Front Mount, Rear Mount, Feed-Through or PCB?
| Style |
How it installs |
Good fit for |
| Front mount | Inserted from outside the panel and secured with a nut on the inside. | Most enclosures and junction boxes; the receptacle can be replaced from the front. |
| Rear mount | Inserted from inside the panel and secured with a nut on the outside. | Housings where the wiring side is accessible during assembly, with a cleaner exterior. |
| Feed-through (bulkhead) | M12 connector on both sides of the panel wall; no wire termination. | Passing a cordset connection through a guard or enclosure wall. |
| PCB | Contacts solder to a circuit board behind the panel. | OEM devices and electronics housings. |
Receptacles with wire leads list a conductor length, such as 0.5, 1, 2, or 5 m on Turck power receptacles. Choose a length that reaches your terminals inside the panel with some slack.
Mounting Threads
The mounting thread is separate from the M12 coupling thread. It sets the hole size in your panel and which gasket you need.
| Thread |
Where you will see it |
| M16 x 1.5 | Turck L, T, S, and K-coded power receptacles and many metric enclosures |
| 1/2"-14 NPT | North American enclosures and conduit-style entries |
| PG9 | Common on sensor receptacles and European enclosures |
| 1/4" NPT, M20 | Selected Murrelektronik and Turck receptacles |
Replacement receptacle gaskets are sized by mounting thread. Turck, for example, offers one gasket for PG9, M16, and 1/4" NPT receptacles and another for M20 and 1/2" NPT.
Reading a Turck Power Receptacle Part Number
| Part of the number |
Meaning |
Example |
| FK / FS | Front mount: FK = female, FS = male | FK54PL-1/M16 is a front mount female receptacle |
| FKFD / FSFD | Rear mount: FKFD = female, FSFD = male | FSFD54PK-1/M16 is a rear mount male receptacle |
| P + letter | Power coding: PL = L-coded, PT = T-coded, PK = K-coded, PS = S-coded | FS54PK is K-coded |
| Number after the dash | Conductor (lead) length in meters | FK54PL-2/M16 has 2 m leads |
| After the slash | Mounting thread: /M16 = M16 x 1.5, /14.5/NPT = 1/2"-14 NPT | FK44PL-5/14.5/NPT has a 1/2"-14 NPT thread |
M12 Receptacle FAQ
What is the difference between front mount and rear mount M12 receptacles?
A front mount receptacle is pushed through the panel from the outside and tightened with a nut on the inside. A rear mount receptacle goes in from the inside and is tightened with a nut on the outside. Front mount is easier to replace in the field, while rear mount suits housings that are assembled from the inside.
Should a power receptacle be male or female?
On power connections, the side that supplies power is usually female, so live contacts are not exposed when the cable is unplugged. A receptacle that feeds power out of a panel is typically female, and a receptacle that takes power into a device is typically male. Confirm against the mating cordset and the device datasheet.
Which M12 coding should I use for power?
Use L-coded or T-coded M12 for DC power and K-coded or S-coded M12 for AC power. In this category, Turck's L and T-coded receptacles are rated 63 V and its K and S-coded receptacles are rated 600 V. Each coding is keyed so it cannot mate with the others.
How do I keep a panel receptacle sealed?
Use the gasket or O-ring specified for the receptacle's mounting thread, tighten the mounting nut to the datasheet value, and cap the receptacle whenever no cordset is connected. An unmated receptacle does not carry the protection rating of a mated connection.
What is an M12 feed-through receptacle?
A feed-through, or bulkhead, receptacle has an M12 connector on both sides of the panel wall, so a cordset can plug in on each side with no wiring inside. It is used to pass a sensor or network connection through a guard or enclosure wall while keeping the opening sealed.
Need help matching a receptacle to your panel?
Send us the coding, the panel thread or hole size, and the lead length you need, and the Automation Distribution team will find the right M12 receptacle. Contact Automation Distribution or call 1-888-600-3080.
