Connector assemblies having a housing, a pin, and a spring length having two free ends are used as a mechanical connector to secure two objects or components together or an electrical connector for placing two sources in electrical communication with one another. The spring length can be a canted coil spring in which the two free ends are not connected to one another and the coils can have an elliptical shape or a complex coil shape. The spring length can be used with a retaining component, can be used in a recessed slot formed with the housing or the pin, or both with a retaining component and with a recessed slot.