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The image shows three Faston style female terminals with a matchstick as size comparison. The terminals have three different coloured insulations.
Faston female terminals in three sizes, with insulation
The image shows three Faston style male terminals in three different sizes. They all have insulation in different colours.
Faston male terminals in three sizes, with insulation
Various single wire connectors: FASTON blade terminals (bottom), ring terminals (2 left), spade terminals (5 top), bullet terminals, male and female (2 right with blue wires)

FASTON terminals or faston terminals are connectors that are widely used in electronic and electrical equipment. These terminals are manufactured by many companies, commonly using the terms "quick disconnect", "quick connect", "tab" terminals, "spade" terminals[1] or blade connectors; without qualifiers, the first two could be mistaken for plumbing connections.

Description

The terminals are often called "quick disconnect" because the predecessors were screw terminals, which took longer to disconnect. The name "tab" terminals is a description of the shape of the male terminal.

Six series are covered in one of TE's catalogs (which omits the .375", but mentions it elsewhere), named after their blade width in mils.[2] Insulated versions of the terminals are color-coded to indicate what wire gauges they may be used with. The terminal system consists of tabs (male) and receptacles (female). There are free-hanging wire and circuit board mounted versions of both tabs and receptacles. All widths come mostly in one of two tab thicknesses: .032" and .020".

A hand tool exists for inserting the terminals: the AMP Universal Handle.[citation needed]

They have been commonly used since the 1970s. Faston is a trademark.

Specifications

Crimp styles

Four main styles of crimps are specified by AMP:

Wire gauge insulation colors

The colors don't provide information about the polarity of the crimped cables but specify their diameter.

Insulation color code AWG size range Comments
Yellow 26–22
Transparent 24–20
Red 22–16
Blue 16–14
Yellow/Black 16–14 Heavy duty
Yellow 12–10
Red 8
Blue 6
Yellow 4
Brown 2
Blue 1/0
Yellow 2/0
Red 3/0
Blue 4/0

Sizes and ratings

375 series

0.375-inch (9.5 mm) male tab width[4]

312 series

0.312-inch (7.92 mm) male tab width

250 series

0.250-inch (6.35 mm) male tab width

205 series

0.205-inch (5.21 mm) male tab width

187 series

0.187-inch (4.75 mm) male tab width

125 series

0.125-inch (3.18 mm) male tab width

110 series

0.110-inch (2.79 mm) male tab width

References

  1. ^ Bryant, Jefferson (2016-01-17). "KNOW-HOW NOTES – WIRING TERMINAL & CONNECTOR GUIDE".
  2. ^ "FASTON Terminals Insulated and Uninsulated" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  3. ^ "UL 310 Electrical Quick-Connect Terminals". Archived from the original on 13 July 2015. Retrieved 11 July 2015.
  4. ^ "TYCO FASTIN-FASTON Connector Product Specification" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 5 October 2022.

External links

Category