Wago Connector Help!

[vicky]

We're a brand new rookie team and none of us have much experience with electronics. We've gotten the battery hooked up to the cRio, but we can't wire the WAGO connector so we can't power the PD board. We don't have the WAGO tool, but we've spent about 4 hrs now and poked our small screwdriver in every hole in the connector and tried to run the 18 AWG wire into every hole, all to no avail. The plastic lever doesn't seem to do anything, either. Can someone give us more detailed instructions than sec. 3? Many, many, many thanks!!!

[Dale]

Slide 21 of this FIRSTFare presentation on electronics has a pretty good picture of what to do. If you don't have the official Wago tool a small screw driver will do but be VERY careful not to pry (at least too hard) on the connector. It will break causing you no end of headaches. The official tool is designed so you don't, in theory, need to pry at all.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Vicky,
First, the Crio connects to the 24 volt connector on the Power Distribution Panel. This is a special brown, four pin connector. The Crio does not connect to a Wago connector nor does the battery. The Robot Power Distribution Diagram found here....
http://www.usfirst.org/uploadedFiles...ution_RevA.pdf
will show you all you need to know for correct wiring. Please note that the battery connections pass through the 120 amp circuit breaker and then to the terminals on the PD. Please be careful, these are metric studs and not 1/4-20. Please use a metric nut driver to tighten. This part is not repairable.


The Wago connectors are actually challenging to use for the first time, but once you have the sequence down you will laugh at how easy it becomes. The angle you insert the screw driver is critical. Any flat blade screwdriver that fits should work. The "green tweaker" from Xcelite works well and can be purchased anywhere you find Xcelite tools including Digikey.

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

This part is not repairable.

...and quite breakable.

[vicky]

Thank you all. Our small screwdriver doesn't seem to work, so we're going to get the tool set.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Vicky,
How small is your screwdriver? A 1/8" wide blade should work just fine. Even the small driver on my Leatherman does the trick. It just takes practice and maybe a bright light.

[fovea1959]

I've been using a precision screwdriver, but (especially when trying to get 10 AWG into the 40A blocks), the tip frequently loses it's grip with whatever is inside the WAGO block, and it snaps shut with a horrible "snap". I'm always fear ful that I'm going to wear something out in the block, or else bend the tip off my screwdriver...

Just for the record, what *is* the correct WAGO tool, and is it any easier to use than small screwdriver?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

fov,
A WAGO tool is simply a small screwdriver. The Xcellite green 1/8" flat blade screwdriver works just fine.

[Alan Anderson]

If you're finding you have to "pry" something inside the Wago block, you're probably not inserting the tool far enough. After you push it in the slot a bit, you'll feel the handle naturally tilt upward as you push it the rest of the way. The Wago connector will then hold the tool securely. You can let go and use both hands to insert the wire properly if you need to before pulling the tool back out.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Alan,
He is referring to the practice of fast insertion. It is possible (and the method we use most often) to simply insert the tool and pry up to open the contact and insert the wire. When you let go, the tool releases the contact and drops out of the connector. This is a preferred (more efficient) method when terminating several connections at the same time.

[Tristan Lall]

Originally Posted by Al Skierkiewicz

fov,
A WAGO tool is simply a small screwdriver. The Xcellite green 1/8" flat blade screwdriver works just fine.

In particular, you need a small screwdriver that's ground flat a long distance away from the tip. Some jewelers' screwdrivers won't work well, because you can't insert them deeply enough past the point where the shaft becomes round.

[cgmv123]

Also note that a really small screwdriver may end up snapping in the WAGO connectors.

[Shaun Coon]

use a jewlers screwdriver thats what i use when i loose the wago which is about every 5 min but it eventually will show up again for me

[DonRotolo]

If you call yur local WAGO distributor and ask nicely, they will give (or sell) you a genuine WAGO tool. It looks a *lot* like a cheap plastic-handled screwdriver like what they give away at the auto parts store...

[kmccorm2000]

We just use a specially made tool...cheap small screw driver bent at an angle about 1/2" from the tip. I think I may have ground it slightly more flat as well.