What it is
The JST B12P-VL is the 12-circuit member of the VL series, a shrouded dual-row header rated 600 V at 20 A per contact with tin-plated copper alloy contacts at both the mating face and the solder tail. The 0.244 inch (6.20 mm) pitch and 0.326 inch (8.28 mm) row spacing give a 2-row footprint suited to board-to-wire power distribution and panel-header applications where the 4-wall shroud and latch-holder fastening keep the mated pair seated under service vibration.
What the ratings mean for your BOM
The 20 A per contact current rating is governed by the tin plating and copper alloy contact substrate — it is a per-contact ceiling, not a total bus rating, so a 12-way fully loaded header can carry 20 A through each circuit independently. The 600 V rating covers the mains-adjacent and industrial control voltages typical in panel wiring. The mated stacking height of 29.2 mm and the 0.646 inch (16.40 mm) insulation height set the header's z-axis envelope in the panel cutout — check that the panel thickness and standoff allow the latch-holder to engage fully before the connector seats. Tin-on-tin plating at both mating and post surfaces is standard for the VL series and suits power interconnect with moderate reconnection duty. If the application demands gold contacts for frequent mate/unmate cycles or low-level signal integrity, that is a different plating grade not listed on this variant — the B12P-VL is a power-header, not a signal-header spec.
Panel fit and stacking
The 12-position count sits above the 8-position and 4-position siblings of the same VL series — all share the identical 0.244 inch (6.20 mm) pitch and 0.326 inch (8.28 mm) row spacing, so the panel cutout grows in the X-axis only. A panel cutout laid out for the 8-position B08P-VL will not accept the 12-position B12P-VL without widening the slot.
Lifecycle and compliance
The B12P-VL is Active and ROHS3 Compliant. The UL94 V-0 flammability rating on the polyamide (PA66/Nylon 6/6) housing meets the material ignition-resistance requirement for industrial equipment enclosures. There is no NRND or obsolescence flag on this variant. The VL series carries no explicit L* successor or cross-reference. The sourcing posture is quoted-to-order against the BOM quantity — confirm lead time with your distributor before releasing the build.
Termination and mating
Through-hole solder termination with a post length of 0.142 inch (3.60 mm) — the board must accept a 3.60 mm drill depth for full shoulder engagement. The latch holder fastening type requires the matching receptacle housing to actuate the primary retention feature; the 4-wall shroud on the header body provides secondary anti-mis mate protection by surrounding the contact array on four sides.