Good-looking PWMs: is it possible?

[Chriszuma]

So I wired up my electrical board the other day, and I have to say it looks beautiful. But then I realized that unlike the power cables, I have no way of cutting PWM cables to exactly the right length (PWM crimpers == $$$). I was wondering what other teams are doing to alleviate the "jungle bungalow" effect that the PWMs always seem to create, without the use of giant zip-tie bundles.

Maybe some sort of spindle that I could wrap each one around?

I really don't want to ruin the beautiful layout I've got going...

[DonRotolo]

Originally Posted by Chriszuma

So I wired up my electrical board the other day, and I have to say it looks beautiful. But then I realized that unlike the power cables, I have no way of cutting PWM cables to exactly the right length (PWM crimpers == $$$)

PWM connector crimpers are available quite reasonably. Go to New Micros , click on the Accessories link to the left, and scroll down to the "Crimp Kit", for $35. More than enough to make up a whole 'bot's worth of PWM cables...at least the female ends. The crimper is actually the exact same one sold by Radio Shack as a D-Sub connector crimper.

DigiKey also sells the connector bodies (but they are not cheap, something like $0.79 each for the 3 pole!) and also male pins (fit into the same bodies).

It may be too late for this year, though. We just use rubber bands to hold them into a lump, putting all the lumps around 6" from the controller. Makes for nice adjustability, too.

Good luck,

Don

[Chriszuma]

Originally Posted by Don Rotolo

PWM connector crimpers are available quite reasonably. Go to New Micros , click on the Accessories link to the left, and scroll down to the "Crimp Kit", for $35. More than enough to make up a whole 'bot's worth of PWM cables...at least the female ends. The crimper is actually the exact same one sold by Radio Shack as a D-Sub connector crimper.

DigiKey also sells the connector bodies (but they are not cheap, something like $0.79 each for the 3 pole!) and also male pins (fit into the same bodies).

It may be too late for this year, though. We just use rubber bands to hold them into a lump, putting all the lumps around 6" from the controller. Makes for nice adjustability, too.

Good luck,

Don

Hmm, I was always under the impression that they cost more than that. Thanks.

I just had an idea though: What if I were to stick a wire clamp thing next to each victor and wrap each pwm around its respective clamp a few times until it's the right length. That would probably look nice.