Re: Ordering Materials
 

Chuck,
I am usually against buying assortments because there is likely to be things I will never use. However, this might be a good starter kit. The crimper looks to be a mil style four point crimp although there is no real description in you linked site. As you know, we are between homes here and have not had access to robot parts or tools for more than a month. I would love to hear from anyone who has purchased these already. One fear I have is the close spacing on some of the module terminals. They may not allow ferrules.

Re: Ordering Materials
 

Ok, so I spent our $30 PDV at Inventables (and then some) and ordered the ferrule kit and crimpers. I'll post here my impressions once received and tested.

Re: Ordering Materials
 

We ordered the inventables kit (link), and decided it is inappropriate for RoboRIO. My observations:

1. The crimper is pretty good
   
2. The kit includes 7.5mm depth ferrules, which are too short. The weidmueller connectors on roborio need 10mm recommended, 8mm minimum..
   
3. The kit does not come with documentation on sizes. We checked with wire and calipers and believe the kit includes: 2x 22-24awg, 2x 20-22awg, 2x 20awg (1.5mm od), 3x 18-20 (1.8mm od), 1x 14?-16awg.

Even if these connectors were long enough, we can't make them work with 18awg power wires. The RoboRIO accepts 1.5mm maximum. The 1.8mm accept 18awg but won't fit in the RoboRIO. The 1.5mm fit in the RoboRIO but won't accept 18awg.

We're going to order try ordering some weidmueller brand ferrules from digikey (link) that have a thinner wall and might work for 18awg.

Re: Ordering Materials
 

Joey,
The connectors are the same, the inter terminal spacing is the only difference.

Re: Ordering Materials
 

I'm sorry? I don't understand.

We were looking at:

• Weidmueller 9025860000 (link). Collared. L2=10mm. 18awg. Should mate with the 1.5mm.
• Weidmueller 0542500000 (link). Uncollared. L2=10mm. 18awg. Should mate with the 1.5mm.

Both look like they might work for the required 18awg power wires. Like I mentioned above, the ones in the inventables kit did not.

Re: Ordering Materials
 

The spacing from one terminal to another is different on the female blocks. On the RoboRio, the spacing is 5 mm as I remember. The other components are only 3.5mm from one terminal to another. The two parts you link to are ferrules. One is meant to slip over stranded conductors only and the other is used in the same way a crimp on terminal is used. Please note that the crimp on insulator is 2.8 mm nominal diameter which is pretty close for terminating a 3.5mm spacing on the control system components. Once crimped, this ferrule is likely to change cross section to be greater than the 2.8 mm nominal diameter.