The TE Connectivity Buchanan 3-282837-3 is a 9-position PCB-mount terminal block from the Buchanan series. It uses a rising cage clamp wire termination — the screw tightens a clamping plate that presses the stripped wire against the current bar, giving a gas-tight connection that resists loosening from vibration or thermal cycling. The 0.200" (5.08mm) pitch is wide enough to keep 300 V creepage between adjacent circuits without needing a slot in the PCB. The green PA66 housing is the standard Buchanan colour for this series, and the side interlocking feature lets you snap multiple blocks together to build a wider strip without extra brackets.
Board Layout and Footprint
At 5.08mm pitch, the PCB footprint is straightforward — each position needs a hole for the screw terminal and a through-hole solder pad. The M3 screw threads accept standard screwdrivers, and the specified torque of 0.68 Nm (6 Lb-In) is the tightening limit — overtightening can strip the brass insert or crack the PA66 housing.
The rising cage clamp accepts 16-28 AWG wire. The brass clamp plate is nickel-plated, and the screw is also brass with nickel plating — the nickel layer resists corrosion in industrial atmospheres better than plain brass. The contact material is brass with tin plating, which is standard for terminal blocks where the connection is made by the clamp, not by the contact spring. For field wiring, strip the wire to the length specified in the product drawing, insert it into the cage opening, and tighten the M3 screw to 0.68 Nm.