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Electrical...where do you get your disconnects?
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MonMotha:

--- Quote from: Franco B on April 03, 2012, 12:40:27 pm ---I ---smurfing--- hate that type of Molex housing.

AMP UP or JST housings ftw.

--- End quote ---

I don't have a lot of experience with the AMP UP series as they're essentially impossible to buy in the USA (unless you know of a stocking disty).  The JST YL series (which is what I presume you're referring to) isn't bad.  I don't like the latching mechanism - it's too difficult to disconnect - but the panel lock is really good, and I like most other aspects of the connector.  The JST XL series fixes the latching mechanism but isn't as popular.  The YL series is also really tough to get in the US.  Oddly, Digi-Key stocks the larger VL series.

I do love the JST XH and VH series for wire-to-board connections.  The older NH series isn't bad, but I like the shroud on the XH, and the NH series is not readily available in the USA.  The EH series is also nice, and it's got a very small footprint for a 2.5mm/0.1" pitch connector, but the tradeoff is that it's a bit fragile.  I like the Molex 2.5mm SPOX series better.

JST does have a really good online catalog, and they are starting to sell small volume directly via their website, though the prices can be a bit high.  AMP and Molex have terrible online catalogs.

I personally like the AMP Universal Mate-n-Lok series for wire-to-wire multi-circuit connections.  It's a bit big, but it's a tough beast with pretty good characteristics.  The Molex Mini-Fit Jr. / AMP PE 4.2mm (used by the ATX power connection on PC motherboards) also works pretty well.

Yes, I have some unusually strong opinions on connectors :)  Most engineers seem to.

And yeah, screw the old 0.093" pin/socket connectors.  I still use them occasionally, mostly because you can buy them almost anywhere (even Radio Shack sells them!) and they're crossed by everyone.  The 0.062" at least is a more reasonable size, but it still has all the problems of the 0.093" series.

As to where to buy connectors, I usually just buy 'em from Digi-Key/Mouser/Allied/Jameco/etc.  Not always the cheapest, but they're very reliable, and I'm often making some sort of order anyway, so I don't have to pay extra shipping.  For some of the more esoteric connectors, you have to go hunting.  They're not the best for terminal style connectors though.  I actually buy most of those at Fry's, of all places.

On this topic, anyone know where you can get the JST 0.156" crimp style edge connectors (aka "JAMMA connectors")?  I like them quite a bit better than the Molex version, and I could at least use a few contacts to patch a few extra wires onto some existing wiring harnesses I have in some Japanese cabinets.

Oh, and if you want a nice crimper that'll crimp almost anything, I have an Engineer PA-21 from Japan (they can be had on Amazon).  For the tiny stuff like JST EH, PH, etc. series, I have a PA-09.
Franco B:
I've not had too much experience with the YL's. I have some two pin ones for Egret 2 kick adapters but I haven't tried mating them with the opposite gender. I have plenty of the VL's though and then can be a little tricky to disconnect but I guess they are not meant for continuous connection/disconnection.

I've not had experience with the XH series but I do like the VHs and I make a couple of things with them.

Yes, it's great that you can buy smaller amounts from JST now although like you said it can be expensive for small amounts as the unit price is generally 10x the full box unit price. If you need a certain amount it's often cheaper to buy a whole box/reel. I needed about thirty 8pin male/female VLs but it was cheaper to buy two 100 packs of VL's and two 4000 pin reels of crimps. Luckily I qualified for free shipping otherwise the shipping on the reels would have been a killer!

AMP UP probably are my favourite connectors for wire to wire connections. They are nice and compact, they connect/disconnect nicely, the pins are easy to remove if needs be and they are available in a decent amount of poles and configurations, as long as you can find them.

There is a data sheet for them [here] if it helps. I get most of mine from [RS Components] in the UK. It's a bit hit and miss which ones they have in as they in stock and the prices can seem to vary wildly. They are generally a discontinued series but they do seem to order some in from time to time. I have managed to find a couple of them available at Mouser (that wasn't available at RS). I guess the best thing to do is to look at the part numbers in the data sheet and search for them at your usual places. To be honest if you need a connector for a new project you are probably better of looking at a different manufacturer/series due to the availability but I need to source them for looms for candy cabs etc that use AMP UPs. If you did need some AMP UPs I would be more than happy to reship some for you if you couldn't get them.

I've not seen the JST crimp style edge connectors. I would be very interested in seeing them if anyone has a source for them. Hirose make a [high quality edge connector] but it is a solder version and fairly spendy at that.

I must say I do love my P-706, it crimps most things I have come across, even down to the tiny JST PHD crimps.


Whilst we are talking about housings etc. Does anyone have a source for these?



I think they are commonly known as TJC1 connectors. The description 'pressure welding bar connector' often seem to me mentioned in relation to them. I'm looking for a four pole one as shown along with the crimps and also the PCB header. They have a 8mm common pitch but the last pin is set 10mm out.

JST have them as LV connectors but they only sell them in boxes of 500. I have found no end of suppliers in HK though Alibaba but they want minimum orders or 1000+. The one company that would supply them in 100's won't reply to me.

Mouser stock a [molex version] of them but they only have 2 in stock.

They seem to be a very common connector but I can't for the life of me seem to find a stockist of them where I can purchase 30 sets or so.  :-\
MonMotha:
I could definitely use some 12 position female housings and corresponding pins (about 3 sets worth).  They were used in the Japanese "BEMANI" titles (DDR, drummania, Guitar Freaks, etc.) for connecting to the monitor, and when I replace the monitors (as they're dying about now), I'd prefer to not have to modify the cabinet.  I also have a friend who is in need of two 12 position (both genders) and a 10 (also both genders) for a Sega candy.

I've been looking at my usual suspects for those sizes, and nobody seems to have them in stock in the US.  One of the two big usual suspects (Digi-Key/Mouser, I don't remember which one) seems to be stocking the contacts, but not most of the housings (they have some, but nowhere near all sizes).  They may have them because they mate with another product they sell.  Digi-Key, for example, stocks JST NH series contacts and 3 position housings, but no other sizes, because it mates with some other product they sell.

As for those connectors you pictured, I'm also not aware of where to get them or what they're commonly called.  I know they were used on my KT-2914 monitors for power and other stuff.  They seem to be commonly used for yokes on CRT monitors.  To make power work, I just took a couple of AMP Universal Mate-n-Lok sockets, mangled them down smaller with some pliers until they fit snugly, crimped 'em onto an AC cord, and covered them entirely with heat shrink.  No housing to hold it, but it works well enough for my purposes.

Looks like Mouser does consider that a stocking item.  If you can stomach the 11 week lead time (minimum, probably), they'll order them from the factory for you, even if you only want a few.

And yeah, that Hirose edge connector is spendy, especially with the exchange rate and US shipping.  There's a guy local to me that sells old school Amphenol brand edge connectors in that size.  Much nicer than the cheap ones I get online these days, and he only asks maybe $3 for them.  I think I might have bought him out, though.  It's all NOS, so he doesn't replenish.
Franco B:
I'll shoot you a PM about those AMP UPs, it shouldn't be a problem at all.  :)

Yes, as you guessed I need those connectors for a yoke. Actually I need them to make some yoke flip kits for the Nanao MS8. I made [a flip kit for the Nanao MS9] and I was also struggling for parts but because the polarity of the connectors was not important, I could just use the bare crimps and insulate them. However the polarity of the wires needs to stay the same for the MS8. If I was just making a kit for me I would just use individual crimps again but as they are for other people I need to try and find the right connectors to make installation as easy as possible.

Thanks for the input though, I'll keep looking  :)
Ed_McCarron:
http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/category/196450/Crimp-Terminals/Quick-Disconnect-Female-3/16/1.html

100 for $5.50.  Then I proceed to buy 40 other things.
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