Deutsch ASX Connectors

Deutsch ASX — AS Micro XtraLite HE Connectors

The Deutsch ASX (AS Micro XtraLite HE) series is the smallest and lightest connector in the Deutsch Autosport circular range, offering the tightest space envelope available for three, five, and six circuit connections. Shell size 2 — smaller than the ASU (Micro UltraLite) and ASL (MicroLITE) series — the ASX is the choice when every millimetre of harness space and every gram of connector weight matters. The 6-way ASX is the shortest, lightest AS connector available for six wires, filling the gap where previous connector families required a larger shell to accommodate six circuits.

Like all Deutsch Autosport connectors, the ASX features IP67 sealing, a positive locking coupling mechanism, and a scoop-proof interface. The bonded and sealed insert prevents moisture ingress, and interfacial wire sealing closes around each cable individually. Operating temperature range is −55 °C to +170 °C.

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Contact Arrangements

Arrangement	Contacts	Contact size	Rated current	Wire range
3-way	3	22	5 A per contact	22–28 AWG
5-way	5	24	3 A per contact	24–30 AWG
6-way	6	24	3 A per contact	24–30 AWG

The 3-way and 5/6-way arrangements use different contact sizes and wire ranges — confirm the arrangement before specifying wire gauge and contacts.

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Body Styles

Code	Body style	Description
0	Oval Flange Receptacle	Panel / bulkhead / firewall mount — two-hole bolt-down flange
1	In-Line Receptacle	Free-hanging inline receptacle for harness-to-harness connections
6	Plug	Free-hanging plug, mates onto body style 0 or 1 receptacle

The first digit of an ASX part number is the body style code: ASX002 = bulkhead receptacle, ASX102 = in-line receptacle, ASX602 = plug.

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Keyway Colour System

Six keyways prevent mis-mating between sensor circuits. The keyway letter appears immediately before the contact type suffix in the part number — for example ASX602-03PA-HE = keyway A, pin contacts.

Keyway	Band Colour	Notes
N	Red	Dedicated or high-priority circuit
A	Yellow	General sensor — most common
B	Blue	Second sensor circuit
C	Orange	Third sensor circuit
D	Green	Fourth sensor circuit
E	Grey	Fifth sensor circuit
U	Violet	Universal — plug (body style 6) only; mates with any keyway receptacle

U (Universal / Violet) keyway: A U-keyed plug mates with any other keyway receptacle (N, A, B, C, D, or E). Available on the plug (body style 6) only — there is no U-keyed ASX receptacle.

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Technical Specifications

Property	3-way	5-way	6-way
Series	AS Micro XtraLite (ASX)	AS Micro XtraLite (ASX)	AS Micro XtraLite (ASX)
Shell size	2	2	2
Contact size	22	24	24
Rated current	5 A per contact	3 A per contact	3 A per contact
Wire range	22–28 AWG	24–30 AWG	24–30 AWG
Wire sealing range	0.76–1.37 mm	0.56–1.02 mm	0.56–1.02 mm
Durability	500 mating cycles	500 mating cycles	500 mating cycles
IP rating	IP67	IP67	IP67
Operating temperature	−55 °C to +170 °C	−55 °C to +170 °C	−55 °C to +170 °C
Shell finish	Conductive black zinc	Conductive black zinc	Conductive black zinc
Contact material	Gold-plated copper alloy	Gold-plated copper alloy	Gold-plated copper alloy

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Part Number Guide

ASX [body style] 02 — [arrangement] [contact type] [keyway] -HE

Field	Code	Meaning
Body style	0	Oval flange receptacle (bulkhead/firewall)
Body style	1	In-line receptacle
Body style	6	Plug
Shell size	02	Shell size 2 — fixed for the entire ASX range
Arrangement	03	3-way
Arrangement	05	5-way
Arrangement	06	6-way
Contact type	S	Socket (female)
Contact type	P	Pin (male)
Keyway	N A B C D E	Keyway letter (see colour table above)
Suffix	-HE	High-performance environmental version

Part number examples:
– ASX602-03PA-HE — plug, pin contacts, 3-way, A keyway (yellow)
– ASX602-05PN-HE — plug, pin contacts, 5-way, N keyway (red)
– ASX002-03SN-HE — bulkhead receptacle, socket contacts, 3-way, N keyway (red)
– ASX102-06SA-HE — in-line receptacle, socket contacts, 6-way, A keyway (yellow)

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Shrink Boot Compatibility

The ASX series housing has a built-in boot termination feature on the rear for environmental sealing and strain relief of the wire bundle exit. Confirmed compatible boots:

Brand	Arrangement	Straight Boot	90° Angled Boot
HellermannTyton	All	1037-4-G	1182-4-G
Raychem	3-way	203W301	223W601
Raychem	5-way / 6-way	203W301-25-G02	223W601

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Deutsch ASX vs. ASU vs. ASL

	ASL (MicroLITE)	ASU (Micro UltraLite)	ASX (Micro XtraLite)
Shell size	6	3	2
Positions	5	3 or 5	3, 5, or 6
Contact size	23	22 (3-way) / 24 (5-way)	22 (3-way) / 24 (5/6-way)
Current per contact	3 A	5 A (3-way) / 3 A (5-way)	5 A (3-way) / 3 A (5/6-way)
Wire range	22–28 AWG	22–28 AWG (3-way) / 24–30 AWG (5-way)	22–28 AWG (3-way) / 24–30 AWG (5/6-way)
Keyways	N A B C D E U	N A B C D E U (plug only)	N A B C D E U (plug only)

ASL, ASU, and ASX are not interchangeable — different shell sizes, contact part numbers, crimp tooling, and boot sizes. Choose ASX when the application demands the smallest possible connector envelope for 3, 5, or 6 circuits.

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Motorsport Applications

The ASX series is used where the contact count of a 3, 5, or 6-way connection must fit into the smallest possible connector body. Typical applications:

• 6-way circuits — the ASX is the only Deutsch Autosport connector that carries six contacts in a shell size 2 body; the standard choice when six signals must occupy the minimum space and weight
• Sensor-dense areas around the engine — throttle position, MAP, coolant temperature, oil pressure, and other low-current sensor circuits where harness routing space is restricted
• Firewall bulkhead transitions — body style 0 (oval flange) provides a sealed, compact harness penetration in tight bulkhead locations
• Weight-critical harness builds — the ASX is smaller and lighter than the ASU, which is already 30% lighter per mated pair than the ASL; for maximum weight reduction in the micro connector range, ASX is the specification
• ECU and PDM sensor inputs — compatible with Deutsch Autosport circular sensor interfaces used by major motorsport ECU and PDM platforms

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FAQ

What is the Deutsch ASX connector and how does it compare to ASU and ASL?

The ASX (AS Micro XtraLite HE) is the smallest shell-size connector in the Deutsch Autosport circular range, using a size 2 shell. It is smaller and lighter than the ASU (Micro UltraLite, shell 3) and the ASL (MicroLITE, shell 6). The ASX is available in 3-way, 5-way, and 6-way layouts; the ASU covers 3-way and 5-way; the ASL is 5-way only. None of the three series are interchangeable — they differ in shell size, contact part numbers, crimp tooling, and shrink boots.

What contact sizes and current ratings do ASX connectors use?

The 3-way ASX uses size 22 contacts rated at 5 A per circuit, accepting 22–28 AWG wire. The 5-way and 6-way ASX use size 24 contacts rated at 3 A per circuit, accepting 24–30 AWG wire. Contact part numbers are shared with the ASU series — 3-way sockets are 604984, pins are 604946-31; 5/6-way sockets are 605704, pins are 605705-31.

What crimping tools do ASX connectors require?

Crimp tool: M22520/2-01 for both contact sizes. Positioner depends on arrangement and contact type: 3-way sockets use 605464, 3-way pins use 605463; 5/6-way sockets use 605840, 5/6-way pins use 605839. Insertion and removal tool: 605837 (Orange/White) for all ASX arrangements.

Are ASX connectors IP67 rated?

Yes. The bonded and sealed insert with interfacial wire sealing delivers IP67 environmental protection across all body styles and all three circuit arrangements. Operating temperature range is −55 °C to +170 °C.

What heat shrink boots fit Deutsch ASX connectors?

HellermannTyton 1037-4-G (straight) and 1182-4-G (90°) are compatible with all ASX arrangements. Raychem reference P/Ns: 203W301 straight and 223W601 90° for the 3-way; 203W301-25-G02 straight and 223W601 90° for the 5-way and 6-way.