Current Carrying Capacity or Current Carrying Capability (CCC) is a common specification for connector families of all shapes and sizes. As the name implies, each contact in a connector has a theoretical and practical maximum current rating. Samtec presents now a new interactive current carrying capacity tool that may bring an easier way to calculate CCC.
For example, typical 0.100″ (2.54 mm) headers and sockets may carry up to a few amps. High-power connector families like the EXTreme Ten60Power™ interconnects can handle up to 60 A per blade. Granted, CCC for a specific application depends on temperature, amount of contacts loaded, and more.
When current passes through the contact, the temperature increases as a result of I2R (resistive) heating. This test aims to get the product to rise 30 °C over five step increments in current.
The current it takes to achieve this temperature rise is then de-rated by 20%. The test is conducted in a closed environment, and thermal couples are placed on the connector set to measure the temperature rise.
Estimating CCC for a specific application can be found in the the qualification reports for each product family. Wouldn’t it be nicer if there was an easier way to calculate CCC?
New Interactive CCC Tool
We recently updated a small subset of series and parts on the website with a new interactive current carrying capacity tool. Where applicable, this tool allows users to select a temperature, a derate value, and configuration. This will output an interactive chart that will show the current that can be carried for the selected options.
This feature is currently deployed on these series and all part numbers within, with additional support for more coming in the future. Note that if you visit these pages before 6/11, the charts may not display yet due to caching.
