"Molex" connector for Mesa Nomad 45 PT secondaries

[xtian]

Owner wants this connector replaced, rather than soldering to posts. Anyone know how to spec this connector, plus required pins and punch-down tool? Not sure what I'm looking for on mouser.com.

The pin pitch is 3.96mm, and it's 7-position.

Thanks!

[xtian]

This looks like the wire housing: https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...VeFQAVTexSU%3D

Now I need pins and tool.

[nosaj]

Owner wants this connector replaced, rather than soldering to posts. Anyone know how to spec this connector, plus required pins and punch-down tool? Not sure what I'm looking for on mouser.com.

The pin pitch is 3.96mm, and it's 7-position.

Thanks!


[ATTACH=CONFIG]58257[/ATTACH]

No idea but they look just like the ones in a Peavey. I bet Enzo might know.
The punchdown tool for communications 110 blade should work just fine. They sell them at Home Depot.
nosaj

[xtian]

Huh. Application guide: https://www.te.com/commerce/Document...txt=3-641219-7

Shows required tool is an expensive bench press thing. I need a less expensive solution!

[nosaj]

Huh. Application guide: https://www.te.com/commerce/Document...txt=3-641219-7

Shows required tool is an expensive bench press thing. I need a less expensive solution!

Watch this video practically the same thing just handheld

[xtian]

Thanks, guys. I found the wire header and the punchdown tool. Now all I need is the pins!

[Enzo]

Molex KK-156 series connectors. Name means 0.156" spacing. If that is the same as 3.96mm, so be it. Yours are IDC types - insulation displacement connectors. You can buy those, but without the proper push down tool, you won't get good results. I don't know if a push down for some other connector will work well or not. That leaves loose crimp pins and empty housings. They do sell some small kits. YOurs is a 7-pin. You buy a 7 slot housing, and a kit will come with that and the pins in a blister pack. Otherwise buy the loose housing and loose pins. You will want a proper crimp tool, not the common crush crimper. Waldom/Molex makes a cheap crimper that works well enough. Cost maybe $25? The REAL crimper is expensive.

SO many amp makers have used these, and so many have had them burn up. In my opinion, someone who doesn't want his wires soldered to the posts is the same mindset that doesn't want vaccines, won't wear a seat belt, etc. They are just not up to the task. When I did field service, I carries connector housings - the plastic part - and crimp pins so I could build new connectors on the spot. Bally pinball machines just ate them in the power supply.

SOlder will be more reliable.

But, you want to fix it, so...

Clean the male pins well. FIne grit emery cloth, a wire wheel Dremel bit. Something. The males are not the problem, but when the female croaks like this, it burns the male surface. We all know when a female breaks down, the male gets burned.... (no?)

Your connector housing is burnt to a crisp, we need to replace it. Besides we won't be using that style pins, although the crimp pins will fit into that housing if you extract the IDC pins. I imagine you can order a 7-slot. I used to buy a bag of 20-slot, and I cut off however many holes I needed. KK-156 pins come in a variety. You don't need gold flashed contacts. Consider the wire size, they make pins for 18-16ga wire and others for 22ga wire. Get a few extra in case you ruin a couple.

You cut off the old connector. Well you can pull the unburnt wires up from the IDC pins and probably strip them and crimp on new pins. The burnt wires need to be trimmed back beyond charred insulation. And crimp on new pins. Then snap each wire into the appropriate hole. The existing connector has the wires coming out parallel to the board. The crimp one will have them coming up perpendicular. SO make sure there is enough slack in the existing wire.

Now the pins themselves make contact on one small patch on one side of the male. They do make a higher current pin that contacts three sides. They call it a "trifurcon" pin. The five survivor wires don't need it but your burnt up heater wires do. Of course you can use the higher current pins for all if you like. No need to get two types here.


They do sell IDCs if you want to try a pushdown tool. But I don't know that IDC comes in trifurcon readily.

[Enzo]

Your link was to a competing product from AMP, but with 0.156 centers it ought to fit fine. As I read the data sheet for your link the pins are a part of the connector already?

[xtian]

Thanks, Enzo. Can you post links to housing, pins, tool? Sorry, but there are just so many damn choices when I start searching!

[Enzo]

The basic crimper is easy to find, I googled Waldom Molex crimper and GC molex crimper.

Here is the basic guy:
https://www.alliedelec.com/product/g...1919/70190787/

Many places sell it, watch prices variations. Just always check the description, it is the one that crimps kk series plus 09 and 06 connector pins.

When you buy pins, I recommend "bulk". The choices are bulk, tape, and reel. The reel means all the pins when they are made are not separated from the strip of metal they were born from. Like a plastic model has all the parts hanging from a plastic "sprue." So you have to snip each pin off it before use. Not a big deal, but why bother? Tape has your pins stuck to a paper tape. Bulk means loose in a bag.

Typical pins like I might order:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...B837m%252BY%3D

I am not aware of a higher current option for the IDC variety, but that doesn't mean there isn't one. I am just not aware if so.

Typical 7-place housing:
https://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail...lROxzOrw%3D%3D

[Enzo]

Molex and AMP are two major connector makers. There are of course others around the world. The Molex usually has a little MX stamped into the pin right where you crimp them. The AMP has an AMP. Likewise in the plastic housings you usually see an MX or an AMP molded in the plastic.

[Enzo]

Here, watch this:

[xtian]

Awesome, thank you. I already have a crimper just like that!

[nevetslab]

Thanks, guys. I found the wire header and the punchdown tool. Now all I need is the pins!

I was going to recommend the Molex Trifurcon terminals, which does use a different nylon shell than the single-wipe terminals. But, I see Enzo had also included that bit of information. I've been using the Trifurcon terminals for years, it being that much more reliable. And, I had purchased the good ratcheting crimp tool from Molex years ago when I was at BGW Systems. I'm not a big fan of IDC connections.

[Enzo]

I never had a problem with trifurcons fitting in the standard housings.


The phone company uses push downs, but seems to me they use solid wire, not stranded. The IDCs seem to work well enough when machine terminated, like in commercial products. Those burnt pins are not generally burnt at the IDC point, they are burnt at the contact surface. However, I have never liked IDC for hand terminated, especially with stranded wire.


I think if we don't use trifurcons on these pins, it will work for a while, but it will just overheat and burn again eventually.

And that is why the OEMs all recommend soldering direct for the high current heater wiring.