What the B3P-VH is
The JST B3P-VH is a 3-position single-row header in the VH series — 3.96 mm pitch, rated 10 A per circuit at 250 V with tin-plated brass contacts throughout. Shrouded on one wall with a locking ramp, it is a board-to-cable connector intended for wire-to-board power and signal distribution in industrial automation, consumer appliances, and HVAC controls where the VH series is a common BOM standard.
Mounting and footprint
Through-hole vertical orientation with solder termination — the 0.146-inch post length (3.70 mm) seats the header fully in the plated through-hole while the overall contact length of 0.575 inch (14.60 mm) sets the mated stack height to 16.5 mm. The square pin shape seats positively in the hole; no self-alignment feature, so check your board hole diameter tolerance against the 3.70 mm drill-landing.
What the ratings mean for the fit
The 10 A per contact rating handles LED driver outputs, motor control signals, and solenoid drives. The 250 V rating is above those circuits. Tin plating limits reconnection cycles; for a header that stays mated, this is not a limiting factor. The PA66 insulator carries UL94 V-0 flammability.
How it compares to its series peers
B3P-VH(LF)(SN) carries identical ratings — same 3 positions, 3.96 mm pitch, 10 A, 250 V, and single-wall shrouding — so it drops into the same footprint and mates with the same housing. The (LF)(SN) suffix indicates lead-free solder plating; for new production under RoHS mandates, use the B3P-VH(LF)(SN) or the ROHS3-compliant B3P-VH directly. The B3P-VH-FB-B adds four-wall shrouding and a board guide feature, which provides side-load protection and improved alignment during panel insertion — meaningful if the application sees vibration or if the housing-to-header alignment tolerance is tight. If single-wall shrouding was the original intent, the FB-B variant is a functional upgrade, not a different connector.