What This Header Is and Where It Fits
The Molex 430451616 is a 16-position, dual-row surface-mount header from the Micro-Fit 3.0 43045 series. It's a board-to-cable/wire interconnect — the male pins mate with the matching Micro-Fit 3.0 receptacle housing to deliver power and signal in a single harness. The 3.00mm pitch keeps the board footprint compact while leaving enough creepage for the 600V rating, and the 8A per-circuit current capacity puts this squarely in power-duty territory, not just signal routing.
Key Features That Drive the Fit
The gold-plated mating contacts (15.0µin gold over nickel) are what separate this header from a tin-plated economy part — that plating thickness supports repeated mating cycles and holds up in corrosive or high-humidity environments without fretting corrosion. The 8A per-circuit rating at 600V means each pin can carry bus-level current; the limiting factor in practice is the temperature rise in the harness, not the header itself. The shrouded 4-wall housing with a locking ramp gives positive latching to the mating receptacle — you hear it click, and it stays clicked under vibration. The board lock feature holds the header in place during SMT reflow and adds shear strength against cable strain once mated. The LCP housing with UL94 V-0 rating is standard for equipment inside an enclosure that requires flame-rated components. The -40°C to 105°C operating range covers automotive under-hood, industrial cabinet, and outdoor telecom enclosures. ROHS3 compliance is confirmed, so it's good for EU-regulated assemblies without a waiver.
What It Mates With and How to Source It
This header mates with the standard Micro-Fit 3.0 receptacle housings — the dual-row, 16-circuit version being the obvious match. The 3.00mm pitch and 0.118" row spacing are consistent across the series, so any Micro-Fit 3.0 receptacle with the same position count and orientation will fit. The crimp terminals for the receptacle side are ordered separately; the header itself is a solder-to-board part, so no crimping on this half.