Sort of following on from previous and recent questions around
crimping (and my personal / general preference to both manually crimp
(if available) and solder) here, I just checked out another of Big
Clives Youtube videos on crimping pliers for use on the small
connectors you typically find in electronics gear and specifically the
2.54mm 'DuPont' connectors we often use with microcontrollers like the
Arduino / ESP32, various sensors and PC mobo headers etc.

One of my latest projects, a 'Charge Multiplexor' allows me to spread
a single good / intelligent (fairly expensive) 12V maintenance charger
over up to 8 LA batteries using Home Assistant home automation system.

An ESP32 WiFi microcontroller driving 8 relays and a INA219 current
sensor monitoring the charge current and voltage (mostly for logging)
that atm I've tacked together in a 3D printed box using wires soldered
directly to the boards and / or screw terminals where supplied.

Now in theory, once built it shouldn't need to be touched again (you
can even change the firmware over WiFi) but I was thinking of what I
would have to do, should I need / want to replace any of the modules
in the future?

So I was going to replace the ESP32 direct soldered wires with the 2 x
19 pin male headers they generally supply with these things and use 2
x 19 way housings (20 ways cut down) with female crimp connectors and
with paint markings on the plug body, ensuring the use of the correct
connector the right way round. Whilst no more than 12 of the 38 pins
on the ESP32 are used for this project, by using 'full length'
connector shells, even if only partially populate means there is less
chance of mis-locating the plug / socket combo. Also, if I use a
ribbon cable for the screw terminal connection to the relay board, it
will also remove any question marks re wire-to-terminal association
when I forgot what I did in the future (or next week even), wire one
goes to terminal one, two to two etc. ;-(

I would then make this my default 'build style' for future projects.

So, watching the Big Clive video:

https://youtu.be/DXLmuDbcLBM?t=1184

He seems to recommend the IWS-2820 crimping pliers, even though he
makes a bit of a pigs ear out of using them himself on the demo g,
so I wondered if anyone else here has crimped this sort of size /
style connector and if they have any thoughts recommendations on the
pliers please? I normally crimp them manually with my Leatherman
pliers (that doesn't actually do the 'crimping' it the way they should
but just folds each ear over in turn) then solder, then crimp the
strain relief in the same way.

Easy to do in the male as any surplus solder can't really do any harm,
not so easy on the female as you can fill the socket. You also have to
be fast to minimise any insulation runback.

Cheers, T i m

On Mon, 17 May 2021 13:08:16 +0100, T i m wrote:

Sort of following on from previous and recent questions around crimping
(and my personal / general preference to both manually crimp (if
available) and solder) here, I just checked out another of Big Clives
Youtube videos on crimping pliers for use on the small connectors you
typically find in electronics gear and specifically the 2.54mm 'DuPont'
connectors we often use with microcontrollers like the Arduino / ESP32,
various sensors and PC mobo headers etc.

One of my latest projects, a 'Charge Multiplexor' allows me to spread a
single good / intelligent (fairly expensive) 12V maintenance charger
over up to 8 LA batteries using Home Assistant home automation system.

An ESP32 WiFi microcontroller driving 8 relays and a INA219 current
sensor monitoring the charge current and voltage (mostly for logging)
that atm I've tacked together in a 3D printed box using wires soldered
directly to the boards and / or screw terminals where supplied.

Now in theory, once built it shouldn't need to be touched again (you can
even change the firmware over WiFi) but I was thinking of what I would
have to do, should I need / want to replace any of the modules in the
future?

So I was going to replace the ESP32 direct soldered wires with the 2 x
19 pin male headers they generally supply with these things and use 2 x
19 way housings (20 ways cut down) with female crimp connectors and with
paint markings on the plug body, ensuring the use of the correct
connector the right way round. Whilst no more than 12 of the 38 pins on
the ESP32 are used for this project, by using 'full length' connector
shells, even if only partially populate means there is less chance of
mis-locating the plug / socket combo. Also, if I use a ribbon cable for
the screw terminal connection to the relay board, it will also remove
any question marks re wire-to-terminal association when I forgot what I
did in the future (or next week even), wire one goes to terminal one,
two to two etc. ;-(

I would then make this my default 'build style' for future projects.

So, watching the Big Clive video:

https://youtu.be/DXLmuDbcLBM?t=1184

He seems to recommend the IWS-2820 crimping pliers, even though he makes
a bit of a pigs ear out of using them himself on the demo g, so I
wondered if anyone else here has crimped this sort of size / style
connector and if they have any thoughts recommendations on the pliers
please? I normally crimp them manually with my Leatherman pliers (that
doesn't actually do the 'crimping' it the way they should but just folds
each ear over in turn) then solder, then crimp the strain relief in the
same way.

Easy to do in the male as any surplus solder can't really do any harm,
not so easy on the female as you can fill the socket. You also have to
be fast to minimise any insulation runback.

Cheers, T i m

Where is the question ?

On Mon, 17 May 2021 12:35:24 -0000 (UTC), jon wrote:

snip

He seems to recommend the IWS-2820 crimping pliers, even though he makes
a bit of a pigs ear out of using them himself on the demo g, so I
wondered if anyone else here has crimped this sort of size / style
connector and if they have any thoughts recommendations on the pliers
please?

snip

Where is the question ?

Lost yer glasses Jon? ;-)

Cheers, T i m

I've got in excess of a dozen sets of assorted pro crimp pliers. All for
different jobs. And still often haven't got the correct one. The three
quid DIY ones only suitable for the scrap box.

The most used one by far came from Vehicle Wiring Products, and works
nicely on car spade etc terminals. That were once the norm. It's a double
lever non ratchet type which cost a lot of money, and is NLA. But produces
a perfect heart shaped crimp exactly as you'd find on OEM wiring.

IMHO, if you've not got the correct crimp tool, solder is likely better.

One of the few non correct crimp tools I've found satisfactory is a BNC
one, which works nicely for car plug leads. If you have to make your own
to get the correct lengths.

I bought a US navy set in a beautiful wood box off Ebay. Mint condition,
has about 20 interchangeable jaws. Sadly never found anything it fits. ;-)
Probably why it was mint.

--
*Save the whale - I'll have it for my supper*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

On Mon, 17 May 2021 13:52:45 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

I've got in excess of a dozen sets of assorted pro crimp pliers. All for
different jobs. And still often haven't got the correct one.

;-)

The three
quid DIY ones only suitable for the scrap box.

I have some 'market' ones that were bought in a hurry that came with a
selection of crimps that do seem to work, you can't typically pull the
terminal off the wire etc but I'm not sure if the crimp itself can be
formed 'better' (rather than just mostly squished down as with the
basic ones)?

I was given a set of crimp 'pins' (the sort of thing that would
contain the end of a multistrand cable and turn it into a rigid pin to
trap in a screw connector etc) and the very neat crimping tool that
comes in and out like the shutter on a camera and so automatically
adjusts to whatever crimp you put in it from the smallest to the
largest (via different sized crimps etc).

The most used one by far came from Vehicle Wiring Products, and works
nicely on car spade etc terminals. That were once the norm. It's a double
lever non ratchet type which cost a lot of money, and is NLA. But produces
a perfect heart shaped crimp exactly as you'd find on OEM wiring.

Noted.

IMHO, if you've not got the correct crimp tool, solder is likely better.

Maybe that has been part of my reluctance to use / rely on crimp over
solder, I can't typically justify the cost of 'decent' crimping pliers
(given most cheap pliers aren't likely to be good) for the number of
connections I'm likely to make.

One of the few non correct crimp tools I've found satisfactory is a BNC
one, which works nicely for car plug leads. If you have to make your own
to get the correct lengths.

I know the type, the brass ferrules that push into the dizzy etc?

I bought a US navy set in a beautiful wood box off Ebay. Mint condition,
has about 20 interchangeable jaws. Sadly never found anything it fits. ;-)
Probably why it was mint.

Quite likely (unless you were a tech in the US Navy etc). ;-)

Cheers, T i m

On Mon, 17 May 2021 13:52:45 +0100, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I've got in excess of a dozen sets of assorted pro crimp pliers. All for
different jobs. And still often haven't got the correct one. The three
quid DIY ones only suitable for the scrap box.

The most used one by far came from Vehicle Wiring Products, and works
nicely on car spade etc terminals. That were once the norm. It's a
double lever non ratchet type which cost a lot of money, and is NLA. But
produces a perfect heart shaped crimp exactly as you'd find on OEM
wiring.

IMHO, if you've not got the correct crimp tool, solder is likely better.

One of the few non correct crimp tools I've found satisfactory is a BNC
one, which works nicely for car plug leads. If you have to make your own
to get the correct lengths.

I bought a US navy set in a beautiful wood box off Ebay. Mint condition,
has about 20 interchangeable jaws. Sadly never found anything it fits.
;-)
Probably why it was mint.

I have a couple of Hellermann ratchet crimping tools from the 60s each
have a triple size jaw, which folds the crimped sleeve over the insulation
and conductor.

On 17/05/2021 13:35, jon wrote:
On Mon, 17 May 2021 13:08:16 +0100, T i m wrote:

Sort of following on from previous and recent questions around crimping
(and my personal / general preference to both manually crimp (if
available) and solder) here, I just checked out another of Big Clives
Youtube videos on crimping pliers for use on the small connectors you
typically find in electronics gear and specifically the 2.54mm 'DuPont'
connectors we often use with microcontrollers like the Arduino / ESP32,
various sensors and PC mobo headers etc.

One of my latest projects, a 'Charge Multiplexor' allows me to spread a
single good / intelligent (fairly expensive) 12V maintenance charger
over up to 8 LA batteries using Home Assistant home automation system.

An ESP32 WiFi microcontroller driving 8 relays and a INA219 current
sensor monitoring the charge current and voltage (mostly for logging)
that atm I've tacked together in a 3D printed box using wires soldered
directly to the boards and / or screw terminals where supplied.

Now in theory, once built it shouldn't need to be touched again (you can
even change the firmware over WiFi) but I was thinking of what I would
have to do, should I need / want to replace any of the modules in the
future?

So I was going to replace the ESP32 direct soldered wires with the 2 x
19 pin male headers they generally supply with these things and use 2 x
19 way housings (20 ways cut down) with female crimp connectors and with
paint markings on the plug body, ensuring the use of the correct
connector the right way round. Whilst no more than 12 of the 38 pins on
the ESP32 are used for this project, by using 'full length' connector
shells, even if only partially populate means there is less chance of
mis-locating the plug / socket combo. Also, if I use a ribbon cable for
the screw terminal connection to the relay board, it will also remove
any question marks re wire-to-terminal association when I forgot what I
did in the future (or next week even), wire one goes to terminal one,
two to two etc. ;-(

I would then make this my default 'build style' for future projects.

So, watching the Big Clive video:

https://youtu.be/DXLmuDbcLBM?t=1184

He seems to recommend the IWS-2820 crimping pliers, even though he makes
a bit of a pigs ear out of using them himself on the demo g, so I
wondered if anyone else here has crimped this sort of size / style
connector and if they have any thoughts recommendations on the pliers
please? I normally crimp them manually with my Leatherman pliers (that
doesn't actually do the 'crimping' it the way they should but just folds
each ear over in turn) then solder, then crimp the strain relief in the
same way.

Easy to do in the male as any surplus solder can't really do any harm,
not so easy on the female as you can fill the socket. You also have to
be fast to minimise any insulation runback.

Cheers, T i m

Where is the question ?

"I wondered if anyone else here has crimped this sort of size / style
connector and if they have any thoughts recommendations on the pliers
please? "


--
€œIt is not the truth of Marxism that explains the willingness of
intellectuals to believe it, but the power that it confers on
intellectuals, in their attempts to control the world. And since...it is
futile to reason someone out of a thing that he was not reasoned into,
we can conclude that Marxism owes its remarkable power to survive every
criticism to the fact that it is not a truth-directed but a
power-directed system of thought.€�
Sir Roger Scruton