Wire to PCB Interconnect

[AGTCooke]

I'm researching different interconnects to use on my next amp build, and I'm specifically interested in the Molex KK and SL connectors, mostly from my familiarity with them in PCs.

Q1.) I can't find "how to connect the wire to the female end" information for either unit. I've been through Molex's web site. Can someone point me in the right direction?

Q2.) Any opinions on these or other interconnects? I intend to use them for every panel-to-PCB connection (jacks, pots, power).

Thanks

 

[qusp]

any particular reason?? isnt the idea to have as few interconnects as practical, rather than adding more than is necessary?? no experience with molex plugs other than plugging them in. oh wait I did repair one for a battery connector in my iriver, but that was a while ago and I just took note of how it was connected and replicated it. good luck, i'm sure someone will chime in.

 

[AGTCooke]

Quote:

Originally Posted by qusp /img/forum/go_quote.gif any particular reason?? isnt the idea to have as few interconnects as practical, rather than adding more than is necessary?

That's a good point, but the objective is to provide some modularity. When building my first amp I noticed that my work started to get\feel sloppy as I was connecting the various leads. In addition, I want my next version to be an "experimental" type board such that I can add\remove\tweak it with minimal post-assembly soldering.

To that end, isn't using a DIP socket a kind of interconnect which is fairly common for use with opamps? I suppose that might make the conversation more along the lines of reliability and selection of appropriate interconnects for a given purpose.

...it's all a learning thing, and I'm a newb

Now if I could just find a way to get my EE fiance to show some remote interest in helping me with this stuff...

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGTCooke.Real() Hey babe, wouldn't it be sweet if you found an IC that you liked for recharging NiMH batteries and built a cool circuit for it?

Quote:

Originally Posted by AGTCooke.Fiance() ...

 

[cerbie]

TTT & subscribe. I'm interested in them for modularity, as well.

 

[MisterX]

Quote:

I can't find "how to connect the wire to the female end" information for either unit.

Molex - Good Crimps
(they are crimp connectors)

 

[AGTCooke]

Thank you. It doesn't look like any special tools are required then.

Any opinions on Molex KK vs. SL vs. "screw blocks"? For power? For signal?

 

[srserl]

AMB has used the KK connectors on some of his designs, and that's how I came to use them. As MisterX pinted out, they are just simple crimp connections. I just use simple ultra cheap crimpers, and they work ok. Just make sure you get a good crimp, and crimp them so that they fit into the female housing. The ones I get are made to be automatically installed by a machine, so you have to cut them off the continuous reel of parts; if you don't trim them well, and don't pay attention to the crimp, they may not slide down into the housing.
I like them for the small amount of space they take up over the screw terminals, but I don't know what the SL connectors are, so have no comment on those.

 

[AGTCooke]

Cool, cool, thanks. The SL's remind me of the KK's but with the locking push-tab. I've seen em used in PC applications about as often as KK's.

 

[Iniamyen]

I don't mean to threadjack but I've begun looking for simple interconnects for my B24. The only difference is that I want wire-to-wire rather than PCB mounts, mostly for the power wiring. I can find stuff like this but they are really vague about which contact (male or female) to use in each housing unit. Anybody experienced with these?

 

[dbfreak]

Whenever I use Molex crimps, I crimp and then add a little solder (especially, in the signal path). Here is a solution I used on my beta22 build (between the backplane board and the amplifier boards V+ - G - V- and Signal Out) adding to it's modularity.

 

[Pars]

I haven't used the SL before, but I do use the KK alot. Note that the KK is available with a locking ramp tab and this is the variant that I use. On a side note, they sell an inexpensive ($15) crimping tool for these, in addition to the expensive ratcheting crimp tool; do not bother with the cheap one as needle nose pliers do a better job of crimping than these do. I personally don't care for screw terminal blacks such as the Phoenix.

 

[amb]

Iniamien, for my own β24, I used Molex .093" series inline connectors for the V+/V- and Output+/Output- connections. These are good for high currents. I also used the similar but smaller Molex .062" series for other inline purposes. This allows me to completely disassemble the amp and remove "modules" for servicing without desoldering any wires. For low current or signal wiring (such as the input block on the β24 PCB, or any of the ε24 power switch driver PCB connections, Molex KK .100" connectors are used. The σ22 output terminals are Phoenix Contacts screw-down terminal blocks (they are rated for more current than Molex KK .100").

On the (NLA) ε22 backplane board for β22 3-channel amp, I spec'ed Molex .156" connectors for the V+/G/V-/Output connections. This is basically a larger, higher-current version of the Molex KK .100" series.

In short, what style of connector to use depends on the following:
- Intended current carrying capacity and supported wire gauge
- Mounting style, such as PCB, inline, panel, chassis, etc.
- Multi-circuit configurations if needed
- If PCB-mount, the amount of board space it occupies (more a concern for PCB layout than actual use)
- cost and availability

 

[digger945]

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbfreak /img/forum/go_quote.gif Whenever I use Molex crimps, I crimp and then add a little solder (especially, in the signal path).

I recently did this with Molex SL connectors, adding a little solder after crimping and then assembling my own plugs for a DACT connector.