The TE Connectivity 770038-1 is a 6-position plug housing from the Universal MATE-N-LOK II series, configured as the rear section of a 3-row plug. It accepts either male or female crimp contacts — the same terminal works for both sides of the connection — and locks with a latch that gives an audible click when fully mated. The white nylon housing is free-hanging (in-line), so it sits in the middle of a harness rather than on a panel or board.
The One Thing That Trips Up Buyers: Contacts Are Not Included
The spec note is plain: Contacts Not Included. This housing ships empty — you order the crimp terminals separately. The Universal MATE-N-LOK II terminal family covers both male and female pins for wire sizes typically from 20 AWG down to 14 AWG, depending on the specific contact part number. If you are filling a BOM line for a 6-circuit harness, make sure the terminal line item is on the same purchase order; the housing alone does not complete the interconnect.
What Mates With It and How It Locks
This plug housing mates with the matching Universal MATE-N-LOK II 3-row receptacle housing. The latch lock on the plug side engages a corresponding ramp on the receptacle — push until it clicks. The 0.250" (6.35 mm) row spacing gives enough room between rows for the latch mechanism and for the crimp barrel of larger-gauge terminals. Because the housing accepts both male and female contacts, you can wire the plug side as either the pin or socket half of the connection, depending on which side of the harness you want the exposed pins on.
The closest functional peer in the same 6-position, 3-row layout is the 1-1644055-3. Both are free-hanging plug housings with the same row spacing and crimp termination. The 770038-1 is white; the 1-1644055-3 is natural and carries a Glow Wire Compliant rating. If your application requires glow-wire compliance per IEC 60335-1 (common for household appliance harnesses), the natural sibling is the correct pick. For general industrial or automotive use where glow-wire is not a requirement, the 770038-1 covers the same mechanical fit.