Plating split — the decision that drives contact life
The 0430450222 uses a split plating finish that separates the job each surface needs to do. The mating side carries 15.0 µin (0.38 µm) gold over the brass contact, which resists fretting and sustains multiple cycles without the surface degradation that tin would show under repeated mate/unmate. The solder-tail side is 100.0 µin (2.54 µm) tin — the thicker matte tin promotes reliable solder wetting and protects the joint from oxidation through assembly and long-term storage. For the buyer specifying into a harness that will see field service or repeated mating cycles, the gold-on-mating / tin-on-tail split is the point — it maximises lifecycle at the interface without paying for gold plating on the portion that never mates.
Ratings that govern the fit
At 8 A per circuit and 600 V, the 0430450222 is rated for power-interconnect duties that a purely signal-rated header at the same 3.00 mm pitch would not support. The 8 A ceiling is per-contact — the actual current the circuit carries is governed by wire gauge and the derating curve for the full mated assembly, but this header does not self-limit below the power range. The operating window is -40°C to 105°C; the insulation height is 0.290 inch (7.37 mm), which sets the standoff above the board surface when seated in a right-angle configuration.