Product Overview
The J14A-38ZK1B2 connector is a 38-contact rectangular electrical connector from the J14 series, supplied as a panel-mounted receptacle with socket contacts and a 90° elbow PCB termination. Its rectangular shell carries all 38 circuits in one housing, so a cabinet that would otherwise need three or four smaller plugs can be wired through a single interface that keys, mounts and mates as one unit. Power and control circuits can share the same body, which shortens the cable run and keeps the panel layout readable during both assembly and service.
Design teams usually reach for this part when a machine is built in the workshop but serviced in the field. The receptacle stays on the panel, the mating plug travels with the cable assembly, and a technician separates the two by hand instead of unscrewing a terminal block. The same housing pattern serves prototype builds and volume schedules alike, so a design proved on the bench moves into series production without a new panel cut-out.
As a rectangular electrical connector manufacturer, we build the housing, the contact insert and the mounting hardware as one matched system, and we supply that system for industrial rectangular connector wholesale programmes. Contact spacing, keying and flange dimensions stay consistent from batch to batch, which is what makes a second or third order fit the panel you cut the first time.
Contact System & Signal Integrity
- Gold-plated socket contacts. Every socket in this gold contact rectangular connector carries a gold layer on its working surface, which holds contact resistance low and stable through repeated mating and resists the oxide film that forms on unplated copper alloys in damp air.
- 38 contacts on one insert. On the J14A-38ZK1B2 connector, the full complement sits in a single moulding, so a 38 pin rectangular connector brings an entire controller section to one point instead of spreading it across several smaller plugs.
- Socket side, not pin side. This is the K variant, so the spring-contact half stays on the fixed panel side and the pins travel with the removable cable assembly; a damaged pin becomes a plug-side service item rather than a panel rewire.
- Current and voltage follow the wire. The insert is built for industrial current loads, but the usable figure depends on wire gauge and on how the circuits are grouped, so take the rating from the datasheet for your exact wire before the pin-out is finalised.
- Insulation between adjacent contacts. The insert keeps a defined separation between neighbouring contacts, which is what stops a supply pair from coupling noise into a signal pair routed beside it.
- Clean interfaces mean quieter lines. Because the plating keeps the contact face free of tarnish, signal loss and radiated interference at the connector stay low on sensitive control and data circuits.
Housing, Mounting & Termination
The body is a rectangular shell rather than a circular one, which is why it sits flat in a panel layout where a round connector would stand proud of the surface. Housings in this series are produced in high-grade engineering thermoplastics or metal alloys, chosen for mechanical strength and impact resistance, so this gold contact rectangular connector keeps its contact alignment across all 38 positions even when a cable assembly is pulled during service.
Used as an industrial power signal connector at the cabinet boundary and supplied for industrial rectangular connector wholesale programmes, it carries supply and control wiring through the same insert, and the shell is keyed so the cable assembly can only be mated one way round. That single orientation matters on a panel carrying several similar connectors: a control plug physically cannot be pushed into a power socket.
Mounting is defined by the code. B stands for panel mounting and the final 2 sets a side-mounting flange, which offsets the screws so the connector sits beside a rail instead of on top of it; a narrow flange is available across the series for tighter layouts. Work from a cut-out drawing rather than from a fitted part, because the flange offset matters more than the shell size when the sheet metal is punched.
Termination on this model is the 90° elbow PCB option, so the tails bend straight down into the board and the connector body sits parallel to it. Across the J14 series rectangular connector the same code position covers solder cups and straight PCB tails for other variants, and cable-mounted versions are available where the cable side needs a free connector rather than a panel one.
Key Features and Advantages
- Locking that holds under vibration. The mating halves lock together rather than relying on friction, so a connector on a press frame, a conveyor drive or a vehicle-mounted panel does not walk loose under constant shaking.
- Survives the plant floor. Oils, coolants, temperature swings and humid air are the everyday background for an industrial power signal connector, and the housing and contact system are chosen to cope with them without an extra enclosure around the panel.
- One family across the machine. As a 38 pin connector supplier, we build plugs, receptacles, pin and socket contacts and the solder, PCB and cable versions around the same shell and keying, so spares stay interchangeable between machines built at different times.
- Lower maintenance, longer uptime. Intermittent faults at a panel boundary are expensive to chase; a connection that holds its resistance and stays mechanically seated removes a whole category of production stops and re-termination work.
Part Number Configuration
| Code | Meaning |
| J14 | Basic series |
| A | Series modification |
| 38 | Number of contacts |
| Z | Receptacle |
| K | Socket contacts |
| 1 | 90° elbow PCB termination, receptacle only |
| B | Panel mounting |
| 2 | Side-mounting flange |
| T | Plug, the mating half |
| J | Pin contacts |
| L | Cable mounting |
| Omit (termination) | Solder termination |
Target Applications
| Sector | Where this connector fits |
| Industrial automation | Control cabinets, PLC and I/O racks, motor-drive interfaces, sensor junction boxes |
| Robotics and motion systems | Axis controller wiring, teach-pendant connections, gripper and tooling harnesses |
| Railway and transportation | Door control, HVAC and signalling sub-assemblies, trackside cabinets, commercial vehicle dash panels |
| Energy and power equipment | Inverter control boards, battery monitoring racks, generator and switchgear control panels |
| Telecommunications | Base-station control shelves, rack-mounted networking hardware |
| Medical equipment | Diagnostic and monitoring devices that need a keyed, serviceable connection |
| Test and measurement | Data-acquisition front ends, switch matrices, laboratory fixtures |
| Marine and outdoor equipment | Deck control boxes, dockside power units and other installations exposed to humid air |
Ordering & Delivery
- Confirm the configuration. Send the full part-number string together with the panel or board drawing, and we will check contact type, termination and flange against what you are replacing.
- Request a quotation. As a rectangular electrical connector manufacturer we quote from our own production, so the price and schedule reflect the build rather than a reseller's stock position.
- Agree the quantity. Flexible MOQs cover trial batches and production releases on the same part number, so a pilot build and the series order stay technically identical.
- Confirm commercial terms. As a 38 pin connector supplier we agree payment terms, incoterms and packing at quotation stage, so the numbers you approve are the numbers on the shipping documents.
- Plan the delivery. Stable global delivery is scheduled against the confirmed production date, and every carton is packed to the part numbers and quantities on your purchase order.
Technical Support & Model Matching
Selecting the right connector is rarely a one-line decision. Send us your drawing, part number or a sample, and our engineering team will confirm the matching shell size, contact arrangement, coupling and mounting style, cross-reference discontinued or alternate part numbers, and advise on sealing and flange options for your environment. We also help troubleshoot fit, mating and signal problems, and give installation and commissioning guidance so your line stays up. As a direct manufacturer, our answers come from the people who build the parts — from first enquiry through after-sales support.
Incoming contacts, inserts and housings are checked before assembly, and finished connectors are inspected for contact position, plating condition and general workmanship. As a rectangular electrical connector manufacturer we control those steps ourselves, which is why a reorder matches the sample you qualified rather than drifting with a new sub-tier part. J14 series connectors are designed and tested against the relevant international standards — IEC, UL and MIL-SPEC where those apply to the ordering specification — and material selection follows RoHS and REACH requirements. If you are qualifying a 38 pin connector supplier for a programme, ask for the drawings, material declarations and inspection records your file needs, and we will send them with the quotation so purchasing and engineering work from the same document. Consistency is the part buyers actually feel. A single service replacement and a full industrial rectangular connector wholesale release go through the same inspection steps, so the connector that arrives in year three behaves like the one that passed first article.
FAQ
What does the suffix code on the J14A-38ZK1B2 connector tell me?
Each block of the string fixes one choice: J14 is the series, 38 is the contact count, Z marks a receptacle, K marks socket contacts, 1 is the 90° elbow PCB termination, B is panel mounting and the final 2 is the side-mounting flange. Quote the whole string when you ask for the mating plug, so keying and contact type line up with the half you already have.
Is this a plug or a receptacle, and which half do I order?
This model is the receptacle — the half fixed to the panel — and its contacts are sockets. In the J14 series rectangular connector the mating half is a plug (T in the code) fitted with pin contacts. When you are replacing a failed part, read the code on the old housing: a T means the cable side is the plug, a Z means the fixed side is the receptacle. Order the half that matches your existing counterpart.
Can one connector carry both power and signal circuits?
Yes. A 38 pin rectangular connector gives you enough contacts to run supply, return and control wiring through one shell, which is why it appears at the boundary of control cabinets. Keep high-current pins grouped and away from low-level signal pins, and confirm the rating against your wire gauge on the datasheet before the pin-out is signed off.
How is this model terminated, and what else is available?
The 1 in the code gives this variant a 90° elbow PCB termination, so the tails drop straight into the board and the body sits parallel to it. Solder-cup versions are built by leaving the termination position blank, and straight PCB tails use a 2. If your assembly needs a different interface, tell us the board arrangement and we will point you to the variant that fits.
How does it mount to a panel?
The B and 2 in the code give you panel mounting with a side-mounting flange, so the screws sit to the side of the shell — useful when a rail or another component sits directly above the connector. Within the J14 series rectangular connector a narrow flange is available for tighter spaces. Work from a cut-out drawing rather than measuring a fitted part, because the flange offset drives the layout.
Does it need a gasket, and where can it be used?
Sealing depends on the mating configuration and on the gaskets fitted at the interface, so treat the assembled pair as the sealed unit rather than the receptacle on its own. An industrial power signal connector like this one is normally specified for control cabinets, machine frames and other factory environments; if the installation is washed down or permanently wet, describe the environment and we will confirm what the interface needs.
What plating is on the contacts?
The K position specifies gold-plated socket contacts, which is what keeps contact resistance low and stable and protects the interface between mates. If your qualification file pins down a particular gold thickness or underplate for a gold contact rectangular connector, send that requirement with your enquiry and we will confirm it against the build before the order is released.
