JST connector

File:Balancer Buchse XH.JPG

2.50mm JST-XH top-entry (vertical) male PCB connectors

JST RCY connectors

JST connector is an electrical connector that is manufactured by J.S.T. Mfg. Co. (Japan Solderless Terminal). JST manufactures numerous series (families) and pitches (pin-to-pin distance) of connectors.

JST connectors are commonly used by electronics hobbyists and consumer products for rechargeable battery packs, battery balancers, battery eliminator circuits, and radio controlled servos.

The term "JST" is commonly and incorrectly used as a vernacular term meaning a small white electrical connector mounted on PCBs inside products manufactured from Asia.

Connector series

JST manufactures a large number of series (families) of connectors. The PCB (wire-to-board) connectors are available in top (vertical) or side (horizontal) entry, and through-hole or surface-mount.

Wire-to-Board Connectors

JST Series	Pin-to-Pin Pitch	Pin Rows	Current (Amp)	Voltage (Volt)	Wire Size (AWG)	Shroud	Lock	Notes	Datasheet
VH	3.96 mm (0.156 in)	1	10	250	22 to 16	Yes/No	Yes	Unshrouded seems to be more popular than shrouded.	JST VH
EH	2.50 mm (0.098 in)	1	3	250	32 to 22	Yes	No		JST EH
XH	2.50 mm (0.098 in)	1	3	250	30 to 22	Yes	No	Used by many R/C batteries. Not 0.1" pitch.	JST XH
PA	2.00 mm (0.079 in)	1	3	250	28 to 22	Yes	Yes	Used by FMA Cellpro R/C battery chargers.	JST PA
PH	2.00 mm (0.079 in)	1	2	100	32 to 24	Yes	No	Compatible with KR, KRD, CR series.	JST PH
ZH	1.50 mm (0.059 in)	1	1	50	32 to 26	Yes	No	Compatible with ZR, ZM series.	JST ZH
GH	1.25 mm (0.049 in)	1	1	50	30 to 26	Yes	Yes	Some people confuse with Molex PicoBlade.	JST GH
SH	1.00 mm (0.039 in)	1	1	50	32 to 28	Yes	No	Compatible with SR, SZ series.	JST SH

Wire-to-Wire Connectors

JST Series	Pin-to-Pin Pitch	Pin Rows	Current (Amp)	Voltage (Volt)	Wire Size (AWG)	Features	Notes	Datasheet
RCY	2.50 mm (0.098 in)	1	3	250	28 to 22	Locking	Used in radio control (R/C), also known as BEC or P connector. Commonly found on small models, toys, and small lipo packs.	JST RCY
SM	2.50 mm (0.098 in)	1	3	250	28 to 22	Locking, High force	Used in some RGB LED decorative light strips.	JST SM

Connector soldering

Lithium polymer battery for Parrot AR.Drone with 4-pin JST-XH female connector (right, facing the camera) and 2-pin mini-Tamiya connector (left).

A majority of JST through-hole headers can't withstand the temperatures required for reflow soldering, because the plastic has a lower melting point since they were designed for wave soldering methods. Some JST surface-mount headers are designed to handle higher temperatures of reflow soldering.

Connector confusion on the internet

End-users and 3rd-party sellers on eBay often describe connectors by their wrong name thus perpetuating confusion of the exact series of a specific connector. Unfortunately, it is very common in blogs and websites to incorrectly name a specific connector only by the name of the manufacturer.

To minimize confusion, it is best to describe a connector using: the manufacturer's name, exact connector series, and optionally the pitch; such as "JST-XH" or "JST-XH-2.50mm" or "2.50mm JST XH-series" or other variations.

The official J.S.T. Co. website has a tool which allows users to check certain models for their authenticity and specifications.

In recent years, it is preferred to use millimeter (mm) instead of inches for pin-to-pin pitch distance. Note: Some 2.50 mm parts are incorrectly sold on the internet as 2.54 mm (0.100 in), and the 1.25 mm parts as 1.27 mm (0.050 in).

See also

• DC connector
• Electrical connector
• Pin header connector

External links

Official

• Official website, top-level websites for 16 countries, such as America and UK.
• Official list of JST connector series
• Official training slides for JST connector series

Other

• Closeup photo of JST SH / ZH / XH and Molex PicoBlade female connectors with r/c servo wires
• How to assemble JST SM connectors
• All about lipo balance connectors

• JST Corporate Profile / History / Buildings.
• List of JST connector series; JST.
• Search by connector application; JST.
• "JST" connector confusion - the real story; rcgroups blog.
• JST VH-series webpage.
• JST EH-series webpage.
• JST XH-series webpage.
• JST PA-series webpage.
• JST PH-series webpage.
• JST KR-series webpage.
• JST KRD-series webpage.
• JST CR-series webpage.
• JST ZH-series webpage.
• JST ZR-series webpage.
• JST ZM-series webpage.
• JST GH-series webpage.
• JST SH-series webpage.
• JST SR/SZ-series webpage.
• JST RCY-series webpage.
• JST SM-series webpage.
• Parrot AR.Drone battery technical details
• JST through-hole soldering; Official JST blog.