Pin connector tools

A Safety pin.  The tab lifts up and you pull the wire out.  These are very easy to work on.  G

If you are referring to the female connectors at the end of the cables, I just use a 1/4 watt resistor or other stiff wire that will fit in the connector and a dental pick or end of a #11 pointed scalpel blade to depressed the catch. Depress the catch and push out with the wire.

If you plan to reuse the wire you may have pry up on the catch before putting it back in the connector.

 

Pete

I just use a very small screwdriver to lift the shell catch and pull the wire out.  It's very easy, and there's no reason to bend the contact to get them out.

 

Lets not confuse him.  I think Rick was talking about the molex 2 pins at the output end.

 

The input to the board (hirose or Chyao Shiunn) are the easy ones that can be lifted with anything we have mentioned so far.

 

Molex are more difficult and you are flexing a lock tab down to extract the connector.  G

I guess we need to be sure which female connectors we're talking about. When someone says connectors "for ProtoSound 2 boards", I first think of the actual connections to the board.

 

If they're the Molex ones for lights and smoke, I just put some tension on the wire after pressing down the catch.  However, as Pete says, you normally want to lift it back up a bit.

 

I agree, I assume the same which is why I posted the use of a simple safety pin.  G

Thanks guys. I was suprised there wasn't a specific tool, but this information was very helpful. I appreciate all the contributors in these forums. It is very encouraging to not feel alone.  Regards

There may be a specific tool, most of the time there is.  However, if you check the prices of connector tools, you'll quickly realize you have to use them a LOT in order to justify the costs!

 

There you go being practical again. .

Practical is my little jeweler's screwdriver to pry them out.  Ostentatious would be buying the tool to fix three connectors.

 

I do the same..use a jewelers screwdriver to push them down. Well usually I ram them down then install new ones as that's usually quicker than trying to bend those tabs back up. 

You must be talking molex end, because I don't bend any tabs taking them out of the board end connectors.  G

I think he's talking about the little two pin molex connectors.  I haven't had any issue picking up those little tabs after I take them out.

 

On the topic of connectors, anyone know of a reasonably priced crimp tool that works for the board connectors?  $450 is NOT reasonable, I'm thinking a price without the 3rd digit.

 

No I have not, That is why I just collect spare wires with connectors, or order them pre-crimped.  This is one area where rolling your own is not cost or time effective in my opinion.  G

No, but the hirose precrimped are in the digi-key inventory.  Not a lot of color choices though. G

I didn't think to look at Digikey for pre-crimped wires, interesting.  I wonder if the JST Lionel connectors also have pre-crimped wires available?