BinKey

dual-row-40pin-female-headers

5 min read

Important Note

This entire repo was AI created - including all of the data within. The intent was to A) help me with my personal electronics inventory; and B) see how I could use AI to make that process a bit easier. DO NOT TRUST!

Dual Row 40-Pin Female Headers

Details

  • Location: Cabinet-3, Bin 44
  • Category: Connectors & Cables - Header Connectors
  • Type: Dual Row 40-Pin Female Headers
  • Package: Through-hole
  • Quantity: 20+
  • Status: Available
  • Pitch: 0.1” (2.54mm) standard
  • Gender: Female (sockets)
  • Pin Count: 40 pins (2x20 configuration)
  • Row Spacing: 0.6” (15.24mm) typical

Description

Dual row 40-pin female headers are high-density PCB connectors designed for GPIO interfaces, development boards, and complex digital systems. These headers feature 40 female sockets arranged in two parallel rows of 20 pins each, with standard 0.1” pitch spacing. They are most commonly used for Raspberry Pi GPIO connections, Arduino Mega interfaces, and custom development boards requiring high pin count connections. The dual row configuration provides excellent mechanical stability and efficient use of PCB space.

Specifications

Electrical Characteristics

  • Voltage Rating: 250V AC/DC (typical)
  • Current Rating: 3A per pin (typical)
  • Contact Resistance: <20mΩ (typical)
  • Insulation Resistance: >1000MΩ
  • Dielectric Strength: 1000V AC (typical)

Physical Characteristics

  • Pitch: 0.1” (2.54mm) standard spacing
  • Pin Count: 40 pins (2 rows × 20 pins)
  • Row Spacing: 0.6” (15.24mm) typical
  • Socket Diameter: 0.025” (0.64mm) typical
  • Overall Length: ~2.0” (50.8mm)
  • Overall Width: ~0.6” (15.24mm)
  • Insulator Material: Black plastic (typically nylon or PBT)
  • Contact Material: Brass with gold plating (typical)
  • Operating Temperature: -40°C to +85°C
  • Mounting: Through-hole

Key Features

  • High-density 40-pin configuration
  • Dual row design for mechanical stability
  • Standard 0.1” (2.54mm) pitch spacing
  • Through-hole mounting for secure PCB attachment
  • Compatible with Raspberry Pi GPIO pinout
  • Suitable for IDC ribbon cable connections
  • Low profile design
  • Gold-plated contacts for reliability

Applications

Common use cases and applications for this component:

  • Raspberry Pi GPIO breakout boards
  • Arduino Mega shield connections
  • Development board interfaces
  • Custom microcontroller boards
  • Data acquisition systems
  • Industrial control interfaces
  • Prototype expansion boards
  • IDC ribbon cable termination

Pin Configurations

Raspberry Pi GPIO (40-pin)

Pin Layout (Top View):
 1  3  5  7  9 11 13 15 17 19 21 23 25 27 29 31 33 35 37 39
 2  4  6  8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40

Common Raspberry Pi GPIO functions:
- Power: 3.3V, 5V, GND
- GPIO: Digital I/O pins
- SPI: MOSI, MISO, SCLK, CE
- I2C: SDA, SCL
- UART: TX, RX
- PWM: Hardware PWM outputs

Arduino Mega Compatibility

Can be used for Arduino Mega connections:
- Digital pins
- Analog inputs
- Power rails
- Communication interfaces
- PWM outputs

Circuit Examples

Raspberry Pi GPIO Breakout

Raspberry Pi 40-pin GPIO
    ↓
Dual Row 40-Pin Female Header
    ↓
Breakout PCB with:
- Screw terminals
- LED indicators
- Protection circuits
- Level shifters

Development Board Interface

Microcontroller PCB
├── 40-pin dual row header socket
├── GPIO expansion capability
├── Standard pinout compatibility
└── Modular system design

Expansion Module
├── Plugs into 40-pin header
├── Additional peripherals
├── Signal conditioning
└── User interface elements

Installation Examples

PCB Mounting

// Example: GPIO breakout board design
 
// PCB Layout Considerations:
// - 0.1" pitch spacing (2.54mm)
// - 0.6" row spacing (15.24mm)
// - Through-hole pad size: 0.040" (1.0mm)
// - Via size for routing: 0.020" (0.5mm)
 
// Pin numbering follows standard convention:
// Odd pins: 1, 3, 5, 7... (one row)
// Even pins: 2, 4, 6, 8... (other row)

Raspberry Pi Hat Design

Standard Raspberry Pi HAT:
├── 40-pin female header for Pi connection
├── EEPROM for HAT identification
├── Proper mechanical spacing
├── 3.3V logic level compatibility
└── Standard mounting holes

Technical Notes

Important technical considerations, limitations, or special requirements:

  • Pin Numbering: Follow standard GPIO pin numbering conventions
  • Voltage Levels: Ensure compatibility with target system voltage levels
  • Current Capacity: Consider total current draw across all pins
  • Signal Integrity: Use proper PCB layout for high-speed signals
  • Mechanical Stress: Provide adequate PCB support for connector
  • Insertion Force: May require significant force for 40-pin insertion
  • Alignment: Critical to maintain proper pin alignment during assembly
  • Soldering: Use wave soldering or careful hand soldering techniques

Design Guidelines

Best practices for using 40-pin dual row headers:

  • PCB Layout: Use ground planes for signal integrity
  • Decoupling: Add decoupling capacitors near power pins
  • Protection: Include ESD protection for exposed GPIO
  • Labeling: Clearly mark pin 1 and important signals
  • Mechanical: Design for proper mating connector support
  • Testing: Include test points for critical signals
  • Documentation: Provide clear pinout documentation

Raspberry Pi Compatibility

Specific considerations for Raspberry Pi applications:

  • 3.3V Logic: Most GPIO pins are 3.3V logic level
  • 5V Tolerant: Some pins are 5V tolerant (check datasheet)
  • Current Limits: Individual pin current limits (~16mA)
  • Power Pins: 5V and 3.3V power available
  • Special Functions: SPI, I2C, UART, PWM capabilities
  • HAT Specification: Follow official HAT design guidelines

Quality Considerations

Factors affecting connector reliability:

  • Contact Plating: Gold plating preferred for reliability
  • Insertion Cycles: Typical rating 100-1000 cycles
  • Environmental: Consider humidity and temperature effects
  • Cleaning: Keep contacts clean for reliable connection
  • Storage: Store in anti-static packaging
  • Handling: Avoid touching contact surfaces

Compatibility

Compatible with:

  • Raspberry Pi (all models with 40-pin GPIO)
  • Arduino Mega (with appropriate pinout)
  • Custom development boards
  • IDC ribbon cables (40-conductor)
  • Standard 0.1” pitch male headers
  • Prototyping systems

Tags

headers, connectors, female, dual-row, 40-pin, gpio, raspberry-pi, arduino cabinet-3 bin-44 status-available

Notes

These dual row 40-pin female headers are essential for high-density digital interfaces, particularly Raspberry Pi GPIO applications. They provide a reliable, standardized connection method for complex digital systems while maintaining the flexibility for custom PCB designs. The dual row configuration offers excellent mechanical stability and efficient PCB space utilization. Perfect for HAT development, GPIO breakout boards, and custom expansion modules. Keep adequate stock as they’re frequently used in development and production systems requiring high pin count interfaces.

Graph View

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