If you have ever opened an industrial control panel, you have probably seen a row of identical terminal blocks with a thin metal bar running across their tops, feeding the same voltage to every position. That bar is a terminal block jumper. A terminal block jumper is a conductive connector that electrically links two or more adjacent terminals so they share a common potential, letting one feed supply power or a signal to several circuits without running a separate wire to each one. This guide explains what jumpers are, the main types, what they are used for, and how to install them correctly.
A terminal block jumper (also called a jumper bar, link, or bridging connector) is a short conductive piece, usually tinned copper or brass, that plugs into the jumper slots of compatible terminal blocks. When installed, it creates a common electrical node across every terminal it touches.
Instead of daisy-chaining a wire from one terminal to the next, you land one feed conductor into a single terminal and let the jumper distribute that potential to all bridged positions. This reduces wiring, shrinks the risk of loose connections, and makes the panel easier to read. Jumpers are available in fixed and cut-to-length forms, and in insulated versions for touch safety.
Jumpers come in several formats, and the right choice depends on how many terminals you need to link and how often the configuration changes.
Comb jumpers are factory-made bars with multiple pins in a row that plug into several adjacent terminals at once. They are the fastest way to bridge a full row and carry the terminal block’s full current rating. Most comb jumpers can be cut to length, and individual pins can be broken off to skip a terminal that must stay isolated, for example a fused position in the middle of a like-polarity string.
Plug-in links connect a specific pair of terminals rather than a whole row. They give precise control over which terminals share a node and are useful when only two or three positions need bridging, or when the configuration changes frequently.
Pre-fabricated wire jumpers are short, ferrule-terminated leads that plug into adjacent terminal screws. They are the cleanest option when a comb cannot be used, for example when fused and distribution blocks alternate on the same rail, or when blocks of different pitch sit side by side.
Multi-level terminal blocks stack two or three circuits in one footprint. Vertical jumpers bridge the corresponding levels across adjacent blocks, distributing a common potential on each level while keeping levels electrically separate.
Jumpers exist to distribute one common potential across multiple terminals without extra wiring. The most common applications in industrial panels are:
In short, anywhere multiple terminals must share the same potential, a jumper is usually neater and more reliable than a handful of parallel wires. Our guide to DIN-rail terminal blocks covers the blocks themselves, and the terminal block types overview explains where each style fits.
Installation is straightforward when the jumper matches the terminal block series, but a few practices keep the connection safe and reliable:
Keep the jumper’s rated current in mind: the combined load of all bridged circuits must stay within the jumper and terminal block ratings.
Selection comes down to four checks:
If you are building a control panel from scratch, the brass terminal block range and its compatible accessories are a good starting point; the manufacturer’s datasheet lists the matching jumper part numbers.
A terminal block jumper electrically links two or more adjacent terminals so they share a common potential, allowing one feed to distribute power or a signal to several circuits without separate wires.
The main types are comb jumpers (multi-pole bridging bars), plug-in link jumpers, insulated wire jumpers, and vertical jumpers for multi-level blocks. They also come in fixed-length and cut-to-length versions.
Yes. Most comb jumpers can be cut to the exact number of positions you need, and individual pins can be broken off to skip terminals that must stay isolated.
No. Jumpers must match the terminal block manufacturer, series, and pitch. Using a jumper from a different series risks poor contact or short circuits.
It depends on the model, but the jumper must be rated for the combined current of every bridged circuit. Check the datasheet for the specific terminal block series.
A terminal block jumper is a small component with a big effect on panel wiring: it turns a row of individual terminals into a shared distribution point, cutting wiring time and improving reliability. Choose the format that fits your terminal block series, match the rating to the combined load, and install it with the row de-energized and continuity verified. For terminal blocks and compatible jumper accessories, browse the brass terminal block range or contact the manufacturer for part numbers matched to your panel design.
