.100 molex connector, housing and header issues

http://www.pinrepair.com/connect/

i am having issues with my eight ball deluxe. i started replacing connectors and headers with the gpe .100 stuff and it's really friggin frustrating. I have probably done 50 or so and can't get the knack for having that little f'er click into place inside the housing. I am also finding some of them get pushed out when I try to seat the housing onto the new header. There's gotta be an easier way. i don't mind spending the time doing the right thing if i am doing it right but I don't think that's the case as I have now introduced further problems into my game. the worst part is I just restored it. Thought i had it all set before i began. Symptom was: when i boot it up it fires up, says "eight ball deluxe" then "5 ball" then wont launch the ball into shooter lane when I press start. light next to solenoid expander has a good bulb in it but it doesnt light up. ready many threads about replacing connectors and a few more pointing towards bridge rectifiers but replacing the upper left connecctor on the mpu didn't fix it. . I went there first cuz it looked burned on the bottom 3 pins inside the red housing. Now i have no audio either. Pretty sure i caused that one myself. I cant find a good place that verifies the wire colors on the connectors in the backbox and some of them have been replaced already. I have a a LOT of time into this and it played for 2 nights. "Look at her. Ain't she pretty?" Now if i could only get her to figgin work lol...

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#2 8 years ago

AMS

barakandl

nvram.weebly.com

12y 132K 10,411

Simple answer is your crimping tool is probably not very good. What are you using? With a good tool, repinning connectors is just mind numbingly boring. Not really difficult.

I really recommend the BCT-1 / 1026-CT crimper. In a Bally game you end up crimping wires that are not necessarily ideal (like a .156" crimp onto a tiny thin wire) and that is where i feel that tool works well.

#3 8 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside+ Member

Sana'a

12y 164K 40,189 18

#4 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from barakandl:
Simple answer is your crimping tool is probably not very good. What are you using? With a good tool, repinning connectors is just mind numbingly boring. Not really difficult.
I really recommend the BCT-1 / 1026-CT crimper. In a Bally game you end up crimping wires that are not necessarily ideal (like a .156" crimp onto a tiny thin wire) and that is where i feel that tool works well.

thats the one i have. I have done this typ of work before but it was a long time ago. i swore the housings had channels to align the edges of the connectors on so they dont end up going down in there sideways or whatever. it's also awkward trying to do it with the harness still in the game. maybe I will pull the light/backboard right out and do it on the bench

#5 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from vid1900:
http://www.pinrepair.com/connect/

thanks vid. I saw that the other day but didn't see a section where it explains how not to be a bumbling inept fool

#6 8 years ago

AMS

barakandl

nvram.weebly.com

12y 132K 10,411

Are you using the smallest anvil on the BCT-1? You should be the .100" contacts. I crimp the wire first, than the insulation. Insulation is either first or second smallest anvil for .100" contacts.

#7 8 years ago

KEN

radium

Pinside+ Frequent

Covington, LA

10y 93,550 4,150 12 1

I'm about to go through this on my Future Spa. I hate those 0.100" contacts. Sometimes if you bend the little locking tab on the back of the contact outward a bit it will lock in the housing better.

When I first started doing these I used to OVER-crimp a lot, which caused lots of problems. So don't do that.

#8 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from barakandl:
Are you using the smallest anvil on the BCT-1? You should be the .100" contacts. I crimp the wire first, than the insulation. Insulation is either first or second smallest anvil for .100" contacts.

great question and no I am using d on everything. do you think my crimp is restricting the entry into the housing and causing it to go sideways?

#9 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from radium:
I'm about to go through this on my Future Spa. I hate those 0.100" contacts. Sometimes if you bend the little locking tab on the back of the contact outward a bit it will lock in the housing better.
When I first started doing these I used to OVER-crimp a lot, which caused lots of problems. So don't do that.

yup. or sometimes you bend it out and the damn thing wont go in. they are so small is tough to know what a good crimp and lock position looks like. i wanna get that feeling. the click of success and the test-pull of awesomeness. i need it....

#10 8 years ago

AMS

barakandl

nvram.weebly.com

12y 132K 10,411

If the contact twists inside of the anvil, try the next size smaller.

#11 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

http://www.amazon.com/HT-225D-Cycle-Ratchet-Crimping-interchangeable/dp/B007JLN93S/ref=sr_1_5

thanks Andrew. Now I need to go find a good backbox wiring diagram and trace out all the ones that have been done including the ones I did

#12 8 years ago

RAP

oldschoolbob

Pinside member

Collinsville, IL

10y 111K 1,777 2

I used to hate crimp connectors. Then I got this:

Still not fun but a hole lot easier - it crimps wire and insulation in one stroke.

Bob

#13 8 years ago

BOY

vid1900

Pinside+ Member

Sana'a

12y 164K 40,189 18

Quoted from oldschoolbob:
I used to hate crimp connectors. Then I got this:
amazon.com link »
Still not fun but a hole lot easier - it crimps wire and insulation in one stroke.
Bob

Yep, I got a pair of those for my junk box when my good ones are at work and they function just fine

#14 8 years ago

KEN

radium

Pinside+ Frequent

Covington, LA

10y 93,550 4,150 12 1

Quoted from oldschoolbob:
I used to hate crimp connectors. Then I got this:
amazon.com link »
Still not fun but a hole lot easier - it crimps wire and insulation in one stroke.
Bob

Dammit. More stuff to buy?

So this is easier than the BCT-1 I'm using? How much easier? Like, worth $25 easier? I have 200+ pins to crimp this weekend so consider me intrigued.

#15 8 years ago

RAP

oldschoolbob

Pinside member

Collinsville, IL

10y 111K 1,777 2

To me it's a big time saver because you don't have to crimp twice for each connector. Plus it doesn't seem to over crimp or under crimp. Just load the connector - stick the wire in and squeeze.

Unfortunately you still have to cut and strip each wire.

Bob

#16 8 years ago

CMP

PinballNZ

Pinside member

Auckland

14y 40,300 136 25

As a new crimper myself, The BCT-1 works fine , I have to be careful not to pick up the end and compress it when doing the first crimp. I worked that one out when some of my computer controlled lights locked on. Pulled the pin out bent it out and replaced and now all is well. ( after at least a month of trying things and crimping more contacts.

Its just a practice thing, the more you do the quicker and better you are.

Mind you my friend also found a couple of locking tabs needed bending out slightly for a better fit.

#17 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from PinballNZ:
I have to be careful not to pick up the end and compress it when doing the first crimp. Pulled the pin out bent it out and replaced and now all is well

I think I am doing this. these things are so small its easy to bend them out of shape

#18 8 years ago

DUG

wiredoug

Pinside member

its funny .. we spend thousands on pinball machines and hundreds of hours working on them, but it seems a couple hundred bucks investment in the proper molex hand crimper tooling that *just works* (in one pass not two) is never done ....

#19 8 years ago

DUG

wiredoug

Pinside member

http://www.molex.com/molex/products/datasheet.jsp?part=active/0638118200_APPLICATION_TOOLIN.xml&part=active/0008500136_CRIMP_TERMINALS.xml

#20 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from wiredoug:
its funny .. we spend thousands on pinball machines and hundreds of hours working on them, but it seems a couple hundred bucks investment in the proper molex hand crimper tooling that *just works* (in one pass not two) is never done ....

i was told to get the one everyone else is referrencing here from GPE. Trust me I don't mind spending money on the right tools especially considering I was about to take a sledgehammer to the game i just spend 110 hours restoring

#21 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from wiredoug:
http://www.molex.com/molex/products/datasheet.jsp?part=active/0638118200_APPLICATION_TOOLIN.xml&part=active/0008500136_CRIMP_TERMINALS.xml

if i buy this will it make all my problems go away? well aside from being a d-bag.

#22 8 years ago

DUG

wiredoug

Pinside member

i dont speak american so i had to look up what d-bag meant. It wont help with that and if we are using me as an example it might even make it worse

I have never had an issue with the end result of the crimp but the machine is not as nice as the .156 version ( which is pure awesome) in that its slightly more awkward to initially locate the wire before crimping ( its a silly "squeeze one click then insert the wire" procedure that you can avoid once you get the hang of it.

they will do a straight perfect crimp every time, they take one 'squeeze' not two for the pin and provided you engage brain and trim the wires right it will just work.

my educated guess ( im not really sure) is that you are flattening the connector with your crimping style and its not going in well as its somewhat distorted.

its 4am here.. later today/tonight when im more motivated i'll take some close up photos for you to compare to your work and you can see if they look any different.

i must say ( after thinking about it) i have *never* had an issue inserting a crimped pin ... its always been 'crimp, click, next' .. so something must be up.

photos to come .. say 1 days time

#23 8 years ago

BIL

dothedoo

Pinside member

12y 106K 7,264

OP
Quoted from rcbrown316:
Symptom was: when i boot it up it fires up, says "eight ball deluxe" then "5 ball" then wont launch the ball into shooter lane when I press start. light next to solenoid expander has a good bulb in it but it doesnt light up.

Still have this problem?

#24 8 years ago

DUG

wiredoug

Pinside member

on another related note. pins wont always fix it.. you might also need to get the desoldering gun out and replace the header pins on any original bally boards.

#25 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from dothedoo:
Still have this problem?

yup. I actually bought another ebd before i started the restore which was immensely helpful. sold the cab and backglass and made all my money back. I swapped the boards around, swapped the playfield and still had the same problem. Then I swapped the light board with all the lamps, displays and harness over it the problem went away. The I restored the game. Then we played it for two nights and the problem came back. i do think the original power supply/recitier board is still in there and I will be difgging back in tomorrow night. first thing i am going to do is check the voltage on the SEB and maybe swap in the other rectifier board. Then i have to double check the pinouts/wire colors on my work and previous work. This was probably one of the most disappointing pinball occurrences I have experienced to date. we got about 20 games in and wow. so fast and everything was so clean and shiny and working perfectly. then that redneck spit a big wad of tobaccy in my eye

#26 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict

Quoted from wiredoug:
i dont speak american so i had to look up what d-bag meant. It wont help with that and if we are using me as an example it might even make it worse
I have never had an issue with the end result of the crimp but the machine is not as nice as the .156 version ( which is pure awesome) in that its slightly more awkward to initially locate the wire before crimping ( its a silly "squeeze one click then insert the wire" procedure that you can avoid once you get the hang of it.
they will do a straight perfect crimp every time, they take one 'squeeze' not two for the pin and provided you engage brain and trim the wires right it will just work.
my educated guess ( im not really sure) is that you are flattening the connector with your crimping style and its not going in well as its somewhat distorted.
its 4am here.. later today/tonight when im more motivated i'll take some close up photos for you to compare to your work and you can see if they look any different.
i must say ( after thinking about it) i have *never* had an issue inserting a crimped pin ... its always been 'crimp, click, next' .. so something must be up.
photos to come .. say 1 days time

thanks man i really appreciate this

#27 8 years ago

BIL

dothedoo

Pinside member

12y 106K 7,264

OP
Quoted from rcbrown316:
Then I swapped the light board with all the lamps, displays and harness over it the problem went away.

It's probably the SCR (Q54) on the lamp driver board. If you ground pin 2 on the solenoid expander board (or ground lamp driver J3-11, schematic says goes to SEB pin 3 so might want to double check before grounding pin 2) the lamp should light and the relay should click.

#28 8 years ago

ROB

rcbrown316

Pinside+ Addict