I am currently wiring my team’s gear tooth sensors, and I would like to have a locking disconnect in the wire, so that the gear box with the sensors enclosed can be quickly and easily removed without wires getting in the way.
I have contemplated cutting and soldering the stock PWM cables and connectos, but I’ve decided against it for a number of reasons (don’t want a solder splice there, don’t want the chance of the connection falling apart too easily)
What I am looking for is a connector that has male/female pins that can be crimped to the individual wires of the PWM cable and then inserted into a plastic case. (preferably a case that locks when connected) I used such a system for the same gauge wires at my place of work over the summer, but I don’t have access to them at the present time. When I used the connectors there, I believe they were referred to as “C Grid” connectors, but a search of that name has brought me nothing.
If anyone could point me to a location where I could buy these connectors (and what they are actually called) that would be great!
Thanks.
What exactly are you asking? Like how can you attach the cables to your GTSs (gear tooth sensors) and have them removable? If this is what you’re asking, I would stick the male end of a pwm cable through the GTS, cut off the excess, bend the terminals to make it easier to solder, solder them, and then you have a regular PWM connection that is removable because the female end can easily be plugged in and unplugged.
Sorry, apparently I wasn’t very clear.
I’m looking for wire connectors (something similar to the Anderson Power Poles, but for much smaller gauge). I’ve already soldered connectors for the sensors, and I’m looking for a connector to add to the leads to I won’t have to de-solder or cut the wires.
Thanks to EricVanWyk, that’s what I was looking for. Any other suggestions of similar products would be much appreciated as well.
Molex makes a variety of small connectors using nylon housings that you can use. Check the Digikey website/catalog. Digikey also sells a universal crimper that will do both the standard PWM pins and a variety of other pins as well. It is WM9999-ND and it sells for $50.
Any insulated connector that fits in your budget and does not expose power supply pins to shorting to frame or other electronics should be fine.
In the past, when Team95 has had several PWM cables running to some remote location (like up the center of a rotating arm), we’ve run cat5 cable with breakout boxes on each end to act as quick disconnects. (http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=716 is a board that even breaks everything out nicely)
I had never thought of using CAT5 cables before, but that certainly sounds better than terminal strips and 10-conductor cable like I’ve used in the past. I’ll certainly look into that if the need arises.
Don is indeed right, I should’ve made it clear to use CAT5 patch cable for this if you’re planning on doing it.
I highly recommend good, modular construction and use of wiring harnesses. Nothing is worse than working on a bot in the pits that’s hardwired everywhere.