Round Magnetic Connector

 

 

Round magnetic connectors provide a compact electrical interface for devices that require frequent charging, power transfer or signal connection. The circular housing works well with round enclosure openings and small installation areas, while the magnetic structure helps the mating sides align and connect quickly.

 

Xinteng manufactures standard and custom round magnetic connectors for wearable electronics, portable equipment, medical devices, smart appliances and industrial products. Available designs range from miniature 4.5 mm connectors to higher-current circular structures rated up to 12A.

Connector diameter is only one part of the selection process. Pin arrangement, rated current, magnetic holding force, installation depth, waterproof requirement and whether the connector needs rotational mating should all be considered before a model is selected.

 

 

The following products represent several different structures within our current round magnetic connector range.

Model / Type	Diameter / Structure	Pin Configuration	Electrical Rating	Magnetic Force	Key Feature
RM-1238	Ø4.5 mm	Compact layout	DC 12V / 1A	Confirm by drawing	IP67, 1.5 mm or 2.0 mm female thickness
RM-1082	Ø5.0 mm	Compact circular	DC 12V / 2A	400g ±20%	20,000 mating cycles
RM-1053 Circular Connector	Ø8.0 mm	Circular layout	DC 24V / 3A	650g ±20%	IP67, compact equipment connection
1 Pin Magnetic Charger Port	Ø8.0 mm	1 pin	DC 12V / 3A	Model-specific	Simple power connection
RM-1163	Ø8.5 mm	3 pin	DC 12V / 2A	320g	10,000 mating cycles, 48H salt spray
RM-1602 High Current Type	Round high-current structure	Custom layout	DC 30V / 12A	Confirm by drawing	High-current magnetic connection

 

These specifications belong to individual models rather than the entire product category. Final dimensions, electrical ratings, magnetic force and environmental requirements should be checked against the selected product drawing.

The table is intended as a starting point. Other standard configurations and drawing-based designs are available when these models do not match the equipment.

 

 

 

Round magnetic connectors are often selected according to the space available in the enclosure.

A smaller diameter works well for miniature electronics, but it also leaves less room for contacts, magnets, insulation and mechanical positioning features. Larger connectors provide more freedom for higher current, additional contacts or stronger mechanical structures.

 

4.5 mm for Miniature Wearable Devices

The RM-1238 uses a 4.5 mm circular structure and is available with female connector thicknesses of 1.5 mm and 2.0 mm.

This type of connector is intended for products where the charging interface has to fit around a battery, sensor and PCB in a very small enclosure. Smart rings and similar wearable products are typical examples.

The model is rated at DC 12V, up to 1A and IP67.

For products in this size range, installation depth is often as important as the outside diameter.

 

5 mm Compact Charging Connector

RM-1082 uses a 5.0 mm circular structure with a 0.6 mm pogo pin. It is rated at DC 12V and 2A and has passed a 20,000-cycle life test.

Its small diameter makes it suitable for compact charging interfaces where a conventional plug occupies too much enclosure space.

 

8 mm Circular Designs

An 8 mm connector provides more internal space while remaining compact enough for portable equipment.

The RM-1053 circular magnetic connector is rated at DC 24V and 3A, with IP67 protection and a female mating force of 650g ±20%.

The same diameter range can also be used for simpler contact arrangements. An existing 8 mm 1-pin design, for example, provides a DC 12V / 3A power connection where multiple signal contacts are not required.

 

Larger and High-Current Round Structures

When current capacity becomes more important than minimum connector size, a larger conductive structure may be required.

The RM-1602 is a round high-current magnetic connector rated at DC 30V and up to 12A. It illustrates the difference between a miniature charging connector and a round connector developed specifically for higher-current transfer.

Diameter should therefore be selected from the electrical and mechanical requirement rather than from appearance alone.

 

 

 

For most projects, four questions narrow the selection quickly: how much space is available, how many contacts are required, how much current must pass through the connector, and how the two sides need to mate.

 

Connector Diameter and Installation Depth

Start with the enclosure.

Provide the available opening diameter and the maximum depth behind the connector. A connector that fits the outside opening can still interfere with the PCB, battery or internal structural parts if its installation depth is not considered.

When the mechanical design is still flexible, selecting the connector before the enclosure is finalized usually makes integration easier.

 

Pin Configuration

Round connectors can use a single contact or multiple contacts depending on the circuit.

A 1-pin connector may be sufficient for a simple power interface. Multi-pin versions can provide additional electrical paths when the device requires separate power, ground, control or signal connections.

The contact layout also influences whether the connector can rotate after mating.

 

Current Requirement

The current rating is determined by the complete conductive path.

Contact size, contact resistance, spring structure, PCB connection and temperature rise all matter. A small connector should not be assigned a higher current simply because there is enough magnetic holding force.

Existing round products in the Xinteng range cover low-current miniature designs as well as a 12A high-current structure.

 

Magnetic Holding Force

Stronger magnetic attraction is not always better.

Wearable products normally require easy separation, while a charging dock or larger piece of equipment may need more retention.

Cable direction, connector weight and the expected external pulling force should be considered together. Where a standard model does not provide suitable holding force, the magnetic system can be adjusted during custom development.

 

 

The circular shape sometimes leads to the assumption that every round magnetic connector can rotate 360 degrees. That is not necessarily the case.

Whether continuous rotation is possible depends mainly on the contact arrangement.

A concentric contact structure can maintain the same electrical relationship as one side rotates. A connector with individual contacts arranged around the circumference may need fixed orientation because rotation could change which contacts are connected.

Projects that require 360-degree mating should identify this requirement before the pin layout is finalized.

Other products need the opposite behavior. If power polarity or signal sequence must remain fixed, the mating direction can be controlled through contact layout, housing features, mechanical positioning or magnet polarity.

For this reason, rotation and anti-reverse protection are treated as part of the connector structure rather than as an automatic feature of a round housing.

 

 

Water resistance is available on selected round magnetic connectors.

 

Current examples include the Ø4.5 mm RM-1238 and Ø8 mm RM-1053, both specified with IP67 protection.

An IP rating cannot be determined by the connector shape alone. Waterproof performance also depends on how the terminals, magnets and insulating materials are assembled and how the connector is installed into the equipment enclosure.

 

For a waterproof project, the target IP rating and installation drawing should be supplied during the design stage.

Higher current creates a different set of requirements.

 

The RM-1602 reaches 12A at DC 30V, but this performance comes from its conductive structure rather than from the magnetic system itself. Contact area, resistance, PCB connection and heat generation must be checked together.

 

When waterproofing and higher current are both required, those requirements should be specified at the beginning of the project rather than added after the housing has been finalized.

 

 

Round magnetic connectors are used across many industries, but the more useful distinction is the size and electrical requirement of the device.

 

Miniature Wearables

Smart rings, locators and other compact wearable products have very limited installation space.

For these devices, connector diameter and female-side thickness are usually the first constraints. A 4.5 mm design can provide a much smaller interface than a conventional charging port while keeping the connection integrated into the product housing.

 

Compact Portable Equipment

Products such as handheld devices, detectors and small charging equipment can use 5 mm to 8 mm circular connectors where slightly more installation space is available.

This size range provides additional room for contacts, magnets and sealing structures without requiring a large opening in the enclosure.

 

Medical and Personal Care Devices

Portable medical and personal care equipment often requires repeated connection and disconnection.

Connector selection for these applications should be based on the actual current, cleaning environment, corrosion resistance, expected mating frequency and enclosure protection requirement rather than on the industry name alone.

 

Higher-Current Equipment

Smart equipment, charging devices and other higher-power products can use larger round structures where current capacity is more important than minimum diameter.

In these applications, thermal behavior and contact resistance become more important selection factors.

 

 

A standard model is preferable when its diameter, current rating and mating structure already fit the device. It shortens the prototype stage and avoids unnecessary tooling.

 

Custom development is useful when the enclosure or electrical requirement falls outside the standard range.

 

Xinteng can develop round magnetic connectors from customer drawings, PCB layouts, 3D models or physical samples. Depending on the project, customization can cover:

• Outside diameter and installation depth
• Number and position of electrical contacts
• Rated voltage and current
• Magnetic holding force
• Pogo pin working stroke
• Rotational or fixed-orientation mating
• Anti-reverse structure
• Waterproof sealing
• Housing and positioning features
• PCB, cable or equipment-side mounting
• Contact material and plating

The first step is normally to compare the requirement with existing standard products. A completely new connector is developed only when the standard range cannot meet the mechanical or electrical conditions.

 

Xinteng also supports non-standard pogo pins and precision-machined metal parts. When a connector has to fit a customer-designed mechanical assembly, the electrical contacts, housing and related precision components can be reviewed from the same drawing instead of being developed independently.

 

Information Required for an RFQ

For an existing model, provide the model number and required quantity.

For a custom round magnetic connector, send the available information below:

• 2D or 3D drawing
• Available connector diameter
• Maximum installation depth
• Pin quantity and electrical function
• Rated voltage and current
• Required magnetic holding force
• PCB or cable connection method
• Whether 360-degree rotation is required
• Waterproof requirement
• Operating temperature
• Expected mating life
• Estimated prototype and production quantity

If the connector drawing is not yet complete, the enclosure model, PCB position and electrical requirements are enough for an initial evaluation.

 

 

Specifications for a round magnetic connector should be verified against the actual model rather than copied from another product in the same category.

Depending on the design, inspection and validation can include contact resistance, current carrying performance, magnetic holding force, contact force, working stroke, mating life, salt spray resistance, operating temperature, dimensional inspection and waterproof testing.

For example, current standard products use different life-test and environmental conditions: RM-1082 is specified for 20,000 mating cycles, while RM-1163 is specified for 10,000 cycles and a 48-hour salt spray test.

 

This model-specific approach is particularly important for custom connectors because current, magnetic force, sealing and mechanical dimensions can change together when the structure is modified.

Xinteng combines pogo pin machining, connector assembly, magnetic connector development and inspection. Standard products and drawing-based non-standard projects can therefore be handled through the same manufacturing process, from prototype verification to production.

 

 

What sizes are available for round magnetic connectors?

Existing Xinteng round magnetic connector designs include compact 4.5 mm, 5 mm, 8 mm and 8.5 mm structures, together with larger high-current designs. The correct diameter depends on enclosure space, pin quantity, current requirement and installation depth. Custom diameters can be developed when the standard range does not fit the equipment.

 

Can a round magnetic connector rotate 360 degrees?

Yes, but only when the electrical contact arrangement is designed for rotational mating. A round housing alone does not guarantee 360-degree electrical continuity. Concentric contact structures are better suited to rotation, while conventional multi-pin layouts may require a fixed mating orientation.

 

Are round magnetic connectors waterproof?

Selected models are waterproof. Current examples include RM-1238 and RM-1053 with IP67 protection. Waterproof performance must be confirmed for each model because the final rating depends on the connector structure and how it is installed into the equipment housing.

 

Can Xinteng manufacture a custom round magnetic connector from our drawing?

Yes. Round magnetic connectors can be developed from customer 2D/3D drawings, PCB layouts or samples. Diameter, pin layout, current capacity, magnetic force, waterproofing, rotational or anti-reverse structure and mounting details can all be evaluated. Standard connectors, non-standard pogo pins and related precision-machined parts can also be supplied for the same assembly.