molex connectors help

i'm working with these for the first time.  (D-aoc)  i did not order a crimping tool .i've heard it is not necessary. the crimp connectors i ordered come in a reel of 100. you need to break 1 off and then trim the sides. i've been crimping the sleeve (tension relief) section first then the wire crimp with a needle nose pliers and then inserting them with the smallest mini screw driver i have. some work out fine others get tossed and i start all over. does any one have any tips?? i'm thinking i'll tin the wire and connector and then solder after the sleeve section is crimped.(insurance?)  any suggestions? and yes i know i can go out and buy the tool.

I'm assuming that these molex type connectors are 2.54mm spacing? Judging by the pictures of builds, I have this project next on my list to do?

I suggest saving  yourself the bother of making these & buying expensive specialised crimper tools, just  buy the PCB connectors already crimped ;D

http://banzaieffects.com/PCB-Connectors-c-1076.html

http://www.musikding.de/index.php/cat/c158_PCB-connectors.html

I know it's heresay  & not in the true spirit of DIY but those 2.54mm molex pcb connectors are cheap enough & save much time & frustration

If you know how to solder wire to XLRs solder cups, this is not difficult to solder wire to molex connectors
For my part, I use extra hand clamp with alligator clips to easily clamp and unclamp them after soldering
Then I tight/arrange the connector slightly with needle-nose pliers, and it's done

[edit]
Sorry, maybe I didn't think about the same connector (I never get them in reel, just in bag of 100)
Also I don't crimp the connector part where the wire is soldered, I just crimp the connector part where the sleeve is
(I talk about KK .100 terminal pins)

Trancedental - those pre made molex's seem like such a good idea for the price. Why didn't I know they existed before my D-LA2A build

I bought those crimp connectors for my S800 project.
They are a pain - when they come together as a reel.
I used needle nose pliers to bend the connector around the wire.  Then the only way I could get the connector to go into the housing was by shaving down the sides with my dremel.  With the sides shaved down they slide right in.
I just ordered the same connectors today - but not the ones that come on a reel.  It's a major price difference, but I just didn't want to deal with the ones off the reel.

I don't crimp, just solder
using "helping hands," a lighted magnifier, and a fine solder tip.

After the first 5 or 6, or 10, it's very easy. Worth the practice.

Solder here too. I don't feel good about crimping only. I feel good about soldering.  ;D

After soldering, you need to bend the crimp parts over and flatten them a little left to right and top to bottom or they won't slide into the housing easily. Takes a little more time than crimping no doubt. If you force them in, it will be hell if you have to take them out.

Like kato said, the first 5 or 6 or a PIA but then it goes pretty quick.

yeah, it's much easier to solder than crimp...

I am going to be switching over to the kind that breaks the jacket of the wire soon though, sick of those damn pins.

I ended up getting a set of these
http://www.thesource.ca/estore/product.aspx?language=en-CA&product=6400410&category=Misc_Tools&catalog=Online&tab=6#more
still solder the connection but less fumbling with the pins cheaper then a die set for my  expensive crimps

Actually, this is something I've been wondering about.  Does soldering to the pins really save any time over just soldering wires directly to the pcb?  I would think that would be a better connection anyway, and slightly cheaper too.  Is it just to save time later as you swap parts in and out?

It is convenient for Input/Output XLRs connection if the XLRs are mounted from outside the chassis,
else you have to unsolder the I/O connection if you want to take the PCB out the chassis for repair, maintenance..
I agree that soldering wire direct to PCB makes a better connection though, for my part I think twice before deciding if a connection requires a connector or could be soldered direct to the board

If you have 2.54mm pitch molex type connectors that might in the future need the wires taken out again & again, these terminal blocks might be a good idea but they are expensive?

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/level5/module.jsp?moduleId=en/230246.xml
Farnell & RS have various ways in stock

I used a 10way one for the PCB Control Board on the GSSL, instead of soldering them in with the danger of lifting traces on the PCB when redoing the connections.

I know what your're all 'gonna say,  But I like an easy life ;D

And the pcb trace lifting is the ultimate fear I have. I would rather spend a little extra time with annoying connectors if I feel that I might have to redo stuff later and could have a pcb track lift off.

I think that's the same kind I work with here, and surprisingly enough, those crimp pliers (I think something like D24) cost around 16€ here and are sooooo good to work with once you get the hang of it. Tschak - drrrrk - *click*

But I had no idea how inexpensive Banzai sells these buggers...gotta hit'em up...

haha, i am working on crimping the molex connectors i have for a G9 right now....i went and got a crimper. i've done the pliers thing, as well as soldering, and of course it is such a pain in the ass. once i got the crimper i had them done in 5 minutes. i think it was 17.00 USD from amazon...worth the money.

for me, its way easier/faster to solder the pins AFTER crimping. even easier would be to purchase the precrimped molex with wire leads.

Ryan, $17 sounds like a worth while investment. Do you have a link to the crimper you use?
I'm not sure what type of crimper works with 'molex' connectors.

was it this one?

kato said:

Ryan, $17 sounds like a worth while investment. Do you have a link to the crimper you use?
I'm not sure what type of crimper works with 'molex' connectors.

was it this one?

Click to expand...

yep...its that exact one. i just did the second channel 10 pin molex for my G9 a second ago. took me all of 10 minutes. makes life much easier. i put a dab of solder on each crimp afterwards just to be safe.

there are two crimp sockets on that crimper for the larger pins as well.

thanks for all the help.
i have a crimping tool that i use all the time. i thought that a specialized tool was needed. i;m not sure if my tool is small enough but i'll take a look at how my generic crimper can work for this application. just so im clear on this im linking the molex parts im using to the thread:
http://www.molex.com/molex/products/datasheet.jsp?part=active/0008500113_CRIMP_TERMINALS.xml&channel=Products&Lang=en-US

the problem is when they came in a reel the spot where the wire is placed is flattened out, with no curve as shown in the data sheet

The specialized crimping tool I've seen some references of, here, is i.e. this one,
the "Hand Tool" by Molex?

Sorry for the "late" reply. I too ordered the crimp connectors and wound up with a reel. I was having a devil of a time trying to cut them with side cutters and then hold onto them to trim the sides or file them down to fit.

Then it hit me. I was mangling the connector trying to hold it to file it down or trim it because the metal is so so thin.

Took up a standard pair of scissors and cut them perfectly every time. You can get close enough to cut them cleanly with scissors and the scissors cut through the metal easily because it is that thin.

Figured I better share my epiphany since I have so few of them and I've taken so much from this board.

Apologies for the late reply but I work slow. Hope this helps someone.