Electronic – Minimum distance between two connectors in a high voltage PCB design

My application will have low current (mA) but high voltage lines. High voltage will arriving from external source using banana jacks on the case.

I am looking for an example in which someone uses PCB connectors (i.e., terminal blocks) that carry high voltage (e.g., 5KV). But I'm not having success.

I have not found any connector with more than 2.5kV dielectric strength. But I must put external 5kV signal at one connector and 0V to the other one, if it's possible in the same PCB.

I would like to know how can be calculated the distance between two (separated) connectors that have a 2.5KV breakdown voltage but they need to support a bigger voltage difference between connector 1 and connector 2: 5kV.

• Connector 1: VCC+ (5KV)
• Connector 2: VSS- (0V)

With BV = 2.5KV for me it's clear that bringing the two connectors so close to each other the material will break. Maybe I'm wrong.

I know the creepage and clearance techniques, but if I understood well it's referred to the sheet material and the copper over it, that has its own breakdown voltage/mil. But what about connector material? I thought that E field will be constant between two connectors, but voltage will be decreasing equipotential lines.

1. So, could I find a distance between both connectors in which the VCC+ connector and VSS- connector will be safe from breakdown?

2. Whereas trace and pad spacing literature suggests for certain kind of material to divide nKV/30cm to obtain safety distance between pads or traces with high voltage differences, what can be applied to the gap of connectors? How to get the minimum distance between two connectors with higher voltage level than its breakdown voltage? I need to be sure of minimum distance in which I could solder them in a board without damage.

Take into account that I'm not talking about connector (copper) pads to another printed pad/trace distance. I know how to calculate the minimum clearance and creepage.

I try to say that I will use 2 separated connectors, one for V+ and other one for V-, as far as they can from each other. But how to relate the manufacturer parameter limitation (1kV) with the distance needed for 5kV (or whatever) between them? That's the point of the question. If connector dielectric parameter is negligible, please let me now.