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Fixing power Y-splitter

Durzel

Durzel

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Sorry for yet another mundane technical thread :(

Have got an LED strip on my TZ that flashes er.. with a flasher. It was connected up via a Y-splitter (?) to the flasher power.

It seems during some work one of the wires has been snagged and has come out, and the other looks dodgy too.

How do I go about fixing this? Do I need some kind of molex pin remover?

Thanks in advance

1C6A5479-BA57-4970-A494-A7556C5B31E1.jpegC969C71F-4E7A-464B-8B07-B461B0C3C4CB.jpeg
 
Durzel said:
Sorry for yet another mundane technical thread :(

Have got an LED strip on my TZ that flashes er.. with a flasher. It was connected up via a Y-splitter (?) to the flasher power.

It seems during some work one of the wires has been snagged and has come out, and the other looks dodgy too.

How do I go about fixing this? Do I need some kind of molex pin remover?

Thanks in advance

View attachment 70728View attachment 70729
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Basic guesswork here, but use a fine screwdriver to press the sprung prong that holds the pin in place and pull out backwards. Then resolder black to black to reconnect. I'm mainly repairing EM games, but looks like a simple fix. Happy to stand corrected - lots of expertise here...

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Thanks.

I had a brief try at removing the pins with a small screwdriver, but couldn't get them to come out. I think there is a retaining prong on both sides, so it needs something to go over the pin to release them both at the same time.

There is probably a tool that can do it, but I'm not sure which one I need, and I'm loathe to spend too much to fix one thing.
 
Durzel said:
Thanks.

I had a brief try at removing the pins with a small screwdriver, but couldn't get them to come out. I think there is a retaining prong on both sides, so it needs something to go over the pin to release them both at the same time.

There is probably a tool that can do it, but I'm not sure which one I need, and I'm loathe to spend too much to fix one thing.
Click to expand...
Sounds fiddly, but sounds like a job for two mini screwdrivers! I only buy tools when necessary - I'm unsure about those exact connectors, but if the prongs are bent in - they can be reset to previous position once the pin is out. That said, I wouldn't want to make the situation worse with my bodging attitude! Where there's a will... Best of..

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Bill Froog said:
Sounds fiddly, but sounds like a job for two mini screwdrivers! I only buy tools when necessary - I'm unsure about those exact connectors, but if the prongs are bent in - they can be reset to previous position once the pin is out. That said, I wouldn't want to make the situation worse with my bodging attitude! Where there's a will... Best of..

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Click to expand...
Saying that - as long as you don't break the prong, it's all recoverable in my experience.

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Well, it was driving me mad so I had a crack at it a few minutes ago, as you do..

Couldn't get the prongs out for love nor money, all I was managing to do is deform the female part of them.

In the end I pulled the still attached wires off, stripped them a bit (even messed that up a bit), then soldered them onto the base of the prongs. I then used electrical tape to hide the worst soldering job in history... at one point the wires were all fused together... it looked like something that a child would've done.

It's now working again but I'm going to buy new prongs and Molex plugs and do it from scratch, as I can't bear to leave such an amateur job in place. :(
 
These are a 'mare to get out, the "proper" tool is basically like a metal tube that pushes over the pin to close the flanges, I've read that a biro insert or parts of an extendable metal car aerial may work. I've worked similar out using jewelers screwdrivers. Either way the crimp terminals can't shouldn't really be reused you might do well just connecting a new 2-way wire-to-wire connector to both sides. The method to crimp two wires into a single pin is described here http://www.pinrepair.com/connect/#looped

....alternatively leave the bodge, forget about it and move on :)
 
This is going to sound stupid...

It works now, but I'm not 100% convinced that the soldering I did (at like 1am last night - I was annoyed) isn't bridging the red and black pins. It is very flimsy soldering anyway since I have just attached the wires to the base of the still inserted prong. If red and black were touching it would blow a fuse wouldn't it? Or not work at all?

I put electrical tape all around it to try and keep it together, but it really is pretty poor. It is going to play on my mind until I get it done properly I think.

From looking at it - are those .093" or .062" connectors? Any idea what the red one is? Trying to work out what I need to order.
 
I find a really useful pinball tool is (are?) Digital calipers with these you could break out and measure the diameter of the terminals.

Alternatively Measure the pitch (distance) between the pins. Molex standard .062" will be 3.68mm and .093" is 5.03-6.7mm. This may be a cheapo Molex copy but should be close.

If you cant match the connector both sides replace both, so you'll need a 2-way male socket, 2-way female socket, 2x male pins and 2x female pins and the famous pinballinfo crimp tool:thumbs:
 
Thanks. Am trying to minimise what I'll have to do because I'm not particularly competent at it.

The original connectors - I presume - are the ones the machine came with from the factory, a simple 2 pin Molex connector for the flasher. I'd really rather not tamper with the OEM wiring if I can help it, because the gauge is so tiny, I'm sure to balls it up.
 
Fair comment if it plugs into the machine then a 2-way compatible male socket will be available to just replace the broken side. What's the pitch of the terminals? Also does the male socket contain the male terminals?
 
The above two photos are the only ones I have at the moment. My knowledge is a bit limited when it comes to the terminology I'm afraid.

From memory the female socket has the male pins, the male socket has the female terminals. The LED strip connects to the 2 pin red connector in the photo.

Thanks for the link :)
 
I have the tools and would be very happy to fix this for you. I've checked a spare loom and all the male molex housings contain female terminals and vice versa. Your broken wire is on a male housing hence likely female terminals that are a b*tch to remove as it's hard to get onto the two retaining tangs. As I mentioned above measure the pitch (distance between two pins) to know for sure what range it is - Molex standard .062" will be 3.68-4.2 mm and .093" is 5.03-6.7mm. They're quite easy to recognise if you look around the machine there are obvious larger and smaller ones in use throughout.

More than you ever wanted to know can be found here - https://www.molex.com/molex/products/group?key=wire_to_wire_connectors&channel=products

W7205943-01.jpg
 
astyy said:
I have the tools and would be very happy to fix this for you. I've checked a spare loom and all the male molex housings contain female terminals and vice versa. Your broken wire is on a male housing hence likely female terminals that are a b*tch to remove as it's hard to get onto the two retaining tangs. As I mentioned above measure the pitch (distance between two pins) to know for sure what range it is - Molex standard .062" will be 3.68-4.2 mm and .093" is 5.03-6.7mm. They're quite easy to recognise if you look around the machine there are obvious larger and smaller ones in use throughout.

More than you ever wanted to know can be found here - https://www.molex.com/molex/products/group?key=wire_to_wire_connectors&channel=products

W7205943-01.jpg
Click to expand...
That would be amazing if you don't mind. Could you please PM me your address and I'll get it sent off to you. You'll have to sit down before you take the electrical tape off mind...
 
This arrived today, should help future connector jobs like this:thumbs:

20180929_115329.jpg
 
Nice. I did contemplate buying one of those myself to try and fix my one but I still wouldn't have been able to do a decent job I don't think. Needed a safe pair of hands. :)
 
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