Housing that holds the harness together
The TE Connectivity 173853-1 is the 18-position dual-row plug housing from the Multi-Lock series, designed for free-hanging (in-line) wire-to-wire or wire-to-board harness assemblies. It accepts female socket crimp terminals — ordered separately — and secures the connection with a latch lock that holds under vibration. The white PBT insulation handles -30°C to 105°C, making it a fit for underhood automotive, industrial control cabinets, and outdoor telecom enclosures where the harness needs a positive-lock housing that won't creep open.
Wiring it — the contacts are a separate line item
This housing ships empty — the note 'Contacts Not Included' is the first thing to check on the BOM. You order the female socket crimp terminals separately, then terminate them onto the wire and insert into the 18 cavities. The 0.232" row spacing gives the crimp tooling enough room to seat each terminal without interference, and the dual-row layout keeps the wire bundle compact. The latch lock clicks home when the plug mates with the matching header or receptacle — no secondary lock required, but the audible click is your confirmation the pair is fully seated.
Where it lands in the Multi-Lock family
The Multi-Lock series spans single- and dual-row housings from 6 to 30 positions. The 18-position 173853-1 sits in the middle of the dual-row range — above the 6-position 1-1376477-6 (single-row, 0.098" pitch, red PA66) and below the 30-position 1-2333134-5 (dual-row receptacle, 0.079" pitch, black). All share the free-hanging crimp format and latch-style fastening, but the 173853-1's 0.232" row spacing is wider than the 0.130" on the 30-position receptacle — meaning the 18-position housing gives more room per cavity for larger wire gauges or thicker insulation.