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Hi Rob,
Give "Deutch" (sp) connectors a try. They're pretty
small and waterproof to boot. You can get them from Aerocrafters. They come in
everything from 2 conductor up to about 8. If you decide to use Brent's
approach, there are some really neat little mil-spec connectors with solder and
heat shrink built in that you simply stick both wires into, hit it with your
heat gun and it solders and heat shrinks in one operation. I've used these on
the little MAC wires.
Bill Harrelson
N5ZQ 320 1,450 hrs
N6ZQ IV under construction
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, April 14, 2008 11:51
PM
Subject: [LML] MAC servo wire
connections
What have y'all successfully used to connect MAC (sorry, Ray
Allen) servo components? I'm talking about connecting those little
jewels with the 26 AWG wires sticking out of them to the 5-conductor wires
that they also provide. Them little wires are really tiny!
I have
a flap position indicator, two trim systems, relays ... a total of at least
seven of these thingies that each need to be connected to the 5-conductor
wire. And I'll be damned if I can connect those little beasties
together. I've tried Molex micro-fit connectors. I can get a
successful crimp on the pins but I can't get the pins into the sockets without
snapping the wires. I can successfully solder a 26 AWG wire to a 20 AWG
machined crimp pin, but it's kinda swimming around in there.
In my
professional life (rocket and aircraft engineer) we don't allow crimped
connections smaller than 22 AWG since they are too fragile. Now I have
first-hand experience telling me the same thing.
I'd like to use a
soldered termination to a connector. Right now I'm trying Bob Nuckolls
technique of cutting down the backshell from a standard Radio Shack DB-9
D-subminiature connector. I suspect that will work, but I'm wondering
what the rest of you have used. And that's ignoring the issue of hacking
up a "top quality Radio Shack part". (Although in their defense, can the
Shack's D-sub connectors be much different than anyone else's?)
And I
definitely know Brent Regan's approach -- no connectors if at all
possible. While I don't disagree with him, I can't even solder two 26
AWG wires together successfully! And I've got to do this at least 40
times!
How hard is this supposed to be, anyway?
- Rob Wolf
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