What type of connector does GROVE use?
I'm interested in wiring some old sensors so they're compatible with GROVE, so I first need to identify the connector so I can buy the housing and pins to crimp. It looks to be some type of JST connector, but there are many different sizes, each with incompatible pitches and a lot of retailers often advertise them incorrectly. Unfortunately, I can't find any documentation of the connector on Seeedstudio's site.
It looks like the Grove connector is proprietary. I emailed Seeedstudio, and they directed me to this datasheet. Unless I'm reading it incorrectly, it doesn't appear to correspond to any type of JST connector, although it's similar. It has 2mm pin spacing, which would make it closest to the JST-PH type, but all the other dimensions are slightly different.
Here is the updated link on the seed website.
http://wiki.seeedstudio.com/wiki/File:3470130P1.pdf
Also note that Digikey now stocks seeedstudio stuff.
http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/seeed-technology-co-ltd/110990030/1597-1082-ND/5482560
http://www.digikey.ca/product-detail/en/seeed-technology-co-ltd/110990037/1597-1083-ND/5482561
I believe the OEM part is NS-Tech 1125S-4P: Wire to Board connector > PITCH 2.00mm > 1125 Series
Good luck finding a vendor!
It is not a JST connector. There are ramps on the side of the connector that won't allow the grove/seeed cables slide into the connectors. After I shaved/cut off the ramps, to allow them to fit into the connector, I found that the pins are slightly offset in there vertical alignment. This appears to be a custom connector. However, if anyone knows better, I would be interested, but the answer is not JST.
It is proprietary. It makes it hard to build your own custom length cables. But then if you are, you probably don't need Grove modules in the first place. I would use them more if I could build a cable. The JST PH 2.0 definitely doesn't work well, even if you shave it down. The PH also doesn't have the locking tab that the Grove connector does. It's interesting that some of the Grove boards have both JST PH 2.0 as well as Grove connectors for different purposes (e.g. LiPo battery connector)
These look like equivalents to the Molex Sherlock-series connectors (www.molex.com/molex/products/family?key=sherlock). I've ordered a Grove-compatible board that should get here Monday. I'll try connecting a Sherlock connector to it, and if I remember I'll give an answer back here as to whether it mates and locks properly. The pin pitch and pin dimensions are the same, I can tell that already, and it sure "looks like" a Sherlock connector.
It's definitely not a jst-connector - please have a look at them here http://www.amazon.com/Seeedstudio-20-pack-Grove-Connectors/dp/B00BB0I7V2 (the seeed website seems to be down at the moment). I Eagle you would search for a TWIG-4P-2.0. These guys have 4PINs which are connected to ground and VCC + the data lines depending on the sensor you want to use.
Here there are GROVE connectors in SMD and a drawing is included: Grove - SMD Universal 4 pin connector (10 Stück).
Have a look at:
YEONHO_ELECTRONICS_20037wr
YEONHO_ELECTRONICS_SMH200
YEONHO_ELECTRONICS_YST200
or
CJT CONN A2008 WR S 4P / A2008 H ......
This connector A2005(PHB-SMD) Series has become common in China, I have not found a supplier in the USA that carries it yet.
There is a similar connector, the A2008 series here.
A2005 images without-latching-plug:
I might have found at least one of the many possible manufacturers that make these types of connector. The manufacturer is Boom Precision Electronics and you can buy the connectors through LCSC.
Here are the links to four of the connectors on LCSC.
Vert. THT 4-Pin 2.00mm RA THT 4-Pin 2.00mm Vert. SMD 4-Pin 2.00mm RA SMD 4-Pin 2.00mm
Disclaimer: I never bought these connectors listed above so I never got the chance to try and mate the grove cable housing with it. It however does seem to fit the dimension and shape based on the drawings.
Following up from Cerin's answer, as the link to the datasheet on Seeed's website appears to have expired, I also contacted the technical support team at Seeed.
They sent me, I assume, the same datasheet. Here is a link to it, 110990030-model, and here is a screenshot, should the link die in the future:
Along with the datasheet, I also received the following information:
11006005(OLD) -->110060161(NEW)
Grove - Light Sensor change to V1.2, which had another light sensor.
Others same.
101020040(OLD)-->101020175(NEW)
Just some performance optimization.
From MCU's answer, and the linked eBay item for the Grove - SMD Universal 4 pin connector (10 Stück), the diagram below also shows the dimensions. However, it is quite clearly only a three pin connector, and not the four pin connector used in the Grove system:
See also Grove connector.
