This article will show you the difference between JST SH connector and Molex PicoBlade connector. And how to identify one from the two.
JST SH connector is NOT the same as Molex Picoblade connector. Don’t use their female and male interchangeably.
What is JST SH connector?
JST SH is a 1.0mm pitch wire-to-board connection system. It is only 1.0mm. There is no JST SH 1.25mm connector.
What is Molex PicoBlade connector?
Molex PicoBlade is a 1.25mm pitch wire-to-board, wire-to-wire connection system.
Following is a comparison table of JST SH and Molex PicoBlade connectors.
| attributes \ series | JST SH | Molex PicoBlade |
|---|---|---|
| pitch | 1.0mm | 1.25mm |
| circuit size | 2 - 20 pin | 2 - 15 pin |
| current rating | 1A | 1A |
| voltage rating | 50V | 125V |
| applicable wire (AWG) | 32 - 28 | 32 - 26 |
| configurations | wb | wb |
| single row | YES | YES |
| dual row | NO | NO |
| locking feature | NO | YES |
| through hole type | NO | YES |
| SMT type | YES | YES |
PicoBlade has wire to wire option, but SH doesn’t. PicoBlade has both through-hole type and SMT type headers. SH has only SMT type.
And PicoBlade has a locking feature that can strengthen the mating retention force. SH has no locking feature.
How to identify JST SH and Molex Picobalde connectors?
Usually, there is trouble identifying the female housings of the two series. These are three simple ways to identify them.
1. measure the pitch
JST SH connector is 1.0mm pitch. And molex PicoBlade is 1.25mm pitch. The problem is that you might need professional measuring equipment, as it’s almost impossible to tell the difference between 1.0mm and 1.25mm with the naked eye.
For how to measure connector pitch, click here.
2. measure the height
Measuring the height is pretty easy to do with a ruler.
The height of JST SH housing (with and without flange) is 5.0mm.
The height of molex PicoBlade housing is 3.95mm.
3. visual comparison
Check the following pictures of JST SH housing and molex PicoBalde housing (from left to right, SH housing with flange, SH housing without flange, PicoBlade housing – 51021).
You can see that the PicoBlade housing has two locks on the back side. Which SH doesn’t. This is the easiest way to distinguish the two visually.
Note that 2-pin and 3-pin of PicoBlade housing have only one lock. 4-15 pins have two locks.
