Arduino Mega Stackable Headers?

kurte · February 11, 2013, 2:40pm

Just wondered if anyone has found a set of Stackable headers for the Arduino Megas/Dues/… that work. That is that make good and reliable contact with the connectors on the Arduino Megas. I have built a few shields now and I am always struggling with a few stackable IO pins that don’t make contact.

Most/all of the header pins I have used, I have purchased from NKCElectronics and Sparkfun. These are made by the company 4UCON. My guess is the shape of their long leads is not the best for making good contact.

Some advice that I have received so far include:

Jamb some foil down the each of the female holes on the megas connector to help make contacts. I have done this on some of the holes and now the buttons on my shield work. Need to do more.
try bending the IO leads on the stackable header in or out to try to force them to make contact. This feels problematic as the ones I have problems with or often the 2x18 connector and its hard enough to get all of the IO pins to align sufficiently to plug it in.
Use the same IO pins I use for the servo connections except on the other side of the board… They make better contact than these pins do. Could do but would lose the ability for plugging something else in. Not likely I will plug another board into mine, but it is nice for debugging and using IO pins that I have not used otherwise…

Other suggestions?

I see that Robotshop does sell a kit of stackable headers for the Mega: robotshop.com/productinfo.as … lang=en-US My question is. Are these 4UCON or do they have better pins? Also has it been updated for the new Megas. That is the Power group now has 8 pins (picked up VIORef and unused). Also the Last digital group is now 10 pins as on the DUE this includes a connection for 2nd I2C. If so I should get myself a few sets…

Thanks
Kurt

cbenson · February 11, 2013, 3:33pm

Unfortunately we do not know the actual manufacturer (not Itead Studios), though we have yet to hear any issues and they do seem to make proper contact (though not soldered to a shield). If you continue with idea #2 and bend the pins slightly, and then flex them so they can enter (but not change the bend) you should be ok. The shields on the MEGA are not easily inserted and removed many times.

km6vv · February 11, 2013, 7:05pm

I haven’t had any problems with the connectors. I’ve built a couple of shields. Mostly I just get the prototype kits, but I’ve also bought connectors from Pololu, I believe. Mouser and now DigiKey carry the prototype kits.

Alan KM6VV

dialfonzo · February 11, 2013, 8:51pm

Funny cause i desperatly search for those header too… .

kurte · February 22, 2013, 3:20pm

On my next shield I will be trying out some different stackable headers that I purchased at digikey. Hopefully they will give me better contact. The downside is they cost considerably more.

In case anyone is interested, what I am using per shield are:
1 10 pin - SAM1198-10-ND $2.97
5 8 pin - SAM1198-08-ND $2.53
0 6 pin - SAM1198-06-ND $2.29
1 2x18 - SAM1196-18-ND $7.36

Or pretty close to $23 per shield.

Versus if I use Sparkfun headers and assume $.50 each, comes out to about: 1(10 pin)+5(8 pin)+6(6 pin for 18 pin)= 12*.5= $6.0

In case anyone is interested in the differences of the connectors, here is a picture of one of these(right) and one I believe is a 4UCON(left)