Network cables for wiring

[wcndave]

Not sure what gauge id required, however has anyone used network cables for wiring up buttons, as it could be neat, and also would make plug and play panels a doddle...

[Slippyblade]

I've used Ethernet before, works like a charm and if you have the crimps and such to make jacks and cables, yeah - it'd make swappable panels a breeze.

[PL1]

Doc's Modular MAME and Weisshaupt's "The Ghost in the Machine" both used network cables for wiring controls.

 

Scott

[TopJimmyCooks]

So did paul olsen and myself.  I cut up old network patch cables- stranded wire and molded plugs for my modular panels.  working well so far. 


I used euro style terminals to switch to solid wire for the button terminals.

[DeLuSioNal29]

I used them too:



Just make sure you have a ratchet crimper or they will constantly come out.  I learned the hard way after doing my whole control panel with a cheapo crimper.    But once I redid them with the ratchet crimper they are all solid.

You can buy cat5e wires here for CHEAP (about $2.05 per wire)!  I ordered 7 feet of each color and I still have some left over after almost 3 years!  You simply cut the boot end off and voila, cheap cables.  Also, you can order multiple colors for easier tracing of wires if you have a problem in the future.

Last but not least, I ordered a few packs of crimp connectors and they fit great.  Ratchet crimper: RIC1 $24.95 (super cheap price for a ratchet crimper!)  Crimp connectors: FDV1-187 $3.50/100 (for Cherry switches), FDV1-110 $2.95/100 (for Sanwa), FDV1-250 $4.15/100 (for E-Switch). I would also grab these red butt connectors for quick splicing:   BV1-2 $3.50/100.  You can grab them all here.

Order 2 of each pack, so you can save on shipping on future orders (you don't want to run out and pay shipping again).

Hope this helped!

DeLuSioNaL29

[Nephasth]

Against.

[MonMotha]

I'd avoid the solid wire that's usually used for building wiring.  It will break rather easily if repeatedly flexed.

The stranded stuff that gets used for patch cables can be serviceable.  You'll probably need to fold the wire back on itself a few times to get it to reliably hold in even the smallest standard size crimp connector (the red ones).  The wire is still pretty small and may break more easily than you'd like.

The RJ-45 connector is kinda annoying if you were planning on using it.  8 wires only gives you room for 3 buttons + joystick (and ground), so you'll probably end up having to use two plugs per player for a typical build.  The annoying locking tab is almost guaranteed to break on you at some point.

Real arcades typically use AWG22 or comparable stranded hookup wire.  This is surprisingly durable, but getting all the colors you may want in small lengths can be tough.  Good ol' Bob Roberts has a bunch of options, though.  This will hold great in normal red crimp connectors.  This is what I tend to use.

[yotsuya]

I used Cat5 on my panel originally. I ripped it out last week and am now using Molex. I just ordered colored wire from Bob.

[slug54]

I used it for my recently completed modular panel.
It really made my modular panel easy to use with each type of control having it's own color.
I didn't use crimp conectors,I soldered all my connections since they are going to be moved around alot I didn't want any connections coming loose.

[wcndave]

So some differing opinions... I really wanted to check that it would carry the current required, ie that the gauge was enough.

Thanks really for some very good detailed replies, and to you too Nap ;-)

I think I am doing something in between what has been shown.

I want to have 4 different panels (standard, golf, driving, ramparts).

my first idea was to have 4 full panels.
then i decided that I was wasting buttons, so I wanted to put the start / coin / mouse buttons on a fixed panel and the rest on a movable.  Then eh panel would have it's own ipac, and i would plug the USB into a USB patch panel, and the network cable in for the 6 fixed buttons (2 of which are hidden).

I actually like the rj45, and the catch that clicks in, keeps it secure, not broken one yet, and have at least 30 in the house.

I am now seeing that yet another step would be to have ALL the controls go through to the "patch panel" and then I would only need to buy 1 i-pac instead of one for each.

downside is that i would need some way of passing up to 30 signals through, so 4 network cables.  HDD connectors might work, however they are extremely fine gauge so that might be a step too far?

Otherwise I end up with multiple connections, which I really wanted to avoid if possible (well barring the USB + Network)

[Nephasth]

Thanks really for some very good detailed replies, and to you too Nap ;-)

I'm assuming I'm "Nap"...

I prefer to build my own harnesses. If you do, you aren't limited by the number of wires present in the cable you're trying to hack. I like to use Molex Micro-Fit connectors for most of my custom harnesses. With only about $38 in "special tools", you can make the appropriate crimps on the terminal pins for most types of connectors.

Here's my LED harnesses for one panel finished before installation:


A closeup of my favored connectors:


Here's a few harnesses installed in one of my panels:


Better?

[wcndave]

Sorry Nep!

Great pics.  Question: How do you connect the ground wires in the Molex Block? or do you have 2 wires for each element from the block and then deal with that at the other end? ie where you connect those molex blocks to.

Looks very organised! mine is a birds nest at the moment.  I have gold leaf switches with tiny connectors, so planning on soldering them on.

One thing  found with Molex is that on motherboards they require some fore to to get in/out.  One of my reasons for considering network cables was that they are so easy to plug, however don't fall out.

[wcndave]

Wow, looks like it could get expensive, Molex site doesnt have crimpers and first 5 or so google results took me to things like this: http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/connector-tooling/0501061/?origin=PSF_348497|acc £200 ($300).

Did you get some kind of kit or something?

[Nephasth]

Question: How do you connect the ground wires in the Molex Block? or do you have 2 wires for each element from the block and then deal with that at the other end? ie where you connect those molex blocks to.

Those "blocks" are male connectors. They connect into female connector housings installed on the ends of the cabinet harnesses, the cabinet harnesses run to the encoders/controllers. Ground is just one wire running through the harness per encoder/controller.

Took me a lot of digging, but I found some amazing deals on tools and parts for Molex stuff. A lot is hidden in plain sight...

[yotsuya]

On Neph's advice, I bought a Molex crimper. Besides my router and table saw, it's been the best investment for this hobby that I've made.

[Franco B]

Nice looms 'Nap' 

If you want a versatile tool that crimps a wide range of open barrel terminals and doesn't cost £200 I can highly reccomend the [Hozan P-706] which will cost you about £40 delivered.

I use it for a wide range of terminals from JST, Tyco/AMP and Molex and it crimps them all beautifully.

[Nephasth]

Nice looms 'Nap' 

Thanks!

You're wiring work is phenominal! Head and shoulders above mine...

[TopJimmyCooks]

Just to clarify my previous post.  I think solid wire with soldered connections is the way to go.  I've used crimp terminals and they're ok-best for stranded, ok on solid, cat 5 wire is really too small/fragile.  They are just made for specific gauges of wire.  That's why I used terminal strips to transition. 

I used stranded wire in places where repeated movement was expected.  Molex is a good way to make connections that are made/broken for service but not everyday.  Molex can be pricy.  so, if you're not the "Napster" and don't have a back door key to Molex corp's underground prototype storage vault, that stuff can add up.  Bottom line- if you can do what you need on 8 conductors, have some RJ45 plugging and unplugging to do, a la modular or swappable, look at patch cables.  If you've got 20 conductors and need to break it for service or assembly- Molex is king.  If I was wiring a straight up fixed panel arcade game, I'd leave the Cat 5 out and use single wire for everything, with a terminal strip or a molex plug for the cp top if needed. 

[boardjunkie]

For those wanting to make swappable panels, solder type DB25 connectors are a good way to go. I used them as part of a universal harness I devised so I could swap (pre JAMMA) boards in/out of the generic cabs I have. They are fast to assemble and reliable.

http://img.alibaba.com/img/pb/243/086/380/380086243_457.jpg

[werdna]

I'm giving CAT5 and RJ45 a chance on my panel for the swappable area.  Haven't used it long enough to know how it holds up.

I chose to solder the stranded wire to the microswitches.  I couldn't see crimp connections working well with the small gauge wire.

I had attempted this back in 2008 and had what seemed like crosstalk problems.  I didn't debug it very far back then but it seemed that things were wired fine however I got ghost button presses on the twisted pairs.  This time I'm dedicating a pair to a microswitch.  On my female RJ45 jack I just punch down one wire snaked through the connector and run that to the controller ground.  If you are doing a lot of connections this probably won't save you much.  For my 4-way, 8-way, flightstick, asteroids button panel, etc. I think it will work OK.

[Paul Olson]

My cat5 connections are still working well after a few years of service. I bought 50 3' patch cables on ebay, and just cut them in half and soldered to the controls on the panels. I think I paid about $20 for all of them. Turned out to be the cheapest part of the whole cabinet.

I also used cat5 to connect the U-HID to the patch panel. I haven't had any issues yet, but it has been so long, I really don't remember where everything goes. I lost the spreadsheet I made a couple of years ago.

I would also recommend the U-HID. The only controls I have found that won't work with it are Badlands wheels, since they are active low. One of these days, I will add inverters to make them work, but I am still using a spare OPti-Pac for those.

[spoot]

For those wanting to make swappable panels, solder type DB25 connectors are a good way to go. I used them as part of a universal harness I devised so I could swap (pre JAMMA) boards in/out of the generic cabs I have.

Heh, I did the same thing years ago when I had an actual PCB collection that I had to reluctently sell off.   

[Garza]

I used cat 5 a year and ahalf ago on my mame machine and everything is still working perfectly! It was the cheapest due to I have alot around. That gave me more money for the joysticks and buttons. I would do it again!

[matt4949]

I built mine with cat5 cables forthe hots and 20awg black automotive wire for the ground. I used a cheap crimper and had to double all the ends on themselves. They seem to hold up well but I am definately buying a ratcheting crimper due to hand fatigue.

[rCadeGaming]

+1 on dsub connectors.  I use them for audio, video, and controls.  You can choose from a DB-9 up to a DB-37, and they work great with 22AWG wire.  Look up dsub connectors with solder cup termination on digikey.com.