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N_Cook N_Cook is offline
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Default Flakey Molex(?) connectors

On 15/06/2019 21:09, Bob Engelhardt wrote:
Part of my Habitat volunteering has involved repairing their power
tools. They get Milwaukee tools from the Milwaukee refurb/repair
facility, through a Milwaukee charitable program.

A common problem with these tools is the trigger. Which, of course,
isn't just a switch but is the trigger with 4 control wires as well as
the 2-in, 2-out power lines, a tiny PCB, and the battery connector -
also with control wires. I.e., a nightmare to diagnose and sometimes
ends with us junking the tool (a new switch assembly is much more than
what we pay for the tool).

I was able to definitively diagnose the current tool's problem as a
flakey connector on the signal cable between the battery and the PCB.
The connector appears identical to the ones used for running PC fans
from the MoBo. Like this:
https://i.imgur.com/Q7kfqQG.jpg

I found these contacts that look to be identical to the ones in the tool:
https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...7CT-ND/5287249


I'm puzzled that Molex connectors, if that's what they are, can be so
unreliable. And that Milwaukee would use such unreliable connectors.
Has anybody else seen problems with these connectors?

Bob

BTW - I fixed the tool by removing the contacts from the shell and
soldering them to the pins on the board.


Assuming not failed crimp/s , with needle nose pliers , I put a set on
every other pin, not enough to negate mating of course