Pogo Pin Connectors: Applications and Design Guide

Pogo pins (spring-loaded pins) provide reliable, removable connections for charging, testing and docking. They are everywhere in wearables, wireless chargers, test fixtures and industrial connectors. This guide covers the parameters that matter.

1. What is a pogo pin

A pogo pin is a spring-loaded contact: a plunger, a spring and a barrel inside a small tube. When pressed, the plunger retracts and the spring maintains a consistent force — giving a stable connection even with tolerance stack-up.

2. Key parameters

Parameter	Typical range	Why it matters
Pitch	1.27 / 2.0 / 2.54 mm	Density and current
Stroke	0.3–1.5 mm	Tolerance absorption
Spring force	50–300 gf	Contact reliability vs wear
Current rating	1–5 A per pin	Power vs heating
Plating	Gold 5–20 µ"	Corrosion and cycle life

3. Common applications

• Charging docks — smart watches, earbuds, handhelds.
• Test fixtures — ICT / flying probe / functional test.
• Wearables — detachable bands, modular devices.
• Magnetic connectors — pogo + magnet for alignment.

4. Design considerations

• Stroke — design for 50–70% of rated stroke to keep force stable.
• Plating — gold for reliable low-resistance contact; tin is cheaper but oxidizes.
• Guiding — add alignment features (chamfer, magnet) for high-pitch arrays.
• Current — for > 2 A, use multiple pins in parallel or a high-current pogo.

5. How to choose

• Count pins and pitch based on your layout.
• Choose stroke that covers your tolerance stack-up.
• Match spring force to your mating surface (softer surfaces need lower force).
• Gold-plate for > 10,000 cycles.

We offer custom pogo pins in 1.27 / 2.54 mm pitch, 2–128 pins, SMT or DIP, with custom length, stroke and spring force. Send us your drawing and we'll recommend the right contact.

Related products

• Pogo Pin Series
• USB Type-C AM Series