On 30 Jun 2016 06:21:35 -0700, you wrote:
>Thank you to all who replied. Your advice helps. I had not considered "polarized" pin/header socket connectors. However, I will for future projects, at least for power & ground. Since they are standard for PC's, I should probably make a habit of using them also for more-than-two-conductor connectors. They would certainly make connecting/disconnecting quicker.
On some of my projects, the power connector is symmetric (pin header).
Center pin is ground, then the remaining pins duplicate the functions,
so +5 gnd +5. Doesn't matter if you plug it in backwards. Even found
it to be very useful with adjustable regulators. Destroy the symmetry
by cutting a pin, plug it in one way and the output floats (and can be
adjusted), plug it in normally and you have a working (and adjusted)
regulator.
Harvey
>
>For external DC power connectors, I like to use coaxial (+ on the pin, - on the shield) jacks and matching plugs, because they are quick to disconnect and because you can't accidentally reverse the leads if you wired them correctly in the first place. These are also called "DC barrel jack" connectors.