is the golden hue at silver tarnish any kind of a hint?
 
I think the name is junction box connector or punch down block. The slit on the other end of the metal piece is for pushing down a wire, the isolation is pierced by the metal and a good connection is made in seconds.

The contact surfaces is not soldered on, they are formed by pressing the metal blade into that shape, the picture at lower right shows it, one is showing the top side and the other the bottom side. So it is only plated. Pd or Ag is possible, most probable silver plated.

Göran
 
Yeah i know these kind of connectors, i have them (A66/M1-50/KRONE/..) in the same boxes.
What i do not see is the very similarity between these and what i showed here, the only similar thing is the way the wires are connected, the shown design is completely different (while the others are very similar).
Going to take it with a grain for now.

I will test the plating and base this weekend, first with HCl+Air+time and with HCl+Sn.
The underlaying materials appear to be Al for the base pins and very pale copper/brass (2 types) for the contact pins.
 
It's definitely enterprise telecoms gear. I have a lot of it- tonnes in fact. The ones that tarnish are silver plated- the ones that don't aren't.

Interestingly I've not checked for Pd so I'll do that next week but thanks for the idea. 8)
 
Brass based pins gave me dark yellow to red, the other pins gave me white (sealed) and gray (exposed to air) and a bit green/blue for the copper based.

Will take it as a positive for now and dig deeper once i learned more about the processing.
Still wondering about its exact use..
 
anachronism said:
I have a lot of it- tonnes in fact.

This may be very good for you, these i showed are 30% plastic and 70% pins!
I removed all the plastic casings using 2 pliers cracking the middle, it takes some muscle but is really fast (100+lbs/hr), wish i had some more.
 
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