TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ELECTRONICS - Preferred Electrical Connector: The alignment features comprise a projecting conical surface on the plug body and a recessed conical surface on the socket body. The positioning ring comprises elastomeric foam. It further comprises a number of metal or thermoplastic spring elements. A positive contact is housed in the inner conductive receptacle to facilitate electrical coupling between the inner conductive receptacle and the second conductor. The second conductor further comprises an insulating tip guard. The plug assembly or the socket assembly is coupled with a photovoltaic module. The electrical connector further comprises weep holes disposed in the socket assembly for water vapor transfer away from the second conductor. An elastomeric tip is disposed at the end of the outer barrel of the plug assembly, and where the elastomeric tip of the plug assembly is provided to effect a compression fit in the socket barrel. The flexible conductor extends from the socket body through the positioning ring. The electrical connector comprises: (a) a plug assembly having a plug body and an outer barrel with an inner conductive receptacle electrically coupled to a first conductor in the plug body, where a positive contact is housed in the inner conductive receptacle and is operable at insertions depths; and (b) a socket assembly having a socket body movably held within an outer housing by a positioning ring, where the socket body has a socket barrel with a second conductor fixed in it to be received in the inner conductive receptacle of the plug assembly, where the plug assembly and the socket assembly include alignment features to align the inner conductive receptacle and the second conductor during coupling of the socket assembly and the plug assembly, and where the plug assembly and the socket assembly comprise a locking feature to secure the socket assembly and the plug assembly in a coupled position, the locking feature comprising a ratcheting mechanism to allow for a range of coupled positions, the ratcheting mechanism including a pair of tangs extending from the socket body, each tang having a hook that engages sloped teeth of the plug body. The second conductor is electrically coupled to a third conductor through a flexible conductor extending from the socket body through the positioning ring.