6 Most Asked Questions About Phoenix Contact Terminals (From a Buyer Who Actually Uses Them)

6 Most Asked Questions About Phoenix Contact Terminals (From a Buyer Who Actually Uses Them)

If you're here, you're probably looking at Phoenix Contact terminals for the first time, or you're trying to decide if the 2320173 is the right part for your panel. Or maybe you're just trying to figure out how to use a crimper without mangling a wire. Either way, I've been there. Let me answer the questions I get most often from our internal teams and suppliers.

1. How do I know if a Phoenix Contact terminal is genuine or counterfeit?

This is the first thing I check now. We got burned a few years ago on what looked like a great deal. The terminals were cheaper by about 40%. They looked right. They fit the rail. But after six months, we had two failures in the field.

Here's what I look for now:

• The packaging: Genuine Phoenix Contact packaging has consistent printing and a specific barcode format. The knockoffs usually have blurry text or mismatched fonts.
• The marking: On a real 2320173, the part number is laser-etched, not printed. It's sharp and doesn't rub off.
• The material: Real terminals use a specific polyamide. They have a slight texture. Fakes often feel too glossy or too brittle.

Our supply chain manager now requires all new vendors to provide a certificate of authenticity with the first order. If they can't or won't, I don't buy. Period.

My experience is based on about 20 orders over three years. If you're sourcing through a major distributor like DigiKey or Mouser, you're probably fine. If you're using a secondary market, be careful.

2. Why is the 2320173 more expensive than a generic terminal block? Is it worth it?

People assume the higher price is just the brand name. From the outside, it looks like a piece of plastic and metal. What's the big deal?

The reality is different. The 2320173 is a specific feed-through terminal block with a screw connection and a test point. The price difference isn't just for the logo. It's for the consistent clamping force across a range of wire sizes (from 24 AWG to 12 AWG). It's for the track-resistant material that won't degrade over time in a panel with some humidity.

I had a project where we bought a cheaper, generic alternative to save $1.20 per terminal on a batch of 300. That $360 savings? It turned into a $1,500 problem when maintenance had to replace five terminals that overheated in the first year. The labor and downtime cost more than the parts.

My rule of thumb: For control panels that need to be reliable, I use Phoenix Contact. For temporary or low-criticality setups, I might consider a generic brand. But I verify the specs first.

3. I'm new to this. What's the best Phoenix Contact terminal for general-purpose wiring?

If I could only recommend one terminal block for a beginner starting a basic control panel, it would be the Phoenix Contact 2320173 (ST 2.5-TWIN). It's a twin-level terminal, which means you can connect two wires in parallel on the same level. It saves space on the DIN rail.

Think of it as the standard workhorse. It handles solid and stranded wire well, the screw connection is reliable, and the test point makes troubleshooting easier. It's not the cheapest option, but it's a safe starting point for most 24V DC and basic AC control circuits.

For smaller signals (like thermocouples or 4-20 mA loops), I'd look at the PT 1.5/S series. But for 90% of what I order, it's the 2320173.

4. How can I test if my crimps are good without expensive equipment?

This is a great question because bad crimps cause so many intermittent faults. I'm not a test engineer, but I've learned a few low-cost checks that help.

The 'pull test' (by hand): After crimping a ferrule or a pin terminal, give it a moderate tug. A good crimp won't budge. A bad one will slide off. The force required is low—just enough to feel resistance.

Visual inspection: Look at the crimp window (the transparent part of the connector). The wire insulation should be visible but not pushed into the metal contact. The metal crimp should evenly grip the bare wire. If you see a gap or a lopsided crimp, it's bad.

The shake test: For a quick check on a connection inside a terminal block, I'll gently wiggle the wire. If the terminal block screw is tight and the wire doesn't move, it's likely good.

This is not a substitute for a proper pull-test with a calibrated tool, but it catches 80% of the obvious errors. The real tool? A proper Duraforce Pro 2 crimper makes consistent crimps in the first place. That's the real fix.

5. What's the most common mistake people make when using a crimper on Phoenix Contact terminals?

It's not about the crimp force. It's about wire stripping length. People strip too little wire, or they strip too much.

If you strip too little wire, the insulation gets trapped inside the terminal block's clamping area. The screw compresses the insulation, not the bare copper. The connection will be weak and may loosen over time.

If you strip too much wire, you end up with bare copper exposed outside the terminal. That's a short-circuit risk and looks sloppy.

For Phoenix Contact terminals like the 2320173, the recommended strip length is usually around 8 mm (about 5/16 inch). I check the datasheet every time, because it varies slightly between different terminal types.

The other big mistake is using the wrong die in the crimper. The Duraforce Pro 2 has interchangeable dies for different wire sizes and ferrule types. If you use the big die for a tiny wire, the crimp will be loose. It's that simple.

6. Is there a difference between a 'Phoenix Contact' terminal and a 'Phoenix Contact terminal block' from a different series?

Yes, but it's not as confusing as it sounds. 'Phoenix Contact terminals' is a general term. The specific product family matters. The 2320173 is from the ST series (Screw Terminal). There's also the PT series (Push-in Technology) and the UT series (Universal Screw).

For our maintenance team, I stock mostly ST terminals because they're what the electricians are used to. But for new control panels being built by a system integrator, they often spec PT terminals because they're faster to wire (no screwdriver needed for the wire itself).

The key difference:

• ST (Screw Terminal): Reliable, familiar, good for high-vibration environments if properly torqued.
• PT (Push-in): Faster wiring, good for solid wires or ferruled stranded wires. Not great for bare stranded wire without a ferrule.
• UT (Universal Screw): Similar to ST but with a larger clamping range for bigger wires.

For a first project, I'd stick with ST. It's a safe choice. The 2320173 is a solid entry point. As of Q4 2024, that terminal was still readily available through our distributors.

This pricing was accurate as of late 2024. The market changes fast, so verify current rates before budgeting.