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Molex Crimping Advice Needed

Steve

Steve

Registered
10 Years
Joined
Jul 21, 2011
Messages
774
Location
Maldon,Essex
So I bought myself a new genuine Molex crimping tool, a supply of male and female connectors and a mile of wire. I thought I'd have a practice, and 2 hours later and about 30 ruined pins I still cant get the ****ing thing to crimp!!
Is there a trick to it?
How do you hold the pin in the right place whilst holding the crimper and the wire?? I need 3 hands!
Even when I get all 3 bits lined up, the jaws just mash the pin?
I had Andy N here on Thursday and didn't think to get a lesson from him.
Any advice would be appreciated before I launch this thing through the window..:mad:
 
I take it you didn't get a pair of ratchet crimpers? If you did you just put the terminal in the jaws squeeze one click just to hold it in place, insert wire and squeaze fully
 
Yeah a ratchet tool should make crimping a breeze. They do both the inner (unshielded) and outer (shielded) crimp at once. Your tool may require you to make two crimps?

Ratcheting tool on ebay : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Crimping-...T-225D-2-54mm-Terminal-Crimper-/190843537880?
Bible on crimping : http://www.pinrepair.com/connect/

Strip back a couple of mm of wire
crimp1.jpg
Place wire into molex pin. The shielded part of the cable goes into the large bit and the bare wire into the smaller bit. Whilst holding it like that I place it into the crimp tool, tangs facing upward as shown.
crimp.jpg

Molex pin entirely inserted into crimp tool:
crimp2.jpg
And crimp!
crimp3.jpg


(...or you could do what the bas:mad:ard before me had done and just solder bare wires onto connector pins. Photos taken a few days ago when I was trying to disconnect cables to remove playfield. I still need to pull the board out and fit new header pins in too. )
 
It is a ratchet set, exactly the same one as in the pictures above?
Thanks for the pics, I'll have another go!
 
RudeDogg1 said:
It's easy Steve you must be doing something wrong you'll get there
Click to expand...

I make you right. Had another try this morning and crushed another handful of pins! A couple of questions:

  1. I'm using the second slot from the left, is this the right one?
  2. What does the silver piece of metal with the 4 holes at the back do, apart from get in the way?
  3. Should the pin be placed in the jaws with the tangs up or down?
  4. Does anyone want to buy a complete Molex crimping set, hardly used?:D



IMG_1919.jpg
 
Not sure your crimpers are different to mine the numbers are the wire thickness.

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369557068.600739.jpg

I just do this, insert the wire so the plastic is in the rear section of the terminal and then squeeze

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1369557204.068197.jpg
 
Looks to me like the silver bit is there to hold the pin in the crimper, so you don't need 3 hands (as you do with the crimper rudi (and i) have. My guess is you put the pin in the crimper with the pointey end poking through the silver bit. The tangs on the pin should point up, towards the part of the jaws with the numbers on. Then insert the wire and crimp.
My only guess as to where you may go wrong is having the pin in the crimper upside down, I.e with the tangs pointing down towards the metal part with the "f" on.
If you continue to struggle ill gladly trade your crimper for my eBay special ;0)
 
Mine wasn't eBay special think it cost 25. You also don't need 3 hands ;0) put crimp in squeeze one click then it's held in place push wire in and squeeze jobs done
 
Just updated my post with a picture that was missing arguably the most crucial bit, positioning into the pin.

Now that I've seen your photos though Steve are you sure you're using the right terminal pins? They look like rounded .093" pins

Another possible gotcha seeing as you mentioned 'that metal bit at the back getting in the way'... You're not putting the terminal into the crimp tool in one of the bottom holes are you? It should go on one of the 'hills' rather than the 'valleys' if you see what I mean
 
Wizcat said:
Now that I've seen your photos though Steve are you sure you're using the right terminal pins? They look like rounded .093" pins
Click to expand...

I think you're right Paul, the pins I'm using are not meant to be used in this particular crimper. Damn! didn't realise there was so many different sets.
 
I've got about 3 wires I need to do on my FT. I'm a bit unsure about how to go about it. Do I need to take out the old crimp ends out the connector and how do I do that?. Also where do I buy the new metal crimps. Given that I only need to do three is it worth buying £25 tool or can I just use pliers and wing it?
 
I'd buy crimpers you will need em again. Is the connector you need to redo already a molex? If so on one side of the connector there's a metal strip push that with a small screw driver and pull the wire it should pop out
 
RudeDogg1 said:
I'd buy crimpers you will need em again. Is the connector you need to redo already a molex? If so on one side of the connector there's a metal strip push that with a small screw driver and pull the wire it should pop out
Click to expand...

I assume so. They look like the newer ones in the photos above.

Ive actually got a wire stripper/ cutter tool that might have a crimping bit too. I'll stick a photo up cos it might save me £20.
 
What sizes are actually needed from these crimps? I used a simple tool before and now IJ is going to need a lot of wires done I think I will save my sanity and buy a proper tool.
Is 18-22, 24-30 good enough? is 14-16 needed as shown in Steves tool?
 
There are a couple diff sizes but from all the burnt and botched ones I've found on mine they have all been .156. Not sure how often the smaller ones are used
 
I must be missing something here, all the postings have been showing a 'square' pin? I'm trying to make up the connector that connects the glass translite lightbox to the cabinet which are 'round' pins. I'm thinking there must be different crimpers for different pin types?
 
The blue crimpers on eBay work on both square and round pins adequately. The crimp pins linked to on eBay are meant for automated machine use. So you'll have to cut each one off the strip. Also you risk deforming the crimp whilst freeing it from the tape.
 
Calimori said:
Tim, I have gone for them. They look right to me.
Click to expand...

Cool. Connectors arrived today and I need to go and pick up the crimper from the Post Office tomorrow then the crimping will commence.

I think I'll start another thread though because I have some other issues I could do with advice for. Cheers.
 
pinballmania said:
The blue crimpers on eBay work on both square and round pins adequately. The crimp pins linked to on eBay are meant for automated machine use. So you'll have to cut each one off the strip. Also you risk deforming the crimp whilst freeing it from the tape.
Click to expand...

Bugger. It'll serve me right for trying to be clever and save money if I have problems.
 
If anyone needs help crimping ask me at swavesey or a northern meet or party and i can show ya but bring your stuff.land line down and has been for two weeks so only cheking online as and when i can
 
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