Edac/Elco E3 solder pins - no strain relief?

[plumsolly]

I am (slowly) switching over to Elco E3 patch bays. My system only requires 3 48pt bays, so its not a huge amount of connections. I'd like to avoid buying the crimper, and, soldering, I think would be fine for 432 pins. My concern, though, about the solder pins is that there is no strain relief on the jacket. This wouldn't be a problem for the larger hoods, where there would be strain relief on the whole snake or whatever, but there is nothing like that for the E3. There will be strain relief on the back of the bay when the cables are zip-tied to the bar, which should be fine, but I am still a little wary. Anyone have experience with this, or thoughts?

Thanks,

Ben

 

[pucho812]

I recently wired a studio that had 864 patchbay points on 9 tt patchbays that all were e3. It was not my choice to go with the e3's But anyway you shouldn't have any major problems with strain relief as long as you zip tie down to the strain relief bar. If you don't have that then make one and attach it or buy one and attach it. Zip tie away.

As for my choice about not wanting e3's, I find them to be too expensive and there only real benefit is if you change your mind often. Even then not too hard to  re pin a big elco connector. Maybe it's just me but just not a fan.

OH and btw  zip tie before you mount the patch bay to prevent breaking the solder joints. I am not a huge fan of elco solder pins either but it does save you on a crimp tool. I so want a crimp machine and work never went for it.

 

[wtmnmf]

I say get a crimper from eBay...  if you keep an eye open you can get one for $25.  I picked up the pneumatic crimper for $50, but it took a while to find, as they don't come up to often.  It's really a small investment when you're paying 18-25 cents a pin. 

Maybe we should start a tool lending library?

 

[pucho812]

what is a pneumatic crimper? they make those for edac/elco? You mean you got a machine for 50.00. time to do a hunt.

 

[SSLtech]

If anyone IS soldering EDAC/Elco pins, I have several hundred spare... about a thousand or so, I think.

Will sell for below market value if anyone is hunting for them. -They're all virgin, clean gold.

 

[sodderboy]

I just did a crimping job on 4 24 ch patch cables.  Never again.  I would either hunt for a pneumatic or go solder which I have always done in the past.  The pin metal is about 3 or 4x the thickness of DL pins so crimping was really stiff and the heft just does not seem like a good fit with 24 ga multipair wire, even with shrink over each wire.  I did not like the crimp over the insulation at all and thought it a sharp liability rather than a secure hold.  Just make sure the cables themselves are tied and the individual soldered wires will take care of themselves.

Mike

 

[plumsolly]

Thanks for your input, everyone.

Keith, I'd buy 500 of those pins. Email me at benjaminrthompson.mail at gmail.

Thanks,

Ben

 

[SSLtech]

Good stuff.

Let me dig the out at home tonight, and I'll send you an email from home.

Keef

 

[pucho812]

I just did a crimping job on 4 24 ch patch cables.  Never again.  I would either hunt for a pneumatic or go solder which I have always done in the past.  The pin metal is about 3 or 4x the thickness of DL pins so crimping was really stiff and the heft just does not seem like a good fit with 24 ga multipair wire, even with shrink over each wire.  I did not like the crimp over the insulation at all and thought it a sharp liability rather than a secure hold.  Just make sure the cables themselves are tied and the individual soldered wires will take care of themselves.

Mike

I prefer crimp style as they take up less real estate.

 

[SSLtech]

I think it's oversimplifying to say that either one is 'preferable'. There are times when one trumps the other.

For an unexpected repair in the field, if you didn't have a de-pinning tool to hand I would imagine you'd wish that they'd been solder pins.

On the other hand, solder pins I add sleeve insulation which I don't need to use on crimp.

I wouldn't say either is universally 'better'; If you give the matter some thought, you can see it from both sides.

Keef

 

[pucho812]

well put keef. 

 

[nielsk]

Having crimped and soldered many 1,000s of pins, I find crimping much faster, even with soldering after crimping (which I ALWAYS do, having seen many a wire pull out of an Elco crimp). Of course it's much more painful, too...
It's just no fun any way you look at it, but don't expect any resilience from the "strain relief" portion of the pin, it does little to keep the wire from pulling out or breaking.

 

[plumsolly]

Hey Keith, are you still interested in selling those pins?