the MRH Forum

More wiring fun Journals/Blogs
Reply
Super User 164 posts Gregory Latiak GLatiak Super User 164 posts
Gregory Latiak GLatiak

One of the more interesting parts of building this thing has been different styles of electrical connections. Quite frankly I can really appreciate the simplicity of IDC connections and ribbon cable. A lot less work than crimping RJ connectors on the end of a cable -- and a small vice is a good clamping tool.

For the control panel I used two strips of header pins, cut to length and soldered to the board. The IDC connector just slides over the pins and makes a solid connection. Clean and simple if a bit tight for making wire connections -- wire wrap worked well and was simple to do in the limited space. But for longevity the wraps will all need to be soldered. And I have found it was possible to break a wire at the wrap point and have the connection look good but not perform electrically. Guess that was one reason why this style has become much less popular.

But for other things, the tiny screw connectors and barrier strips look like a solution. Problem is that when the gage of the wire is small getting the screw to hold it gets tricky. And in the limited space of the BQR this means spending a lot of time sitting under it, hoping my head doesn't push anything else loose while trying to tighten the little wires into their connector. Maybe I need bifocals with the close lens on top?

I looked at 110 blocks and similar -- seen a few large layouts where these were used to good effect to connect the gazillion little worms that pass for control and sensor wiring. But those things are BIG.

So right now I am just tining the stripped ribbon cable ends and hoping that gives enough extra heft to hold them in place. Still looking for a better solution -- spacing of the connector screws means a row of header pins just won't work.

I love standards... must be why we have so many of them. Grrr...

Gregory Latiak

Please read my blog
Reply 0
Cadmaster Frequent poster 867 posts
Cadmaster

the product I like to use is

the product I like to use is CAT5 cable. Very easy to work with and perfect for short runs on things like the DS64, SE8C and BDL168 boards. also use a lot of bell wire for runs to tortoise machines. This is an image of a new local panel I just built up (in the works picture) I use the desk gromets to run the wires to the back of the board where they are collected in similar bunches to and zip tied together for the run to the termination point.

Neil.

Diamond River Valley Railway Company

http://www.dixierail.com
Reply 0
DrJolS Frequent poster 625 posts
DrJolS

Folded wire ends

To hold tiny wire firmly under screws, I have stripped the wire extra long and folded it onto itself once or twice. Then solder the bundle together to guard against breakage at the folds.

DrJolS
Reply 0
Kevin Rowbotham Prolific poster 2,336 posts
Kevin Rowbotham

Connectors

I have not tried these myself yet but they are interesting because they can be configured from three connections to whatever number you need, in increments of three and they are a locking spring lever connector as opposed to screw type.

Accepting 20-26 AWG wire they may be useful for connecting ribbon cables into panels?

Five, three pin blocks sell for $4.95

http://www.adafruit.com/products/1074

~Kevin

Appreciating Modeling In All Scales but majoring in HO!

Not everybody likes me, luckily not everybody matters.
Reply 0
Pelsea Prolific poster 2,398 posts
Pelsea

In the Arduino world,

Arduino world connections are typically made by using female pin headers on the board and soldering wires directly to loose male headers. It's solid enough if you use 1/16" shrink tube on each connection. You build your cables at the bench and just plug them in under the layout. Fiddly to make, but cheap.

I've not had much luck making IDC connections with a vise. Usually (depending on the brand) the pressure has to be focused on a narrow area for best contact. That way they can sell a $60 tool. I've occasionally cut jigs to make the vise work.

pqe
Reply 0
dantept Regular poster 265 posts
dantept

IDC Connections

I used Vise-Grip pliers to make my Scotch-Lok IDC connections. Worked well.

Dante

P.S. I already had them.
Reply 0
Gregory Latiak GLatiak Super User 164 posts
Gregory Latiak GLatiak

RJ-45 keystone connectors

New experiment is to use the ethernet jacks from Leviton as distribution points for my hex frog juicers. The circuit boards are on an electrical panel -- a length of Cat5 brings the outputs to a distribution point made from a keystone plug. Put an RJ45 on the end so it snaps in. The connector has 110 style IDC connections for the individual wires, works for me as I have been using individual 24 gauge wires to connect the frogs. Easy to punch them down into the connector. Used CA to glue a mounting tab on the back to screw it to the layout.

 I had been using Cat5 cables to connect my DS64s to the motors -- works quite well, actually. I use one of those green slip-on connectors for the actual Tortoise connection. Did notice that they don't quite fit the pcb end, could slide and short out. So when I make up the cable I CA a thin strip of styrene inside on each end. This centers the connector over the pcb. Cat5 from the connector to a terminal strip, then pairs to the DS64. This intermediate breakout makes testing and connecting other stuff to the contacts easier.

Gregory Latiak

Please read my blog
Reply 0
Reply