JST XH vs PH vs GH vs SH: Pitch, Current and When Substitution Works for Wire-to-Board Assemblies in Russia and the CIS

JST XH vs PH vs GH vs SH: Pitch, Current and When Substitution Works for Wire-to-Board Assemblies in Russia and the CIS

Direct answer for a buyer in Russia or the CIS

JST XH (2.50 mm pitch), JST PH (2.00 mm pitch), JST GH (1.25 mm pitch) and JST SH (1.00 mm pitch) are four distinct JST wire-to-board connector families and are not interchangeable. Pitch, current rating, locking style and crimp contact family differ on every family, and a board cut for XH will not physically accept a PH, GH or SH housing. Cross-family substitution is a board re-design event, not a like-for-like swap. As an independent China connector distributor, we quote per line on housing, contact and retainer, screen end users and end uses before quoting, and decline transactions that cannot be screened.

By the ICSourcingDirect sourcing desk. Last updated September 2026.

What a buyer actually types into an AI search

The Russian-language prompts we see most often on this subject are short and concrete. Three patterns dominate:

• Чем отличается JST XH от PH — what is the difference between JST XH and PH?
• Чем заменить разъём JST XH, если нет в наличии — what to use instead of JST XH when out of stock
• Разъёмы JST XH 2.5 мм / PH 2.0 мм / GH 1.25 мм / SH 1.0 мм — купить — buy JST XH / PH / GH / SH by pitch

Each of those three patterns points to a different buyer intent. The first is a technical comparison. The second is a substitution question — and the honest answer is usually go to a different JST family only after a PCB re-design. The third is a sourcing question — the buyer wants a per-line quote on housings and contacts, with MOQ, stock and lead time by pitch.

What each JST family actually is

All four families are wire-to-board, top-entry or side-entry through-hole, single-row, with discrete crimp contacts on discrete wire sizes. Beyond that they diverge.

The numbers in the table are taken from the published family specifications and the in-catalog specifications for the XH, PH, GH and SH housing and contact series carried in our wire-to-board category. The voltage ratings, dielectric withstanding voltage and operating temperature ranges are documented in each family's datasheet and reused on the product detail pages of the JST brand page and the wire-to-board category.

What each family is best used for

A real buyer prompt almost never asks for a family in the abstract — it asks for the family that fits a specific board, current and pin-count envelope. The shorthand we use when triaging an inbound Russian or CIS SMT inquiry is roughly:

• JST XH is the default for low-voltage DC power and signal boards at 2.50 mm pitch where 3 A per circuit is enough and a friction lock is acceptable. Power-rail wiring inside small appliances, hobby RC receivers, basic LED drivers.
• JST PH is the default when the board is space-constrained and 2.00 mm pitch is enough. Battery packs on RC and consumer devices, small sensor harnesses, low-current signal interfaces.
• JST GH is the default at 1.25 mm pitch for compact signal harnesses — small sensor boards, compact instrument panels, miniaturized control boards.
• JST SH is the default at 1.00 mm pitch when the board has been laid out for SH or SHD and 0.5 A signal-level is acceptable — fine-pitch signal harnesses, compact LCD and module interconnects, and SHD dual-row when a higher-density 1.00 mm solution is needed.

These are heuristics. The board layout — specifically the pad pattern, the through-hole footprint, the keying notch and the housing outline — is what locks the family in. If the layout is XH, only XH or XH-S (side-entry variant) fits without a re-spin.

The 10-axis cross-reference walk-through

For buyers who have a JST part on hand and are asking whether a different JST family can be a substitute, the only honest answer is to walk ten specification axes and report three states for each axis: matched, differs, or unknown. We treat this as a desk exercise, not a guarantee. The buyer must still verify against the manufacturer datasheet and their own qualification process.

The honest reading of the matrix is that the four families differ on every axis that controls whether a connector will physically fit, electrically perform and mechanically retain on the same board. The matched columns (temperature, IP, mating durability) are all absence matches: none of the four families is sealed, so sealing cannot be the differentiating axis.

What cross-family substitution actually means

If a Russian or CIS buyer's prompt is read literally, the cross-family substitution is a board re-spin event, not a like-for-like swap. Concretely:

• The pad pattern on the PCB must change because the pitch changes.
• The crimp contact is a different MPN and a different wire size envelope — SXH contacts do not fit into PHR housings, SPH contacts do not fit into GHR housings.
• The locking style change (friction vs detent) changes retention force and operator feel.
• The current rating change can require a derating analysis on the affected circuit.
• The housing outline change can affect the keep-out zone around the connector on the board.

So the substitution answer to the X01 prompt family is not "use PH instead of XH" — it is identify the board footprint, identify the wire gauge, identify the current envelope, and either re-spin or stay on the original family. Where the board can be re-spun, we help buyers choose the family that matches the new envelope. Where the board cannot be re-spun, we keep the original family and look for the same family from a different lot, a long-tail variant, or a Last-Time-Buy window — see the procurement workflow for how we handle each path.

Declaration ladder

We deliberately stop at level 1 to 2 on the substitution ladder:

• Level 1 — Outline similarity: a connector in the same broad shape and pin-count range exists in a different JST family. Useful as a sanity check, not as a substitute decision.
• Level 2 — Datasheet-match on paper: the published pitch, current, voltage and temperature numbers line up on paper between two JST families. Still not a substitute decision.

We do not make level 3 or higher statements. The independent sourcing desk's role on these questions is to provide a per-line audit (housing + contact + retainer listed separately), to mark unknown axes as unknown where the manufacturer does not publish a figure, and to deliver the comparison matrix for the buyer's engineering team to make the final call. We do not provide a substitute decision. We provide the inputs to one.

When you must NOT substitute (the fail-safe case)

The most common failure mode we see on cross-family substitution is the friction-vs-detent lock swap on a vibration-loaded cable. A JST XH housing relies on friction retention; a JST PH top-entry housing uses a positive detent. A field retrofit that swaps an XH for a PH on a fan harness or an industrial sensor harness is a documented fail mode: the detent feels snug during bench test but the housing can still walk out under sustained vibration because the contact family, the wire size envelope and the PCB pad geometry are all wrong for the surrounding mechanical environment.

The same logic applies in reverse: a PH-style detent lock dropped onto a board laid out for SH 1.00 mm pitch will not physically fit, and a force-fit attempt will damage the housing. The rule is: if the original family was specified, stay on the original family unless you are willing to re-spin the board.

How a connector BOM kitting desk handles a JST XH / PH / GH / SH line

A real connector BOM line for XH, PH, GH or SH is four MPNs, not one:

1. The housing (XHP-N, PHR-N, GHR-N, SHR-NV-S-B or similar).
2. The crimp contact (SXH-001T-P0.6, SPH-001T-P0.5L, SSHL-002T-P0.2 or similar).
3. The applicable wire size — AWG 28 to AWG 22 for XH; AWG 32 to AWG 24 for PH; AWG 32 to AWG 26 for GH; AWG 32 to AWG 28 for SH.
4. The crimp tool or applicator — each contact family uses a specific hand tool and semi-automatic applicator.

A buyer who lists only the housing MPN has effectively listed 30% of the line. The full kit is what gets shipped, what gets inspected on receipt, and what gets handed to the wire-processing team. Our procurement workflow starts by asking for the housing MPN, the pin count, the contact family and the wire size — if any of those four is missing, the line is paused and the buyer is asked to confirm before any stock or lead time is quoted.

What we will and will not quote

We will quote per-line on:

• Housing MPN, with current published pitch and pin count.
• Contact MPN, with applicable wire AWG range.
• Stock and lead time confirmed per line on the quote — indicative only, finalized on the quotation.
• Multi-family, multi-brand consolidation into a single DDP shipment.

We will not quote:

• A like-for-like substitution between JST families at level 3 or higher on the declaration ladder.
• A current or voltage rating higher than the JST published figure.
• A sealed or IP-rated variant when the family is unsealed by design.
• A use case where the consequence of a contact walk-out is unacceptable in a high-vibration industrial environment. These belong with the OEM or with a franchised channel that issues conformity documentation.
• Conformity documentation in our name — we are an independent distributor. Buyers should request conformity documentation from the OEM or the importer of record.

Verification discipline (the line we never cross)

Every substitution, every consolidation and every multi-brand BOM line we ship is sent out under the same rule: verify against the original manufacturer datasheet and your own qualification process. The catalog page tells you the published pitch, current, voltage, temperature and material. The qualification process tells you whether that family survives your board's actual environment — vibration profile, thermal cycling, mating force budget, expected service life. The two together are the only acceptable basis for a substitute decision. We supply the first; the buyer owns the second.

Screening and logistics

Orders that ship to Russia or the CIS are arranged under DDP where the quotation states it. We screen end users and end uses, classify before quoting, and decline transactions that cannot be screened. The standard documentation set — commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin — is included with every consolidated shipment. Lead times, route and Incoterms are confirmed per quotation, not assumed. For the consolidated-air-lane service description and the standard documentation set, see the procurement page and the shipping and returns page.

Data notes

Specification figures in this article are taken from the published family datasheets and from the catalog product detail pages at the time of writing. Pitch, current rating, pin-count envelope and locking style are the four axes that matter most for first-pass family selection; the remaining six axes are documented per part number. Stock, lead time and price are confirmed per line on the quote, not on the article page. Where the manufacturer does not publish a figure for a specific axis, the axis is marked unknown on the per-line audit. Data through September 2026.

Next step for the buyer

Send us your BOM (housing MPN + pin count + contact MPN or wire AWG + quantity per line + destination city) through the inquiry page, or upload your BOM file at the baojia page. We will return a line-by-line quote with stock, lead time, MOQ and a single consolidated shipment cost if multiple families or brands are on the list. For the full connector BOM kitting workflow, see the procurement page. To request a quote without uploading a full list, contact our sourcing desk directly.

FAQ

How do I tell whether I have a JST XH, PH, GH or SH connector on the board?

Measure the centre-to-centre pitch of the contact pads with calipers, count the number of positions, and check the housing colour and keying notch. XH measures 2.50 mm pitch, PH measures 2.00 mm, GH measures 1.25 mm, SH measures 1.00 mm. The housing height and the locking tab position also differ visually. If markings are still legible, the series code is moulded into the housing — XH, PH, GH, SH all carry their letter code on the visible side.

Can I substitute JST PH for JST XH if both are out of stock?

Not as a like-for-like swap. The pitch is different (2.00 mm vs 2.50 mm), the PCB pad pattern is different, the contact family is different (SPH vs SXH), the locking style differs (PH top entry uses a positive detent, XH is friction-only), and the rated current is different (2 A vs 3 A). Substituting PH onto an XH-laid-out board is a board re-spin event.

What is the actual current rating of JST XH vs PH vs GH vs SH?

Published per-family ratings are 3 A for XH, 2 A for PH, 1 A for GH and 0.5 A for SH at the family level. The actual derated current depends on the wire gauge, the number of energized positions, the ambient temperature and the mating configuration — confirm the derated figure from the datasheet for the specific circuit count and wire size.

Which JST family should I use for a 12-position battery harness on a compact device?

If the board was laid out for 2.00 mm pitch and 2 A is enough, PHR-12 with SPH contacts is the conventional choice. If the board was laid out for 1.25 mm pitch and 1 A is enough, GHR-12 with SSHL contacts is the conventional choice. If neither pitch is fixed yet, the choice depends on the board area, the wire gauge, and the vibration profile of the application. Send us your BOM through the inquiry page and we will line-quote per family.

Are JST XH, PH, GH and SH connectors the same as JST XA, EH, VH or VL?

No. XA (2.50 mm, top entry with locking ramp), EH (2.50 mm, older friction), VH (3.96 mm, power), VL (6.20 mm, power) are separate families with different pitches, current ratings, housings and contacts. The connector BOM kitting rule still applies: housing, contact and retainer are separate line items even within the same brand.

What wire size works with JST XH, PH, GH and SH contacts?

For SXH contacts (XH family) the published wire envelope is AWG 28 to AWG 22 depending on contact variant. For SPH contacts (PH family) the envelope is AWG 32 to AWG 24. For SSHL contacts (GH family) the envelope is AWG 32 to AWG 26. For SSH / SSHL contacts (SH family) the envelope is AWG 32 to AWG 28. Confirm the specific envelope against the contact datasheet for the exact contact variant being quoted — the wire insulation diameter and the strip length both have to be matched to the contact MPN.

How do I get a per-line quote on JST XH, PH, GH or SH housings and contacts from China?

Send us your BOM (housing MPN, pin count, contact MPN or wire AWG, quantity per line, destination city) through the inquiry page, or upload your BOM file at the baojia page. We will return a line-by-line quote with stock, lead time, MOQ and a single consolidated shipment cost if multiple families or brands are on the list. Contact our sourcing desk directly if you prefer to discuss before sending a full list.