(Topic ID: 157520)

Stupid Playmatic Style Connectors/Headers Modern Replacement

By ChanceKJ

8 years ago


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  • 30 posts
  • 9 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 2 years ago by ChanceKJ
  • Topic is favorited by 4 Pinsiders

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#1 8 years ago

EDIT: I've solved this!! Scroll down to see the working Molex 508 KK series that's a direct replacement. HUGE thanks to Ken for leading me down the path of the KK series.

https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/replacement-10-circuit-connectors#post-6116654

--------------------Original Post-------------------

I've recently got myself into a 1978 Playmatic Chance, (something I couldn't pass up, as "Chance" is my first name).

I'm in the middle of getting everything back up into working condition and I've run into a little wall with some connectors in the box.

I'm looking for a modern replacement, doesn't have to be exactly the same pins and connector, but something that will fit. I can always cut and crimp on new pins. Looks to be 0.2 on center, 8 and 10 circuit. Doesn't need to have that "key" on one end. Anyone have any ideas?

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#2 8 years ago

I would contact Digikey with a photo if you can't find one on their site.
This one looks like it could work: http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/sullins-connector-solutions/PPTC101LFBN-RC/S7008-ND/810149

#3 8 years ago

wow those look like a pain in the dick! if they 3.96mm spaced. Something like this should work even though they are intended to PCB mount.

http://www.jameco.com/1/1/4376-09-52-3102-2145-10-contacts-female-straight-two-part-board-connector-solder.html

#4 8 years ago

Almost looks like you could use Molex "KK" series in the .156" size to me.

https://www.greatplainselectronics.com/categories.asp?cat=37

#5 8 years ago

Interesting...
Are there any manufacturer part markings on the part at all? A logo or anything?
How about a pix looking into connector? Round pins on board?
Can you get an accurate measurement of pin-to-pin spacing using a micrometer?

#6 8 years ago

Haha! Yep, starting to be a pain in the dick for sure.

Nope no markings at all. I took a few more pics of one of the connectors and its header. Let me know what you guys think.

Plan A: replace the connector
Plan B: replace the header so I can use a different connector.

I'd rather not use Plan B, it seems like it's asking for trouble.

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#7 8 years ago

Here is a wild idea... Use 0.1" headers and pull every other pin out. Then you can use normal 0.1" housing and crimp contacts. Just maybe be careful with high current pins.

#9 8 years ago

OK -- those appear to be 5mm spacing.
One more question -- what is the diameter of the pin? 1.54mm?

Ken's link is close but there is a series that has all the contacts at 5mm centers.

#10 8 years ago

Measure outside to outside minus the diameter of a pin gives you distance center to center.

Alternately, inside to inside plus pin diameter. Check both ways to verify your measurements.

#11 8 years ago

Pins are approximately 0.06" in diameter, and approximately 0.260" long. I say approximately because it's a bit hard to get the digital caliper in there to measure.

I've taken a better look around the cab, primarily I need 8 Circuit connectors, a few 6 Circuit, a couple of 7 and even 2 Circuit. There's one 6 Circuit one that has a larger gap in the middle between the 2 sets of three.

Major priority is still the dozen 8 circuit ones.

#12 8 years ago

Anyone realistically think that they could fabricate something with a 3D printer using a more standard molex pin?

#13 8 years ago

Molex SPOX series connectors could possibly work, they do have some at 5.08mm/.2" pitch dunno for sure though.

Any chance you can get a measurement from pin 1 to pin 8, instead of from pin 1 to pin 2? Would help get a bit more accurate measurement of the pitch since there's a couple sizes that are REALLY close.

#14 8 years ago

1.55mm (0.062") pins with 5mm spacing is what I was guessing. But as the last poster stated, get an overall length of the longest connector on the board to see if this is really 5mm or 0.2" spacing (measure center of pin on one end to center of pin on the opposite end of connector).

For 1.55mm pins with 5mm spacing - my 'oddball' connector source has a version that goes to 6 pins in length only. But these would not look at all like what you have now - see link Ken posted for a similar connector (10/5 mm spacing).

For 0.2" pin spacing - all I can find are square pins. Available up to 20 pins long (like Molex SPOX). Again, these won't look like what you have now - these would look more like standard 0.156" plugs used nearly everywhere.

The problem with both of these alternatives - they are both much thicker than what you are using now. I'm sure the silkscreens would be partially covered and hopefully no interference with nearby resistors. Can you get any pins out without mangling it or the connector? I have a source that makes hundreds of crimp contact varieties, maybe we can find a close match.

#16 8 years ago
Quoted from ChanceKJ:

Pins are approximately 0.06" in diameter, and approximately 0.260" long. I say approximately because it's a bit hard to get the digital caliper in there to measure.

Are you using the "back" end of your dial calipers to measure the pin height?

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#17 8 years ago

I am. It's still awkward to get in beside the pin with how it's arranged to n it's spot. I'm gonna pull that PCB out soon because I'm starting to think I'll need to put new headers on it anyways.

What do you guys think for those molex parts I listed above? I'm thinking the next step is to order what I need of those from mouser and see if the headers will be a good replacement. Actually, I might just pull the PCB and compare it to the drawing on molex.com

2 years later
#18 5 years ago

How did you go with this?

1 week later
#19 5 years ago

Still nothing.

I can't find any decent pricing for a similar Molex KK series header that's being discontinued. and I'm investigating 3D printing new ones. A buddy of mine just picked up a really particular 3D printer in order to print large molex connectors for his Nintendo Red Tent, so I might go that route.

1 month later
#20 5 years ago

Thanks for that. I am working on a Sonic Night Fever which uses the same boardset as the Playmatic. My machine has all the wires soldered to the boards and I need to remove boards for repair/fault finding. Waiting patiently for a reasonable solution.

1 year later
#21 3 years ago

My buddy just finished with desoldering all the wires from the boards of my dead project Chance. He found substitute connectors at Great Plains, and today we turned it on for the first time. It booted up and is working minus sound and some switches! If you guys need more info on what connectors he used let me know and I'll see if I can get him to give me the list.

#22 3 years ago

Yeah... I would like to know what worked on that one.

1 month later
#23 3 years ago

A list of what was used would be good.

4 months later
#24 3 years ago

Shit, I'm really sorry guys, I haven't seen this thread in a LONG time.

I've solved this but it take a bit of work and patience. I was 10000% correct about using the Molex KK series headers and connectors. I'd have to get the exact part numbers, but they work EXTREMELY well.

The one caution I will give is that if you're not careful these old playmatic boards seem to want to peal traces as those pins are individual through hole. Its ridiculously stupid as the pins are wedged in so tight. For one of the boards I actually started ripping them up until I got wise: I removed all the solder I could per pin, snipped the ends of the pins on both sides of the board flus with the PCB, and ever so carefully drilled out the remainder with the drill press. It was tedious, but thankfully it was a single board our of the whole pile. After I went back and did some trace repair.

Everything had to go. Every single pin on the board set, and every single wire had to get a new pin crimped and put into the right order. Thankfully the wires had a bit of memory in them, and I went one wire at a time into the connectors. You can also go with a "High Friction" pin from Molex, but honestly that's overkill.

Attached are some pictures of the work as I went. And here's a link to my Flickr gallery of the game... https://flic.kr/s/aHskttPSCb

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#25 3 years ago

Heres the link to the data sheets on the 5.08mm Molex KK "508" series I used.

https://www.molex.com/molex/products/family/kk_508

You'll need Crimp housings, Crimp terminals, and PCB headers.

as well as some pictures of the finished work, the data sheet for the molex, and the before pictures showing the stupid original pins and connectors.

Again, sorry for the late reply. I hope this helps you save your games.

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#26 3 years ago

OK - looks like standard KK156 series contacts and keys.
What pin counts did you use? I can see 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8.

#27 3 years ago

I just counted 2-8 circuit connectors across the boards, then that many of each for both headers and connectors. Plus pins. I also added a couple of each to break some quantity discounts and have spares.

There were a couple times when I had to remove a pin from the headers prior to installation, but I just pulled them out with needle nose. Like for instance there is a gap in a couple of the header locations in my pictures. So I pulled that pin out so it would fit on the board once the old pins were removed. .

2 months later
1 month later
#29 2 years ago

Did you have to replace the header pins as well, or did the existing header pins work.

#30 2 years ago

Pins, connectors, and headers. Replace it all. My Playmatic is now 100%. Lots of work but so worth it.

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