Saville
Well Known Member
Hello,
I'm embarking on adding an Infinity Grip to my RV-8 pilot stick.
There's a large bundle of wires coming out of the grip (maybe 20+ wires of 20 and 22 gauge) wrapped by some good thick insulator.
I'm having several problems and I'm looking for tips on how to make a clean, neat connector.
And by the way I mention Steinair a lot here because that's where I got my tools and I watched their dsub videos several times.
This posting is IN NO WAY a complaint against Steinair. It's my own inexperience that's causing me trouble - not Steinair tools or techniques.
Problem #1: Making Good crimps
The first image is the crimping tool I'm using . I got it from steinair who recommends it. I'm using standard sized pins. I watched the steinair video and it seems simple to use. The problem I'm having with it is then you insert the pin, it goes too far into the tool. The result is that there is only one crimp on the pin and that is outside the Orange mark - very close to the wire end of the pin. My understanding is that there should be a crimp between the orange and blue marks.
The second photo is a close up of a pin in the tool prior to crimping. It's down way too far I think.
I cannot find a means to adjust the tool for proper depth. I push the pin in what looks to be the right distance but it often is not.
See the third attachment - I don't think this crimp is good....too close to the pin end....to far away from the wire end.
Is there a way to adjust the tool? Did I get the high density fitting - is that the source of my problem?
Problem #2: Removing a pin from the connector
Look at the 4th photo. I cut back on the outer blue insulator to expose some distance on the wires, crimped on some pins and inserted them into the connector.
I watched the Steinair video on how to remove a pin using the red and white tool you see in the picture. The problem I'm having is that those wires are so short I cannot get them fed into the shank of the tool prior to pushing the tool into the pin hole. When Steinair showed you how to do it they had nice long wires to work with.
So what do people do when they have to make up a Dsub with a wire bundle? Do they cut back several inches on the outer insulator to expose a length of wire that's easier to work with?
If so then what do they use to "re-bundle" the wires? Heat shrink tubing? Or do you just lace them up? I'd rather the strain relief clamp onto insulator as opposed to the individual wires.
In reality the wires you see in the 4th picture will end up being even shorter because I cannot fit them into the backshell. They are too long I saw a video which had a good idea:
Arrange the wires the order they will go into the backshell and clamp them in a vise. Be sure the distance between the outside wires is about their distance when their pins are inserted into the connector. Snip the wires above the vise. They will now reach without a lot of extra wire like you see in the 4th picture.
But that will make it even tougher to get the pin out with the tool
I will also not be able to use the heat shrink tubing you see on the wires as that will thwart the removal tool even more.
So how does one handle a wire bundle like this in making up a Dsub connector?
Thanks!
I'm embarking on adding an Infinity Grip to my RV-8 pilot stick.
There's a large bundle of wires coming out of the grip (maybe 20+ wires of 20 and 22 gauge) wrapped by some good thick insulator.
I'm having several problems and I'm looking for tips on how to make a clean, neat connector.
And by the way I mention Steinair a lot here because that's where I got my tools and I watched their dsub videos several times.
This posting is IN NO WAY a complaint against Steinair. It's my own inexperience that's causing me trouble - not Steinair tools or techniques.
Problem #1: Making Good crimps
The first image is the crimping tool I'm using . I got it from steinair who recommends it. I'm using standard sized pins. I watched the steinair video and it seems simple to use. The problem I'm having with it is then you insert the pin, it goes too far into the tool. The result is that there is only one crimp on the pin and that is outside the Orange mark - very close to the wire end of the pin. My understanding is that there should be a crimp between the orange and blue marks.
The second photo is a close up of a pin in the tool prior to crimping. It's down way too far I think.
I cannot find a means to adjust the tool for proper depth. I push the pin in what looks to be the right distance but it often is not.
See the third attachment - I don't think this crimp is good....too close to the pin end....to far away from the wire end.
Is there a way to adjust the tool? Did I get the high density fitting - is that the source of my problem?
Problem #2: Removing a pin from the connector
Look at the 4th photo. I cut back on the outer blue insulator to expose some distance on the wires, crimped on some pins and inserted them into the connector.
I watched the Steinair video on how to remove a pin using the red and white tool you see in the picture. The problem I'm having is that those wires are so short I cannot get them fed into the shank of the tool prior to pushing the tool into the pin hole. When Steinair showed you how to do it they had nice long wires to work with.
So what do people do when they have to make up a Dsub with a wire bundle? Do they cut back several inches on the outer insulator to expose a length of wire that's easier to work with?
If so then what do they use to "re-bundle" the wires? Heat shrink tubing? Or do you just lace them up? I'd rather the strain relief clamp onto insulator as opposed to the individual wires.
In reality the wires you see in the 4th picture will end up being even shorter because I cannot fit them into the backshell. They are too long I saw a video which had a good idea:
Arrange the wires the order they will go into the backshell and clamp them in a vise. Be sure the distance between the outside wires is about their distance when their pins are inserted into the connector. Snip the wires above the vise. They will now reach without a lot of extra wire like you see in the 4th picture.
But that will make it even tougher to get the pin out with the tool
I will also not be able to use the heat shrink tubing you see on the wires as that will thwart the removal tool even more.
So how does one handle a wire bundle like this in making up a Dsub connector?
Thanks!