Swappable Control Panels -- Molex?

[Flip_Willie]

Hey,

     What is the most common method used for making electrical connections on a swappable control panel?  Basically, I just want to make a new control panel for my arcade that could be easily swapped with the original CP. (I bought it used. It is set up for Mame using a J-PAC and Arcade VGA). The panel it has now can easily be removed – it just has a few bolts and some Molex connections for the electrical. (Pictures in my next post). 

    I would like to use Molex if I could; hopefully, this would allow me to utilize the already present Molex connections in the control Panel.  If I did end up using Molex, all I need is the Molex itself – male and female ends – the correct pins, and a regular crimping tool, right? However, if using Molex means I need to buy an expensive tool, I would rather not use it.

     Put simply:

      (1). Are Molex connections fairly easy to use and make? Do I need a special tool to crimp and insert the pins?
      (2). Does Divemaster carry Happ's Molex?
      (2). If I Molex is not a viable option for me, what would be the easiest and cheapest alternative?

      Thanks! Hopefully that was clear enough.

Just as it is,
Flip Willie

[Flip_Willie]

(Pictures)

[extremepong]

I saw a nice setup using CAT 5 network cable and (I think RJ45 sockets) so that yields 8 pins and a smaller size. I think I'm going that way too unless I am warned off. Search swappable 'cause I think I saw it here somewhere. Isn't  Molex mainly for power connectors? - so that would be a lot of overkill.

[Spaz Monkey]

Molex isn't just for power.  I have purchased two complete set-ups and they both used Molex.  Just realize that each connection (male, female, pins, sockets) cost about $2 - $3 each.

[spiffykyle]

As of now, I am planning on going with Cat5, yes they are RJ45 sockets. Gives 8 connections for each port so it can be easy to swap out controls (joysticks mainly) in the future without rewiring much.

Unless someone else has had problems with Cat5.

spiffy

[Buddabing]

A straight-through parallel port cable setup would be pretty cheap and easy. For your first panel, just cut a cable in half and put the female end on your cabinet and the male end on your panel. Then run the wires from your encoder to the female cable ends, and from the male end of the cable to your controls. For the second and subsequent panels, throw away the female end and use the male end on the panel. That'll give you 25 inputs, which is enough for 2 joysticks (4 wires each=8) with 6 buttons for each player (12), with a pause button, a coin button, 2 start buttons, and a ground. I suppose you could pass in the ground with your power cable and have a second coin button.

You could also have each panel have its own encoder. IIRC MAMEMaster! uses this approach, and if I ever get going on the project that's what I'm planning.

For powering the panel, a Molex connector would be a good idea. I did that for powering my coin door lights. I took an old Molex connector from a fan, ran wires from it to the coin door, which were conveniently 12 volts, and voila. But for controls? I dunno if that's such a good idea.

[DrewKaree]

You can also buy D25 connectors - basically what Budda's talking about, but since you still have to connect the wires, why not just wire them straight into the connector and skip the "strip wires and solder" thingamabob.  Just make sure you get a male and female.  Check mouser.com

[gnateye]

i used baddabings method too, and ive been super happy with it for about 4 years at least, and i have 3 seperate panels that i swap between regularly, it helps to use actual control panel clamps as well, makes the switching really fast and easy.

next time i make a new panel though im gonna go with drewkaree's suggestion, all that stripping and crimping on those little tiny wires is a pain, if i can save a few steps buying the connectors then i will for sure.

one tip either buy the same brand cables (i find belkin have color coded wires) that way you can easily make new panels without having to figure out what aire goes where etc.

just my 2cents...

[Havok]

I have swappable panels - they are all usb...

[releasedtruth]

I used a SCSI-1 cable. Male on one end, female on the other.  Cut it in half, wired everything up, good to go. Cable was maybe 3 bucks, has enough connections for me, but depends on how many you need of course.

GT

[Chris]

I used the "parallel cable cut in half", but mine isn't swappable.  When I think of quickly-swappable connections, I don't usually think of Molex; they're designed to hold tight once connected, not to be repeatedly connected and disconnected like a USB or network plug.

RJ45 network connectors are the cheapest route if you have access to a crimper, but it takes multiple connectors.  USB is the easiest, but requires a separate encoder for each panel.

[ArcadEd]

To answer your question on the molex.  There is a special crimping tool for crimping the pins, it makes it extremely easy.

I'm pretty sure it's called a molex crimping tool

[Scumgriever]

I just spent the weekend making a box with 25 pin connector ports to house my IPAC.

This way I'll wire my various control panels up to sliced in half printer cable and hopefully everything will work.

[Flip_Willie]

Hey,

   Thanks a bunch to everyone who commented, I greatly appreciate it.

   Just to make everything clear, the Control Panel I have now – I did not build this, but it came with the arcade when I bought it – has 2 Molex connections between the Control Panel and the arcade (You can sort of see this in the picture above).  Between these 2 connections, they handle both the power for the controls and their output.  Like Chris said, the Molex connections are tight, and really aren’t fast to plug and unplug.  The only reason I wanted to keep them was just so I didn’t have to re-make the existing plugs. 

   However, from what you all have said, it doesn’t seem like Molex is the ideal thing to use in my situation.  It seems like a lot more work and cost would go into Molex, than one of the other methods mentioned.  Also, I don’t really like the concept of using more than one encoder.  This seems expensive and wasteful, even if it is much quicker. It is way over my budget anyway.

    Thus, I am greatly leaning toward using the straight-through parallel port cable setup that Buddabing mentioned.  Even if it isn’t as speedy as cat5 cables would be, I would rather have all my controls in 1 or 2 connections, than in 4 or 5.  Plus it seems a bit cheaper to use just one or two cables.

    I have a question about the parallel port cable, though.  Do these straight-through parallel port cables have a separate wire for each pin?

    If they do have a wire for each pin, this raises the question, are there different types of parallel cables?  I only ask because, I had at first wanted to use some parallel cables I already have, but after I played around with them, I found that running a current through one pin could be detected on a totally different pin on the other end of the cable.  I assumed this meant that some of the pins ran off the same wire.  Please correct me if I am wrong in this.

   I have attached I picture of what I believe I need to do in order to use the Parallel cables.

   Thanks again.

Just as it is,
Flip Willie

[Buddabing]

These little doodads are good for testing. They are called "parallel port breakout boards". You could also use these in your panels instead of the parallel port cable. Take one of these doodads (female) and run your 25 wires to the screw terminals on the doodad to your encoder. Then for each panel get a male doodad and run your 25 wires from the controls to the doodad. This is the no-solder plan, but each doodad is $20. Cheap compared to the cost of labor!

@Flip_Willie: If you get a parallel port cable, make d--mn sure that you get one that has "all 25 pins passed straight through". That way each pin has a separate wire. Cheaper cables meant for printers may only have the signal lines passed through. Winford Engineering also has the parallel port cables.

You may also be sending your signal down one of the ground pins. The cheaper cables may have all the ground pins tied together and sent on just one wire.

[Flip_Willie]

Ok.

   Thanks again!  That is just what I was thinking.

   Basically I have two options with the cables:

   (1).  I could buy a male to femal end cable, cut them in half, solder connections on either end to new wire; then connect the wire on the male side to the controls and the wire on the female side to the Jamma Harness; or
   (2). I Could just buy one of those "doodads" and have terminals just like the I-Pac has, thus elimating soldering.


    Thanks again.  That is exactly what I needed to know.

Just as it is,
Flip Willie
 

[davieboynj]

Definitely watch out for the switch boxes with the centronix end (the one that goes to the printer).  although they have 36 pins, they almost never use all of them - - usually only 25 like the boxes for db25.  Most db25 switchers use all 25 wires. 

and...

Don't cut a printer cable to do this!  Do what Drew Karee and others have said.  A logically laid out DB25 is better and cheaper and stronger!  I strongly regret trying to do this with printer cables, and i was using identical cables (global) to do it! 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lot-of-5-DB25-Male-Solder-Cup-Connector-MaxBit-11060_W0QQitemZ290069347398QQihZ019QQcategoryZ109438QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem

[DrewKaree]

Ugggghhhhhhhh


Click this here linkamabob for connectors, click the page number for VISUAL confirmation of the PDF page of their catalog, or heck, just have their catalog sent to you.  You'll find more crap you didn't know existed than anywhere on the planet.

[davieboynj]

Why spend a bunch of money on it though?  all this stuff is available on eBay in bigger lots for lower prices.

Ugggghhhhhhhh
Click this here linkamabob for connectors, click the page number for VISUAL confirmation of the PDF page of their catalog, or heck, just have their catalog sent to you.  You'll find more crap you didn't know existed than anywhere on the planet.

[DrewKaree]

Why spend a bunch of money on it though?  all this stuff is available on eBay in bigger lots for lower prices.

No problems with that or your link or ebay.  I was more directing that towards continuing to cut cables and whatnot.  Less work since you don't have to check your wires to see if they match up, less hassle since you're just gonna wire it straight to the connector, just as expensive or inexpensive as having to find a cable to cut....all that crap.

I only link to mouser because....well.....I don't have to rely on an ebay seller   Also, he may not have an ebay account or want to deal with ebay.  Those people exist.  I know, because I'm one of 'em.  It's not even just the people who might screw you, it's ebay in particular.  I USED to have an account until ebay effed me over.  On my THIRD transaction.  Too much potential hassle over something you can just as easily get for similar prices. 

So not really bashing your ebay idea, only giving a link since it seemed like even with all the agreement that it's a more preferable method, it wasn't being looked at.

[Doc-]

As of now, I am planning on going with Cat5, yes they are RJ45 sockets. Gives 8 connections for each port so it can be easy to swap out controls (joysticks mainly) in the future without rewiring much.

Unless someone else has had problems with Cat5.

spiffy

Cat 5 works great - I have my modular panel wired entirely in Cat5 and USB (for analog) and it has been running solidly for three years now:
   http://www.beersmith.com/mame

Cheers!
Doc

[davieboynj]

It's not even just the people who might screw you, it's ebay in particular.  I USED to have an account until ebay effed me over.  On my THIRD transaction.  Too much potential hassle over something you can just as easily get for similar prices. 

I can definitely understand that.  That company operates as if they're on razor thin margins or something. 

Doc-

I agree Cat5 is good for modular panels, but is a bit messy for fully removable panels, with significantly thinner gauge wire required.  If you're just replacing joys, its just as easy to change the terminal contacts. 

[Flip_Willie]

Hey,

    Thanks again to everyone and all their suggestions, you have really helped me out.

    As to where I will buy the stuff; I will probably get it from either DrewKaree's site or BuddaBing's.  Basically, just cause I don't like to hassle with Ebay; even if it is cheaper.

    Thanks once more!

Just as it is,
Flip Willie

[kelemvor]

If you don't have anything that needs power (light bu buttons, etc) I'd just use Cat5 cable and some keystone jacks.  Very simple to make and you'd just click the cable in like you plug the network cable into the wall.

[Lilwolf]

I've done a few different ways in the past.

The cheapest and probably best was just buying 6 foot serial cables (25 pin) in m-m and some m-f.  You only use one end on the cabinet itself but you want a bunch of the others.  I was getting them for 5 bucks a cable... cut in half for two ends... and I had the wires done at the same time.  The only trouble is the cables inside where a bit small, so they didn't crimp well.  So I would add some extra stuff on the end (coating from a bigger cable or something).

Then I went hot swappable using springs to build my own tac switches.  These are cool.  But take some playing with to get them all attached perfect.  But this is mainly because the board I'm connecting them on aren't flat.  And its hard to get my head inside my cabinet to see where they should meet up.

RJ45 ends are perfect for modular controls panels.  Where each section has one plug...

cat5 cable SUCKS though... sold core anyway.  Move something and they break their connections... STAY AWAY or you will be recrimping ends on a monthly basis.

[pmc]

These little doodads are good for testing. They are called "parallel port breakout boards". You could also use these in your panels instead of the parallel port cable.

Hey, that looks handy! I wonder if someone makes a version that has test LEDs on it. It'd be convenient to have a tester built right into the circuit (I've had trouble with my IPAC which I suspect is due to intermittently faulty wiring).

-pmc