Short-circuit plug

The term short-circuit plug refers to an electrical jumper that is equipped with pins and is constructed as a double banana plug. Short-circuit plugs belong to the group of PCB components and are primarily used in electrical prototyping where they are applied on plug-in boards. Short-circuit plugs can also be used for electrical installations, for example in building services technology. The characteristic shape and compact dimensions improve the overview of circuit designs. Thanks to a short-circuit plug, the status of an electrical connection can be determined at a glance.

Since both contacts are connected electrically, a short-circuit plug causes a short circuit when used in a socket. In addition to the use in experimental settings, short-circuit plugs can also be used when working on power connections. When applied in this situation, they ensure, for example, that the circuit cannot be inadvertently switched on at a power socket.

The pins of a short-circuit plug can have different designs. The classic banana plug has a name-giving, curved leaf spring element that ensures a firm fit. An alternative is the so-called tufted plug. In this case, the individual plugs fan out into springy wires that come together again or are held together by a cap. These wires perform the function of the leaf spring and hold the plug just as firmly in the socket.

Another variant of the short-circuit plug is a jumper, which is only a few millimetres in size. This is also known as a short circuit-jumper and has sockets instead of pins. Jumpers are primarily used in computer technology. The jumper is plugged onto the pins in question and thus bridges them.