What is the Best place to find spools of PWM cable and crimps?:
My team orders form Hansen’s Hobbies. There are several threads about this with other ordering options (if you want to search), but as far as I’m concerned, Hansen’s is the only name you need to know.
EDIT: I don’t like their deluxe wire, the fine strands make it too flexible and hard to insert the connector into the housing. I recommend the economy wire.
We got a PWM crimper plus the pin and socket crimps and the 3 position shrouds from Mouser Electronics.
Part numbers:
538-63811-1000 Molex Tools UNIVERSAL CRIMP TOOL
538-11-03-0036 Molex Tools EXTRACTION TOOL
538-11-02-0022 Molex Tools INSERTION TOOL
538-16-02-0114 Molex SL Connectors TERMINAL 24-22 BULK
538-16-02-1114 Molex SL Connectors FEMALE HIGH FORCE
538-50-57-9003 Molex SL Connectors HSG 3P SINGLE ROW
As for PWM wire… You don’t actually have to use the flat 3-conductor cable that’s typically used on the kit and IFI cables. Unless you’re extremely worried about weight, I’d use some standard 22AWG 3-conductor shielded or unshielded cable. I think the flat stuff is a bit more annoying to work with, and more exposed to the tender mercies of the Mechanical crew.
Digikey is also a good source.
Also, remember to use stranded wire, not solid. The stranded wire is much more flexible, and withstands repeated flexure much better than the solid stuff. It will probably crimp better as well.
I’ve actually used McMaster-Carr 7673K21 wire for heavy-duty aircraft servos (a few times stronger than the HS-322HDs we’re allowed in FIRST), in an application where it might have to be re-fed many times through a blind conduit. It’s probably too heavy for the intended use, but it’s pretty much bulletproof. McMaster-Carr also sells some interesting silicone-insulated ribbon cables that might be useful: something like 9634T302 (24 AWG), for example.
Try these
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46488
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/showthread.php?p=442408
The mouser link is good too, they are who I buy the pins, sockets and bodies from. Radio Shack has a good crimper, and wire is from eBay
Don
Agreed… we have found them to be cheaper than some of the other, bigger places, as well.