The most common way to call harness- and component-side connectors

[curiocity]

Hi, I'm writing a troubleshooting manual for an electric vehicle.

Its electrical system consists of many electrical components such as sensors and encoders, and all the components interconnect by the main harness.

Sometimes, I need to guide the audience to put a multimeter on connector pins.
Here is a challenge--See the sentence below, for instance:

"Measure the voltage between pins 1 and 4 on the connector of the encoder."

When I mention "connector," it's very unclear whether the connector refers to the harness connector that is to be connected to the encoder (male), or the encoder-side connector that is to be connected to the main harness (female).

For me, there are two options to avoid this ambiguity:
1) Use the terms "male" and "female." But I rather want to clarify which side the connector is of.
2) Use the term "harness-side" and "component-side." However, there are very few search results for such terms as "the component-side connector of the encoder" when I google them.

Thus neither is satisfactory. I think there is a more proper pair of terms that distinguish between harness-side and component-side connectors. Please tell me how can I distinguish them.

 

[Squid]

Add a photo.

 

[curiocity]

There are so many instances that I cannot address all of them by adding a photo. Aren't there any common terms that distinguish connectors' sides?

 

[DPG]

The problem with describing connectors as male or female is that sometimes one plastic housing can plug into a larger plastic housing, so you would think the latter is the socket/female - but the actual metal pin may be on the 'socket/female' end, so do you call it 'male' instead?
Not sure if I've described the above very well, but hopefully you will be able to picture what I mean.

 

[DPG]

I'd use a photo as said above, but not on every step - put it in as an appendix so that they can refer to it whenever the type of connector is mentioned.

 

[Wilko]

Can't help with the Google numbers, but it should accurately described by board or component side versus connnecting cable?

 

[Lucien Nunes]

I'm not sure that there is a clear convention for this. I would avoid 'x side of y connector' as that can be taken as an indication of which way to face one part of the connector, rather than which of the two parts you mean (cf. cable side / contact side.)

'Wiring harness connector P302 (disconnected from the encoder)' and 'Encoder connector J302 (with the wiring harness disconnected) are unambiguous and can be used to introduce the plug/jack pair P302/J302 which can then be used without the explanation.

Better still, identify the signal lines: 'Measure between the A and /A lines of the wiring harness by disconnecting the harness plug (P302) from the encoder jack (J302) and connecting the meter probes to P302 pins 1 & 4.

A harness inline connector is often identifiable by the functions of the harness: 'disconnect the control box harness plug (P401) from the main chassis harness socket (J401) and measure across control box interlock lines X and Y at pins 12 and 17 of P401'.

 

[Lucien Nunes]

the actual metal pin may be on the 'socket/female' end, so do you call it 'male' instead?

Yes, often if only one gender of contact is present in each side, the gender is described by the contact. If contact gender is mixed or hermaphroditic (identical contacts both sides) then the shell may dictate and the terminology is usually plug / jack or plug / socket rather than male /female. Sometimes a proprietary system of naming (e.g. A-orientation / Z-orientation) indicates which gender of contacts is in which shell. You have to know the particular connector.

 

[Squid]

There are so many instances that I cannot address all of them by adding a photo. Aren't there any common terms that distinguish connectors' sides?

The watchamacallit that plugs in to the thingamajig.........

 

[The Ghost]

Maybe the answer lies in the question. i.e. Harness side or component side.

 

[HandySparks]

Just to throw another suggestion in. I have used 'fixed' and 'free' to describe panel mount and cable mounted connectors.

 

[Squid]

Or add an 0895 number at £1 per minute and call it the Technical Support line, you'll make a fortune.......