Where Can I Find Hotrod Encoder Terminal Block

[colonelsnow]

I am trying to add extra buttons to my Hotrod joystick (enter, escape) There are excellent instructions on teh Mamewah site. My problem is I can not find the needed terminal block (PCB Latch Housing 8-Way).  Does anyone know of a U.S. source for these and if they are known by another name?

[BobA]

The connector is a .100 inch receptacle.  You actually do not need the connector as there is already a connector on the final 8 pins of the Hotrod Board.  There are only 2 wires to this connector so your problem is to wire up the other points on the connector.  

I could not find an exact pin to fit the connector so I used a wire wrap tool to put a few turns on the post and put the connector back on over it.  The wire wrap wire is so fine it does not interfere with the connector going back on.

AMP has some that might work they are CST-100 and are called crimp contacts. Tin plated about 1.75 for 25 at DigiKey.  

Another idea might be to call Hanaho and get them to send you a few.  They are only about 4 cents each but really hard to get the exact ones.

BobA

[OSCAR]

I am trying to add extra buttons to my Hotrod joystick (enter, escape) There are excellent instructions on teh Mamewah site. My problem is I can not find the needed terminal block (PCB Latch Housing 8-Way).  Does anyone know of a U.S. source for these and if they are known by another name?

I got your email about this, but figured I'd reply here since the topic is already here.

What I did was cut the plastic housing to remove the empty circuits.  Then I used a cd rom audio cable (.100" spacing) and plugged that into the open pins on the encoder.  I cut off the connector on the opposite end of the cable and wired it to the buttons.

[colonelsnow]

I am trying to add extra buttons to my Hotrod joystick (enter, escape) There are excellent instructions on teh Mamewah site. My problem is I can not find the needed terminal block (PCB Latch Housing 8-Way).  Does anyone know of a U.S. source for these and if they are known by another name?

I got your email about this, but figured I'd reply here since the topic is already here.

What I did was cut the plastic housing to remove the empty circuits.  Then I used a cd rom audio cable (.100" spacing) and plugged that into the open pins on the encoder.  I cut off the connector on the opposite end of the cable and wired it to the buttons.

A few clarifications. You cut the plastic housing which left you with a housing with just the two wires and then you plugged that back in and then made a second one out of a cd-rom cable for the other six pins?

You then cut the other end of the CD-rom cable and used those wires for your button wires? Can you tell me a little more about how you did that? Did you splice wires to the wires from the Cd cable?

You have been a lot of help. I really appreciate it.

[OSCAR]

A few clarifications. You cut the plastic housing which left you with a housing with just the two wires and then you plugged that back in and then made a second one out of a cd-rom cable for the other six pins?

Correct.  But since I only was only looking for the ESC and TAB, I only needed 2 pins, not 6.  So I connected the audio cable to the ESC & TAB pin locations.  IIRC, they were very close to each other and I was able to make both connections without modifying any wires in the audio cable.

You then cut the other end of the CD-rom cable and used those wires for your button wires? Can you tell me a little more about how you did that? Did you splice wires to the wires from the Cd cable?

What I did was just crimp on .187" disconnects to the end of the audio cable that I cut the connector off of.  For the grounds, I daisy-chained them and then tapped into the existing ground wire used on the other buttons.  The audio cable wire is pretty small gage, but it works okay for such a small run.

You have been a lot of help. I really appreciate it.

No problem!