Grove connectors on grove shield seem to be nonstandard

[pjsg]

I just received my digisparks and various shields -- thanks.


My first project is to finish the build of my chicken door opener (see that thread for more info), however the white male connectors supplied for the grove shield do not actually mate with grove cables. I suspect that it might mate with some surgery on the cable end connector, but I thought that I would check with the assembled wisdom here first...


Anybody else had this problem?


Thanks


Philip

[digistump]

I have some Grove relays and cables from Seeedstudio that I used to test the parts when they first arrived and they fit fine.


Comparing the the plug on the relays with the ones we used, ours a bit shorter but otherwise they seem to be more or less the same.


Can you expand on how they don't mate? Where you got yours? Maybe a few photos?


Thanks,
Erik

[digistump]

Looking at seedstudios website I see what is probably the issue - the two sides have a raised edge - this is not present on the cables we have (perhaps ours are older/newer?)


Here is the strange part - we got the part numbers from Seeedstudio... In addition we got part numbers for female plugs from them and looking at the datasheet for that part, the plugs don't have the raised edges either... so I am at a loss as to why the ones they are shipping are different.


Is cutting/shaving off the two ridges sufficient for them to work?


I'll continue to look into this, I certainly apologize - these connectors weren't cheap and we specifically got the standard, name brand ones, to ensure they would be compatible - obviously that didn't work.


Anyone else have old or new grove devices they can check with? Let us know...

[digistump]

Looking further at the grove site:


This appears to be the cable we have that works with it:


http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/images/product/gv5cm1_01.jpg




Product link: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/grove-universal-4-pin-buckled-5cm-cable-5-pcs-pack-p-925.html




This once appears to have the ridges that won't work wit it:


http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/images/product/groveuni1_01.jpg


product link: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/grove-universal-4-pin-20cm-cable-5-pcs-pack-p-749.html?cPath=178_179




So it seems the Grove system has two different cable types - can anyone confirm this?


It also appears that the standard connectors the we purchased from Tyco Electornics mate with the first cable but not the second - which makes me wonder if they recently switched to a different supplier and plug type....

[Trakkasure]

I can confirm that the connectors are different.


I basically just jam the connectors in the groove module.. (smashing interface) and for the most part they stay.


I had picked up a handfull of groove modules to prototype a bunch of stuff... I was surprised to see the differences... but noticed the adapter cables in the product listings.

[pjsg]

Here are a couple of pictures:





This shows the cable not fitting in a digispark connector. I have cables both as part of the Grove starter bundle and from a supplementary order and they all have the little "wings" on the connector.


This picture compares a SEEED grove module and a built digispark grove module:





This shows that the connectors are significantly different.


Philip

[digistump]

Thanks for the pictures Philip


I'm sure that it is frustrating to not have it be plug and play, I'm pretty frustrated that I was given a part number that wasn't compatible with the cables they are currently shipping, but worked with the ones I had bought previously.


I've found they even list the part number we were given on the site as being the correct socket:
See the reviews on this page: http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/grove-universal-4-pin-connector-p-789.html?pages=2&cPath=156_158&r_q=q


While the sockets on my official Grove devices look like yours, the cables I have do not - they lack the ridges - which I'm thinking even the other cables I linked to previously might have.


This is something we will correct moving forward, so far I've yet to find the right sockets available even - besides 10 at a time from Seeed.


I've added a note to the wiki and ordered some of the current cables so I can try modding them myself. Will shaving off the ridges be sufficient to make them fit?


I apologize for the incompatibility - hopefully the mod to make them fit won't be too difficult, sometimes even testing can't eliminate all the issues!


Again we are sorry for the issues.
Thanks,
Erik

[pjsg]

The photo on the seeed page is correct, but the mouser link is incorrect.


This connector looks close: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/B04B-PASK(LF)(SN)/455-1819-ND/926725


I spent a fair amount of time looking for a closer match, but I didn't find it.


Philip

[digistump]

Yeah - those do look closer - I'm checking with Seeed and hoping that I can just buy them in bulk from them/their manufacturer.

[JeffRand]

Looking at seedstudios website I see what is probably the issue - the two sides have a raised edge - this is not present on the cables we have (perhaps ours are older/newer?)


Here is the strange part - we got the part numbers from Seeedstudio... In addition we got part numbers for female plugs from them and looking at the datasheet for that part, the plugs don't have the raised edges either... so I am at a loss as to why the ones they are shipping are different.


Is cutting/shaving off the two ridges sufficient for them to work?


I'll continue to look into this, I certainly apologize - these connectors weren't cheap and we specifically got the standard, name brand ones, to ensure they would be compatible - obviously that didn't work.


Anyone else have old or new grove devices they can check with? Let us know...

Yep, I discovered I have the same problem. I shaved off the ridges on one of my grove cables, and it works fine. I also ordered a bunch of the correct connectors from seeedstudio on Jan 12th. I'm still waiting to receive them. I plan to replace the two connectors on my grove shield, so that I don't have to modify my other grove cables.
BTW, I connected one of my grove sonar modules and it works great with the digispark. I have a program that displays the distance on my LCD shield. I will post a link to my code and everything when I get a chance.
 

[digistump]

Just wanted to note - we have been selling them with connector bought directly from Seeed for the past month and will continue to sell them with the exact same connectors that Seeed uses from here on out - I apologize to anyone who received ones with the old connectors and had to modify the cables slightly to fit.

[JeffRand]

Thanks Erik. This wasn't a big problem for me. I'm very happy with everything I've received from you. I'll be tinkering more this weekend. I'm getting close to finishing up some of my projects.