Hello viewers! Some corrections: - I've trimmed the few seconds that mention twisting wires. Plenty of feedback from people with expertise in this area advising not to. - My naming of male and female JST ends were reversed. - Also, another nice tip is to have the end of the stripped wire poke through the end of the ferrule and then trim it back flush after crimping.
God I wish there was a video like this before I started getting into cable work. I do have some corrections though: these tools are all chinese budget stuff, none of them are actually "GOOD". This also goes for the connectors you use, I highly doubt that any of the JST XH, PH, ZH, "dupont" or any other are actually genuine connectors so basically you cannot rely on these connections to the full extent. People will look up datasheets and will find that a "dupont" connector will suffice for a 3A connection but that is for original ones with the original tool that crimps within spec. The real world specs for these knock-offs are much lower and not everyone will know this. Also if you are still looking for a solid ratcheting crimper I highly suggest you look further into IWISS' offerings. The ones I have myself and can actually recommend are the SN-025, the IWS-1442L and the SN-58b. These are probably the best non-expensive less-shitty crimpers you can buy right now.
@@MarinusMakesStuff you know why is that just crimping can lead to overheating if joint is not crimped properly especially with shoddy crimping pliers and tinting can lead to a cooler connection but the best way is to solder the lugs but that leads to destroying the plastic cover.
These are the sort of things that once you start using them, you really come to question how you went without them for so long. They are just soooo much nicer than other way of doing it.
It's not a question of "why dont I use these connectors?" but a question of "why didnt I do this sooner?" :P I just got a crimping set, it's SO much more nicer than having to solder things together.
@@ramtek2702 Simple, do as i do just buy them all until you find the right one. The Iwiss 3220 works really good. It helps to close the tool on the terminal one click of the ratchet. This hold the terminal in place. Then you can even set the tool and terminal down while you try to find the wire you just stripped!!.
@@larsord9139 Buying all the crimpers isn't a solution for people on a budget. Actually I gave up on that idea after a couple of hundred dollars wasted. The "one click" trick isn't anything new. I've used it for decades but thanks for the suggestion.
hi klistada, what do you think about all gubments drawing a line around you(Antarctic Treaty) and saying you are not allowed to leave? If you don't know what I mean, read my about tab.
I crimped a *lot* of pins in the almost 10 years I worked in a factory. The one observation I would make is: good strippers are a must-have. In strict terms: the *end* of the insulation must be visible in the gap between the strain relief crimp and the conductor crimp, and all the strands must be visible both sides of the conductor crimp (the ends can't be too long, and none should be missing). Proper calibration of the crimp tool is essential, your QA guy would use a sample of the wire & pins being used to do a "pull-off test" to make sure the crimp could withstand the specified tension - too loose and the wire pulls out of the conductor crimp, too tight and the strands break because they are over-crushed. In theory, a good crimp will be gas-tight. :)
Even after about 1.5y of 3d printing, you still educate me on topics like this. There's just too much choice, you cut down the possible options and give a clear recommendation. Without pushing it through. Keep it up!
Thank you for this, as someone who's very new to the electrical side of things, and intimidated by it, this is an AMAZING resource. The fact that you don't assume any prior knowledge is SO helpful, being a total beginner, so again thank you!
This information was very helpful and the Amazon links took the guesswork out of buying the correct supplies. Thanks for the wealth of information you provide on your channel!
I wish this video existed ten years ago when I was building my first 3D printer and didn't have any guides. Now I own all these connectors and a great crimping tool, and I have to say it's super mindful and therapeutic to make your own crimp connectors onto the ends of the wires. And it's fun to be able to make every strand of wire the correct length, and to wire it all up perfectly. Looking back at the printers I made ten years ago, it's crazy to see how I fixed cabling issues back then. Cutting off the connectors with a little extra wire so I could cut them to length and then solder back the wires in order to have a connector on the end.
As i learned in an electrical Company in Germany its not aloud to twist the wire because you increase the diameter that can cause lose connetors. Just gently allign the wire and crimp
@@justindeibel7660 right just as it is IN the Isolation thats the right way, allmost everybody twist the wires to get it better in but thats not correct
just one remark on this great video, Michael: it is common practice not to twist cables you want to crimp, at least not as excessive as you have shown. The crimp will be much better in that way, long term.
This is exactly for what I was looking. You asked if you missed anything. I would have like to have heard the wire gauges used with each type of connector. Great video. Thank you.
Thank you, this is one of the best tutorial videos on crimping tool usage. A key takeaway for me was how to sit JST and Dupont the connectors in the crimping tool. This step is critical to a successful crimp.
Very helpful. Couple of observations though. The JST connectors that are soldered onto the board are male connectors, not female. You can make polarized inline DuPont connectors by swapping one pin with the opposite type of pin in each connector. So for a two pin connecter, each one would have one male and one female pin. For three wire ones, one plug would have two female and one male (on either end - not in the middle) and other other one a matching (2 males one female). When making any plug with an exposed pin, do not have that pin carrying any current/power. This prevents possibility of shorts with the exposed pin.
Good point. For the original version of Du Pont connectors, made by Berg, you could get a plastic blanking pin that inserted from the other (narrow) end, blocking off one position. I don't know if you can still get those; I have a hoard from decades ago. There's a similar thing for Molex KK 0.1" pitch connectors.
@@pnt1035 the whole 'polarising pin' thing is interesting- from the blanking pins to prevent the wrong cable being inserted, to keying inserts that are riveted into connectors so you can't plug the wrong board into the rack cage. Very much still a thing, though it has been a while since I used anything like this :)
@@pnt1035 That's the same concept as the key "pins" in PC motherboards, USB headers are usually 2x5 for 2 connectors, being 1 empty key and one unused (or extra ground for the shield), then the other 2x5 header usually close by - the on-board audio - has a different position for the key pin, so neither you can insert the wrong cable on the wrong header, nor can you insert any of them the other way around.
I saved up for a nice benchtop crimping press. Saves so much time, no more juggling wires, crimps and tool everything just stays in place. Handheld crimping tools are one of those "great" inventions that requires a person to have 2.5 hands in order to use them most effectively.
Thank you! I've been trying to get information on this stuff for months and no one has explained it beyond "Just connect some X/Y/Z to the wires and you're done." No details on what to look for, how to crimp, or what to buy. Thank you so much for this!
Great video, and I've learned some useful stuff here, but there's one thing I have to strongly disagree with, and that has to do with crimping the fork (and similair) terminals in the very beginning. These connections are generally carrying fairly high currents, at least when compared with the rest of a printer, and more than any others they need to be very secure. A bad crimp on a high-current connection can cause heating, which can lead to damage to your printer, and even start a fire. Using the very cheap type of crimper - like the one built into the handles of your iwiss, or sold separately as a cheap, stamped metal, stripper/cutter/crimper - is very likely to give you a bad crimp. You have to squeeze it exactly right to get a properly formed crimp. Too hard and you will crack the connector, reducing its holding power. Too soft and it won't hold to begin with. Even giving it a tug to check that it's secure is no guarantee it's safe - printers vibrate, and a poor crimp can lose grip due to vibration. The solution is to use a proper ratcheting crimper. They are commonly available on Amazon and elsewhere, you want the ones with the three colored dots marking three different size openings. These will give you a much better crimp, far more reliably. If you are only going to spend money on one proper crimper, make it this one. The risk of damage or fire is too high otherwise, imho.
Thank you for a very informative video. I'd like to make a couple of comments. First: A massive thumbs up for not drowning your voice out with music - it always amazes me how many videos do that. Secondly: I've been looking for a crimper for a while and must have watched a hundred videos. None of which showed the information I needed. You have shown exactly what I wanted to see and I'm going to get the Iwiss 3220 now. Thanks.
@@flat-earther Sorry, I've only just seen your reply. I actually had to send it back. I don't know if it was me, the crimper or the connectors, but I couldn't get it to crimp in one go. I had to move the connector through a bit more each time and crimp again.
@@jonsumisu9016 oh okay. Actually I ended up buying Engineer pad-11 which cost me 67USD, only crimped a servo connector with it so far and it worked good. with it the conductor and insulation have to be crimped separately.
I've been using the wrong crimping pliers. That explains why my connections are either crushed or falling off after crimping them. Thank you for this great help
I had the same trouble with my other crimping tools. The connector would bend the wrong way and snap off, very frustrating. Very happy with the IWISS tool!
I saw some videos about the same topic, that is the best so far, clearly explaned, nice details, and nice video quality to get the needed visual details. Thanks for that!
This video is very well done, covering a lot of material in a short time. In my experience, it is important to pat attention to the split in the ferrule portion of a ringed or forked terminal. The split should always be on the "cradle side of the crimping jaws, as the "post" can split the split. When this happens, there is no pull-out strength.
Thank you very much for this video. I tried crimping a Noctua fan and didn't have the ride connectors or any idea how to crimp them; I ended up soldering the connector from the old fan onto the Noctua. You've solved this mystery!
This is the exact video I needed for working on my iron man cosplay wiring!!! I needed to learn the connectors, pros, cons, and purposes and that is what this video did
I'd say for small wires. Jst-ph or xh. Both are small and locking. For larger use a spade connector. Since it handles more current. And then you got all the others that fulfill the other specialties.
Great tutorial on electrical pins and how to crimp them. I didn't know how to figure out what size female pins, but now I know it's the center to center pitch and not the width of the pin. I'm working on a 2013 Toyota Tacoma and was trying to find new pins, so I can install wiring and so far I've gotten nowhere with it, but now I may.
This is the best video I've seen on this subject. Most I look up on crimping are either old or the quality of the video is terrible. I learned a lot from this! Kudos to you! If I could afford it, I would be building the Ratrig 300 cube right with you!
This is a great video and should be required for anyone who is serious about modding their printers. As you said most of these tools you purchase once and wonder how you ever got by without it.
Gotta say you have my favorite 3d printing channel for me to learn from. Everything you talk about is very detailed and easy to follow and the amount of different videos you have on different subjects has taught me alot. I've been doing 3d printing for about a week at this point lol but most of the many dozen hours ive spent on UA-cam learning about printing has been on this channel. Ironically enough i got into 3d printing because of my new time wasting obsession, F1. I got a sim wheel i wanted to make mods for. And ive seen you're a fan as well. It all connects lol.
Thanks Michael, I bought a crimping tool and a bunch of connectors some time ago and never quite got the hang of it. I'll definitely re-watch this next time I need to do some wiring!
2 Years later I have bought the right crimping tool and crimping a lot of wires already with it. for the JST crimping tool, usually you can got untill you hear 1 or 2 clicks, push in the wires and complete the crimp
Great video thanks. One tip - when stripping insulation leave on end of wire then twist as you remove it, this gives a tighter twist. Forty years making looms/harnesses.
Dupont inserts have different clamps for strain relief on the insulation. While other clamps are crimped symmetrically, with Dupont the two sides of the clamp each encompass the entire wire. I can recommend the "Preciva PR-3245" crimping tool.
Perfect explanation of what crimping is/does, with those illustrations and everything! But gawwwwwwd I hate crimping so much! Especially the fiddly little JST connectors, those things are the bane of my existence! There's no 'getting good' at it, either! No matter how many perfectly good crimps you make your next one can always be a complete mess!
It would be cool to add a bit more to this. Like what wire types to use. What gauge fits the various connectors(jst, dupont, molex)? What gauge should be used for different parts on the 3d printer? Silicone or pvc insulation? Ribbon or multiple singles? Also, what are your preferred cable management tools such as velcro ties, zipties, self adhesive clips, heat shrink tubing, PET expandable or closed cable sleeving. There's a lot to it, and i think you're the perfect candidate to do some videos on 3d printer wiring. A lot of people want to make their own 3d printer, but then scare away when they find that they have to do all the wiring themselves.
You missed my favorite connector JST SM, ists a great wire-to-wire connector, locking, polarized, max 3A and rugged. I mad my full hotend "modular" using JST SM, so i can change my thermistor or fans in seconds, without rerouting 2 meters of cable everytime.
unless you buy genuine JST connectors and terminals from Japan with the 1500$ tool I doubt your connections will work up to 3A. I like it too though, there is a reason it is often used in LED applications
Nice work. Very concise and thorough, and I really appreciate the numerous and accurate links to the tools and connector sets. A really excellent job, thank you.
Nice video. Great explanation. I would still use a high end multi point crimper for the "automotive" lugs and forked connectors. The single point crimp tends to create a weak point in the crimp that can break under load and short - he says from experience.
Solder heat shrink connectors are also really good for splicing and joining wires. You can use a lighter to shrink and activate the low temp solder. It also seals both ends to make the joint water proof.
@@TeachingTech They are great for 20 awg and smaller. I think traditional soldering is better for 18 and above. The trick to them is to ease it up on the lighter or just a heat gun. I've been using them mostly for splicing fan cables. Sometimes it's just not convenient to pull out your soldering gear for just two small wires. On another note, there are crimped female jst ph and jst xh female connectors but they are harder to find. Soldering wires to surface mount inteded sockets never lasts. I am not sure why all the amazon sellers only sell smd connector kits.
good instructional video - here's a tip for those that use those vise-grip style strippers - if you notice the serrated jaws always bite and mark the cable - if you use them with the cable fed in from the other side with the waste end gripped by the serrations you dont end up with cables with chewed insulation
Thanks for the video! Two observations: get good quality connectors/terminals/pins. Also, the color scheme varies around the world and sometimes the same color is used for very different gauges (so it's difficult to mistake one for another). I believe that is the ISO standard but in other countries there are more detailed color schemes like in Germany and France.
This are great tips. I hope you start calling out manufacturers that do this when you review their products. They need to stop getting away with using tinned wires.
Hi, thank you for your video Should've watched it before I tried to upgrade my FFCP) though I managed to find all the tools that you mentioned while solving the arising problems during the upgrade The other thing that is also interesting to hear is about the wires. How to choose them to power your bed for example. And I see a lot of people saying that twisting wires is bad, but I haven't seen a person who said how to do that properly. I guess you have to choose the correct wire diameter and the ferrule or connector that is matching the wire. That is what I am going to test myself once I receive new wires and connectors) For now I have a problem with my bed powering wires before the upgrade is complete.
Just learned my power ferrules are crimped wrong. I only crimped the plastic, but I'll crimp the shanks now too. I struggled crimping onto the sheath and strands correctly by feeling where the correct placement of the cable is inside the partially crimped connector. To remedy that, I use needle nose pliers to half crimp around the sheath only and insert the cable with connector into the crimpers into the correct location resulting in a PERFECT crimp with no more wasting metal crimps on failed attempts.
2:15 "cirmp cant melt if it gets hot" For my laziness for buying a cheap ready made wiring harness resulted in some heavy discolors connectors with burn marks on the inside and a small electrical fire. These been the worst crimps i have ever seen. If you want it done right you have to do it yourself. So make sure to use good tools and be patient when crimping small JST and such
A great video. I've been using dupont connectors for decades, mostly when I was in to RC models. The "futaba" style connectors are basically a tabbed 3-pin dupont to ensure polarity and I've found that if you're worried about accidentally reversing polarity when using 2-pin dupont connectors to use 3-pin connectors instead and leave one slot empty. This makes it very simple to line up the connectors and makes it more difficult (not impossible) to reverse the polarity accidentally. still got to pay attention though. lol
A very well structured video with plain english explanations with all the different connectors, which could get a bit overwhelming to someone new in building their 3D printer. Something that could be useful to add is the wire sizes for the connectors and why. Some are fine with very small guage wire, as they are simply giving an open/closed signal such as an end stop, but some others should be a thicker guage such as accelerometer wiring and possibly even thermistor wiring, should the wire need to be extended
If properly crimped (using the right tool) the stands are cold welded to the terminal. Re soldering: solder is not only filling the gap (like a glue) but it diffuses into metal surfaces making a tiny layer of alloy at the soldered joint.
This is a fantastic wealth of knowledge, thank you for sharing this! I'm gonna have to try to get my hands on a ferrule kit I guess, cause I just don't trust the tinned wire/screw connector combo in my Ender 3 V2 at this point. Was very surprised to find out how much safer a ferrule is and why!
I made the mistake of not taking the time to make the right connectors for the bl touch when connecting to the skr mini. While it was fine for almost 2 years, I recently tried lightning infill which makes for a shakier print. So about a third print in (with only 5 layers left to go even!) was enough to loosen the default connector enough to power cycle the bl touch, and the pin popped into the infill and bent.
Needed to make some custom JST PH looms and couldn't find any 23 AWG wire locally (Jaycar only seems to stock 1.8mm wire). I ended up cutting up a CAT6E that was already dead, but the reference to Dupont wire made me realise I could just repurpose some of my hundreds of Dupont wires.
Dupont connectors are also on servos like the ones used with RC cars, airplanes, boats, and helicopters. For the plugs where you have the male pins sticking out, there is an extra piece of plastic that snaps onto the dupont plastic so those ends aren't exposed and prevents them from being plugged in backwards. Look up a servo extension to see the different ends.
It's terribly expensive. Some people made a home-made tool, and good quality. They took a nail clipper, and with their teeth closed, they drilled a hole - at the junction of the teeth. Further, make the edges of this hole sharp. And... and that's it. Of course, several such tools are needed for different cables.
Excelent video. I was almost giving up on doing my printer upgrade connections to Manta M4P. Thank you very much. I like the Ayrton Senna T-shirt! Brazil!
Thanks again Michael for another great video! You're helping an old nerd immensely, since I had no clue what these connectors / pins were called. Since I recently busted one during an Ender 5 Plus upgrade, this knowledge is invaluable! And Amazon is a few bucks richer!
Thank you for making this video! I'm about to upgrade the motherboard on my CR-20 Pro (because the stock drivers are driving me crazy). I wanted to crimp the cables so as to do a good job, but never did it before. This helped tons!
I don't know if all crimper/dies are like this, but on the ones that came with my kit if I leave the reel feed bit on the terminal when I insert the terminal in the crimpers the reel feed sets it at the right depth and also gives sort of a handle to keep it from twisting while the jaws are closing.
Hello viewers! Some corrections:
- I've trimmed the few seconds that mention twisting wires. Plenty of feedback from people with expertise in this area advising not to.
- My naming of male and female JST ends were reversed.
- Also, another nice tip is to have the end of the stripped wire poke through the end of the ferrule and then trim it back flush after crimping.
Just one thing to add, tinning wires before putting them into a ferrule is also bad practice. I missed that comment, but I see a lot of people do it.
God I wish there was a video like this before I started getting into cable work. I do have some corrections though:
these tools are all chinese budget stuff, none of them are actually "GOOD". This also goes for the connectors you use, I highly doubt that any of the JST XH, PH, ZH, "dupont" or any other are actually genuine connectors so basically you cannot rely on these connections to the full extent. People will look up datasheets and will find that a "dupont" connector will suffice for a 3A connection but that is for original ones with the original tool that crimps within spec. The real world specs for these knock-offs are much lower and not everyone will know this.
Also if you are still looking for a solid ratcheting crimper I highly suggest you look further into IWISS' offerings. The ones I have myself and can actually recommend are the SN-025, the IWS-1442L and the SN-58b. These are probably the best non-expensive less-shitty crimpers you can buy right now.
You say tinting wires is hazardous yet using lugs which can melt or wiring overheat at the lug can burn more easily than tinting wires
@@MarinusMakesStuff you know why is that just crimping can lead to overheating if joint is not crimped properly especially with shoddy crimping pliers and tinting can lead to a cooler connection but the best way is to solder the lugs but that leads to destroying the plastic cover.
I came across liquid solder in my car audio adventures! Stuff is great! Definitely look it up 👍👍
These are the sort of things that once you start using them, you really come to question how you went without them for so long. They are just soooo much nicer than other way of doing it.
You don't come to question it. You are admitting they just are nicer. So it's basically an aesthetic difference between one and the other
It's not a question of "why dont I use these connectors?" but a question of "why didnt I do this sooner?" :P
I just got a crimping set, it's SO much more nicer than having to solder things together.
I imagine the same people that don't care how it "looks" still won't care.
It turns your sloppy DIY crap into professional work.
"Buy the right tools and you'll never go back." Truer words were never spoken!
True. I got the lousy one for being a cheapskate. Ended up, I lost time which I’ll never get back.
Sometimes also expressed as "I can't afford to buy cheap tools."
I would happily buy the proper crimpers if I could find them. The ads on Amazon are unreliable.
@@ramtek2702 Simple, do as i do just buy them all until you find the right one. The Iwiss 3220 works really good. It helps to close the tool on the terminal one click of the ratchet. This hold the terminal in place. Then you can even set the tool and terminal down while you try to find the wire you just stripped!!.
@@larsord9139 Buying all the crimpers isn't a solution for people on a budget. Actually I gave up on that idea after a couple of hundred dollars wasted. The "one click" trick isn't anything new. I've used it for decades but thanks for the suggestion.
GODDAMMIT!!!! Why do I always stumble on the perfect video explaining everything 10 minutes AFTER I've finished the job.
hi klistada, what do you think about all gubments drawing a line around you(Antarctic Treaty) and saying you are not allowed to leave? If you don't know what I mean, read my about tab.
I crimped a *lot* of pins in the almost 10 years I worked in a factory. The one observation I would make is: good strippers are a must-have.
In strict terms: the *end* of the insulation must be visible in the gap between the strain relief crimp and the conductor crimp, and all the strands must be visible both sides of the conductor crimp (the ends can't be too long, and none should be missing). Proper calibration of the crimp tool is essential, your QA guy would use a sample of the wire & pins being used to do a "pull-off test" to make sure the crimp could withstand the specified tension - too loose and the wire pulls out of the conductor crimp, too tight and the strands break because they are over-crushed.
In theory, a good crimp will be gas-tight. :)
Fantastic info packed into one comment! Thanks for sharing this.
These videos shows some of the solutions to problems you did not even know existed! Nice videos indeed.
This is the very best video teaching crimping. You included photos and detailed descriptions of the several connector types. Perfect.
Even after about 1.5y of 3d printing, you still educate me on topics like this. There's just too much choice, you cut down the possible options and give a clear recommendation. Without pushing it through. Keep it up!
Thank you for this, as someone who's very new to the electrical side of things, and intimidated by it, this is an AMAZING resource. The fact that you don't assume any prior knowledge is SO helpful, being a total beginner, so again thank you!
This information was very helpful and the Amazon links took the guesswork out of buying the correct supplies. Thanks for the wealth of information you provide on your channel!
I wish this video existed ten years ago when I was building my first 3D printer and didn't have any guides. Now I own all these connectors and a great crimping tool, and I have to say it's super mindful and therapeutic to make your own crimp connectors onto the ends of the wires. And it's fun to be able to make every strand of wire the correct length, and to wire it all up perfectly. Looking back at the printers I made ten years ago, it's crazy to see how I fixed cabling issues back then. Cutting off the connectors with a little extra wire so I could cut them to length and then solder back the wires in order to have a connector on the end.
I was very much the same for years. I would horde plugs with bits of wire and solder them together to make my wiring looms.
As i learned in an electrical Company in Germany its not aloud to twist the wire because you increase the diameter that can cause lose connetors. Just gently allign the wire and crimp
Here we were taught to twist back to the natural lay of the wire, but not too much as it increases the diameter of the wire.
@@justindeibel7660 right just as it is IN the Isolation thats the right way, allmost everybody twist the wires to get it better in but thats not correct
@@andyflyprint5628 You must be an authentic German , "stick to the rules no matter what"
We have rules for a reason@@Spark-Hole
just one remark on this great video, Michael: it is common practice not to twist cables you want to crimp, at least not as excessive as you have shown. The crimp will be much better in that way, long term.
I don't think for the ferrules it really matters because it is crimped from all 4 sides.
@@gizelle-s the manufacturers of those crimp contacts will tell you not to twist ... but of course, think as you like. no problem
@@peter.stimpel I'm not doing it, so it's all good, lol.
This is exactly for what I was looking. You asked if you missed anything. I would have like to have heard the wire gauges used with each type of connector. Great video. Thank you.
Thank you, this is one of the best tutorial videos on crimping tool usage. A key takeaway for me was how to sit JST and Dupont the connectors in the crimping tool. This step is critical to a successful crimp.
Very helpful. Couple of observations though.
The JST connectors that are soldered onto the board are male connectors, not female.
You can make polarized inline DuPont connectors by swapping one pin with the opposite type of pin in each connector. So for a two pin connecter, each one would have one male and one female pin. For three wire ones, one plug would have two female and one male (on either end - not in the middle) and other other one a matching (2 males one female).
When making any plug with an exposed pin, do not have that pin carrying any current/power. This prevents possibility of shorts with the exposed pin.
Good point. For the original version of Du Pont connectors, made by Berg, you could get a plastic blanking pin that inserted from the other (narrow) end, blocking off one position. I don't know if you can still get those; I have a hoard from decades ago. There's a similar thing for Molex KK 0.1" pitch connectors.
@@pnt1035 the whole 'polarising pin' thing is interesting- from the blanking pins to prevent the wrong cable being inserted, to keying inserts that are riveted into connectors so you can't plug the wrong board into the rack cage. Very much still a thing, though it has been a while since I used anything like this :)
ooh, that polarized connectors idea is really good, never thought of that before
@@pnt1035 That's the same concept as the key "pins" in PC motherboards, USB headers are usually 2x5 for 2 connectors, being 1 empty key and one unused (or extra ground for the shield), then the other 2x5 header usually close by - the on-board audio - has a different position for the key pin, so neither you can insert the wrong cable on the wrong header, nor can you insert any of them the other way around.
To clarify:
Always make the pin that *supplies* the power a female pin.
I saved up for a nice benchtop crimping press. Saves so much time, no more juggling wires, crimps and tool everything just stays in place. Handheld crimping tools are one of those "great" inventions that requires a person to have 2.5 hands in order to use them most effectively.
You should have millions of subscribers. Your videos are always so well done, easy to follow, and highly knowledgeable!
Thank you! I've been trying to get information on this stuff for months and no one has explained it beyond "Just connect some X/Y/Z to the wires and you're done." No details on what to look for, how to crimp, or what to buy. Thank you so much for this!
Great video, and I've learned some useful stuff here, but there's one thing I have to strongly disagree with, and that has to do with crimping the fork (and similair) terminals in the very beginning.
These connections are generally carrying fairly high currents, at least when compared with the rest of a printer, and more than any others they need to be very secure. A bad crimp on a high-current connection can cause heating, which can lead to damage to your printer, and even start a fire.
Using the very cheap type of crimper - like the one built into the handles of your iwiss, or sold separately as a cheap, stamped metal, stripper/cutter/crimper - is very likely to give you a bad crimp. You have to squeeze it exactly right to get a properly formed crimp. Too hard and you will crack the connector, reducing its holding power. Too soft and it won't hold to begin with. Even giving it a tug to check that it's secure is no guarantee it's safe - printers vibrate, and a poor crimp can lose grip due to vibration.
The solution is to use a proper ratcheting crimper. They are commonly available on Amazon and elsewhere, you want the ones with the three colored dots marking three different size openings. These will give you a much better crimp, far more reliably.
If you are only going to spend money on one proper crimper, make it this one. The risk of damage or fire is too high otherwise, imho.
Perfect timing! I literally just received my connector kit and plan on starting wiring my Voron 2.4 tonight. Thanks!
Ha! Me too. Starting assembling HevORT.
Thank you for a very informative video. I'd like to make a couple of comments.
First: A massive thumbs up for not drowning your voice out with music - it always amazes me how many videos do that.
Secondly: I've been looking for a crimper for a while and must have watched a hundred videos. None of which showed the information I needed.
You have shown exactly what I wanted to see and I'm going to get the Iwiss 3220 now. Thanks.
how is the crimper
@@flat-earther Sorry, I've only just seen your reply. I actually had to send it back. I don't know if it was me, the crimper or the connectors, but I couldn't get it to crimp in one go. I had to move the connector through a bit more each time and crimp again.
@@jonsumisu9016 oh okay.
Actually I ended up buying Engineer pad-11 which cost me 67USD, only crimped a servo connector with it so far and it worked good. with it the conductor and insulation have to be crimped separately.
Yes, I think it might be asking a bit too much for one tool to crimp both in one go, and be able to do different sizes.@@flat-earther
Great video for someone like me that is not familiar with all the different crimping tools.
I've been using the wrong crimping pliers. That explains why my connections are either crushed or falling off after crimping them. Thank you for this great help
I had the same trouble with my other crimping tools. The connector would bend the wrong way and snap off, very frustrating. Very happy with the IWISS tool!
Great to make this kind of education on this channel. As we are making our 3d printers better, a proper cable connection is always necessary.
I saw some videos about the same topic, that is the best so far, clearly explaned, nice details, and nice video quality to get the needed visual details. Thanks for that!
This video is very well done, covering a lot of material in a short time. In my experience, it is important to pat attention to the split in the ferrule portion of a ringed or forked terminal. The split should always be on the "cradle side of the crimping jaws, as the "post" can split the split. When this happens, there is no pull-out strength.
I completely agree! I've seen it happen about the split. I teach every apprentice I come across this at every chance I get. Cradle the split!!!
I was looking for this before I commented…
Best video on crimping I have seen so far. Many thanks.
Thank you very much for this video. I tried crimping a Noctua fan and didn't have the ride connectors or any idea how to crimp them; I ended up soldering the connector from the old fan onto the Noctua. You've solved this mystery!
This is the exact video I needed for working on my iron man cosplay wiring!!! I needed to learn the connectors, pros, cons, and purposes and that is what this video did
I'd say for small wires.
Jst-ph or xh. Both are small and locking.
For larger use a spade connector. Since it handles more current.
And then you got all the others that fulfill the other specialties.
@@girrrrrrr2 thanks
Very Very much appreciated! very thorough, ive been researching connectors for the past week and your timing could not have been more perfect.
Great tutorial on electrical pins and how to crimp them. I didn't know how to figure out what size female pins, but now I know it's the center to center pitch and not the width of the pin. I'm working on a 2013 Toyota Tacoma and was trying to find new pins, so I can install wiring and so far I've gotten nowhere with it, but now I may.
This is the best video I've seen on this subject. Most I look up on crimping are either old or the quality of the video is terrible. I learned a lot from this! Kudos to you! If I could afford it, I would be building the Ratrig 300 cube right with you!
This is a great video and should be required for anyone who is serious about modding their printers. As you said most of these tools you purchase once and wonder how you ever got by without it.
Gotta say you have my favorite 3d printing channel for me to learn from. Everything you talk about is very detailed and easy to follow and the amount of different videos you have on different subjects has taught me alot. I've been doing 3d printing for about a week at this point lol but most of the many dozen hours ive spent on UA-cam learning about printing has been on this channel.
Ironically enough i got into 3d printing because of my new time wasting obsession, F1. I got a sim wheel i wanted to make mods for. And ive seen you're a fan as well. It all connects lol.
Thanks Michael, I bought a crimping tool and a bunch of connectors some time ago and never quite got the hang of it. I'll definitely re-watch this next time I need to do some wiring!
Very nice video Michael, I have now 5-6 different crimpers, just the get the right one... but I can crimp a lot of wires
2 Years later I have bought the right crimping tool and crimping a lot of wires already with it. for the JST crimping tool, usually you can got untill you hear 1 or 2 clicks, push in the wires and complete the crimp
Great video thanks. One tip - when stripping insulation leave on end of wire then twist as you remove it, this gives a tighter twist. Forty years making looms/harnesses.
Excellent tip - thanks
Thank you! I'll try that
@@ToddDunning no problem, anything to make life easy
@@SuryanIsaac it works great, the insulation is tight on strand so grips.
@@robmills4709 I've always had problems with removing insulation, and the wire separates when I'm trying to crimp
Dupont inserts have different clamps for strain relief on the insulation. While other clamps are crimped symmetrically, with Dupont the two sides of the clamp each encompass the entire wire. I can recommend the "Preciva PR-3245" crimping tool.
I wish more components came in "Buy Once" packaging. Like Machine screws, Angle Brackets, etc.
Perfect explanation of what crimping is/does, with those illustrations and everything! But gawwwwwwd I hate crimping so much! Especially the fiddly little JST connectors, those things are the bane of my existence! There's no 'getting good' at it, either! No matter how many perfectly good crimps you make your next one can always be a complete mess!
It would be cool to add a bit more to this. Like what wire types to use. What gauge fits the various connectors(jst, dupont, molex)? What gauge should be used for different parts on the 3d printer? Silicone or pvc insulation? Ribbon or multiple singles? Also, what are your preferred cable management tools such as velcro ties, zipties, self adhesive clips, heat shrink tubing, PET expandable or closed cable sleeving. There's a lot to it, and i think you're the perfect candidate to do some videos on 3d printer wiring. A lot of people want to make their own 3d printer, but then scare away when they find that they have to do all the wiring themselves.
Great camera work and explanations! Not building a printer, but the crimping is crimping. Thanks very much!
You missed my favorite connector JST SM, ists a great wire-to-wire connector, locking, polarized, max 3A and rugged. I mad my full hotend "modular" using JST SM, so i can change my thermistor or fans in seconds, without rerouting 2 meters of cable everytime.
Thanks for the tips!
unless you buy genuine JST connectors and terminals from Japan with the 1500$ tool I doubt your connections will work up to 3A.
I like it too though, there is a reason it is often used in LED applications
You have finally invested into DIYers crimp tools and accessories :)
This is exactly what I needed. I'm rebuilding my printer and this video couldn't come at a better time. Thank you for sharing that knowledge.
Tanks so much Michael, again helping and teaching the best you can. I love this shirt, it brings back memories of good old times!
Funny - I only bought a DuPont/JST type crimper last week, haven't used it yet - thanks for the tutorial, very helpful....
Nice work. Very concise and thorough, and I really appreciate the numerous and accurate links to the tools and connector sets. A really excellent job, thank you.
Molex makes a number of different connectors, most commonly for PC power supplies. The connector in your video is the Molex KF2510.
I was so facilitated when I saw the Thumbnail. I really need this Information
Nice video. Great explanation. I would still use a high end multi point crimper for the "automotive" lugs and forked connectors. The single point crimp tends to create a weak point in the crimp that can break under load and short - he says from experience.
Solder heat shrink connectors are also really good for splicing and joining wires. You can use a lighter to shrink and activate the low temp solder. It also seals both ends to make the joint water proof.
Just got a pack yesterday. Watched a video from big clive. He seemed to think they were reasonable for smaller wires.
@@TeachingTech They are great for 20 awg and smaller. I think traditional soldering is better for 18 and above. The trick to them is to ease it up on the lighter or just a heat gun. I've been using them mostly for splicing fan cables. Sometimes it's just not convenient to pull out your soldering gear for just two small wires.
On another note, there are crimped female jst ph and jst xh female connectors but they are harder to find. Soldering wires to surface mount inteded sockets never lasts. I am not sure why all the amazon sellers only sell smd connector kits.
Thanks to Jason Friedland for requesting this video, it was very informative and interesting, thanks Michael
Yes!!! In struggling with crimping.
Great graphics for your examples - will be doing this crimping soon (no more soldering)
how is it
Holy cow! Such a very concise and thorough explanation! Thank you very much for this. The information will be very helpful.
What a fantastic video. Thorough, clear, well-paced, excellent production values.
good instructional video - here's a tip for those that use those vise-grip style strippers - if you notice the serrated jaws always bite and mark the cable - if you use them with the cable fed in from the other side with the waste end gripped by the serrations you dont end up with cables with chewed insulation
Thanks for the video! Two observations: get good quality connectors/terminals/pins. Also, the color scheme varies around the world and sometimes the same color is used for very different gauges (so it's difficult to mistake one for another). I believe that is the ISO standard but in other countries there are more detailed color schemes like in Germany and France.
This are great tips. I hope you start calling out manufacturers that do this when you review their products. They need to stop getting away with using tinned wires.
Hi, thank you for your video
Should've watched it before I tried to upgrade my FFCP) though I managed to find all the tools that you mentioned while solving the arising problems during the upgrade
The other thing that is also interesting to hear is about the wires. How to choose them to power your bed for example.
And I see a lot of people saying that twisting wires is bad, but I haven't seen a person who said how to do that properly. I guess you have to choose the correct wire diameter and the ferrule or connector that is matching the wire.
That is what I am going to test myself once I receive new wires and connectors) For now I have a problem with my bed powering wires before the upgrade is complete.
Just learned my power ferrules are crimped wrong. I only crimped the plastic, but I'll crimp the shanks now too.
I struggled crimping onto the sheath and strands correctly by feeling where the correct placement of the cable is inside the partially crimped connector. To remedy that, I use needle nose pliers to half crimp around the sheath only and insert the cable with connector into the crimpers into the correct location resulting in a PERFECT crimp with no more wasting metal crimps on failed attempts.
Thank you for the tutorial Michael. Gonna go buy some tools now.
2:15 "cirmp cant melt if it gets hot" For my laziness for buying a cheap ready made wiring harness resulted in some heavy discolors connectors with burn marks on the inside and a small electrical fire. These been the worst crimps i have ever seen. If you want it done right you have to do it yourself. So make sure to use good tools and be patient when crimping small JST and such
A great video. I've been using dupont connectors for decades, mostly when I was in to RC models. The "futaba" style connectors are basically a tabbed 3-pin dupont to ensure polarity and I've found that if you're worried about accidentally reversing polarity when using 2-pin dupont connectors to use 3-pin connectors instead and leave one slot empty. This makes it very simple to line up the connectors and makes it more difficult (not impossible) to reverse the polarity accidentally. still got to pay attention though. lol
Love this channel man keep up the good work you helped get me into 3D printing cannot thank you enough
This was a REALLY useful guide, thank you for taking the time to put it together!
A very well structured video with plain english explanations with all the different connectors, which could get a bit overwhelming to someone new in building their 3D printer. Something that could be useful to add is the wire sizes for the connectors and why. Some are fine with very small guage wire, as they are simply giving an open/closed signal such as an end stop, but some others should be a thicker guage such as accelerometer wiring and possibly even thermistor wiring, should the wire need to be extended
Always so helpul man, I watch all your videos even if I think I know the topic because you are always thurough.
If properly crimped (using the right tool) the stands are cold welded to the terminal.
Re soldering: solder is not only filling the gap (like a glue) but it diffuses into metal surfaces making a tiny layer of alloy at the soldered joint.
This is a fantastic wealth of knowledge, thank you for sharing this! I'm gonna have to try to get my hands on a ferrule kit I guess, cause I just don't trust the tinned wire/screw connector combo in my Ender 3 V2 at this point. Was very surprised to find out how much safer a ferrule is and why!
One of the most helpful vids I've seen, thanks.
This is a great video! It's a basic skill that I knew very little about. Thank you
Great work! I have been meaning to research and learn this stuff for awhile. Thank you.
I made the mistake of not taking the time to make the right connectors for the bl touch when connecting to the skr mini. While it was fine for almost 2 years, I recently tried lightning infill which makes for a shakier print. So about a third print in (with only 5 layers left to go even!) was enough to loosen the default connector enough to power cycle the bl touch, and the pin popped into the infill and bent.
Oh nice, always good having detailed and high quality guides for this :D
You got IWISS out of stock, congrats! Thanks for the video right in time
Thank you for this! It'll help me upgrade the fans on my Ender 3 pro. Keep up the great tutorials.
Dude thank you so much for this video. I never knew what those connectors were called.
Thank you so much for going through each one. I actually feel like I have a general feel for what I'd be doing now.
Very informative.
Will come back to this for sure
Incredibly useful. Thanks so much for posting
This video was perfectly timed for me! I just started wiring my Voron V0, and this video has helped a lot.
Great demo Michael
Needed to make some custom JST PH looms and couldn't find any 23 AWG wire locally (Jaycar only seems to stock 1.8mm wire). I ended up cutting up a CAT6E that was already dead, but the reference to Dupont wire made me realise I could just repurpose some of my hundreds of Dupont wires.
Awesome video. Been messing with this stuff a long time and still got a lot of good info!
Dupont connectors are also on servos like the ones used with RC cars, airplanes, boats, and helicopters. For the plugs where you have the male pins sticking out, there is an extra piece of plastic that snaps onto the dupont plastic so those ends aren't exposed and prevents them from being plugged in backwards. Look up a servo extension to see the different ends.
This video is priceless. Thanks Michael
bro, this is it! now i know what i need to buy and how to do!
Needed this, I've got the kit but no idea how to use it properly, until now!
Perfect timing, I'm just about to rewire my printer with silicone wires for their higher temperature resistance.
For stripping very thin wires I recommend the Jokari Super 4 Plus.
It's terribly expensive. Some people made a home-made tool, and good quality. They took a nail clipper, and with their teeth closed, they drilled a hole - at the junction of the teeth. Further, make the edges of this hole sharp. And... and that's it. Of course, several such tools are needed for different cables.
@@ivandrago4247 I'm sorry to hear that $15 (13 euros) is too expensive for you. 😉
@@mururoa7024 Um, weird. I must have mixed up this tool with some other, expensive tool.
Excelent video. I was almost giving up on doing my printer upgrade connections to Manta M4P. Thank you very much. I like the Ayrton Senna T-shirt! Brazil!
Perfect timing for this great video
Thanks again Michael for another great video! You're helping an old nerd immensely, since I had no clue what these connectors / pins were called. Since I recently busted one during an Ender 5 Plus upgrade, this knowledge is invaluable! And Amazon is a few bucks richer!
Thank you for making this video! I'm about to upgrade the motherboard on my CR-20 Pro (because the stock drivers are driving me crazy). I wanted to crimp the cables so as to do a good job, but never did it before. This helped tons!
Thanks again for an excellent tutorial
Great video. Thank you. Buying these connectors online is so confusing when you don't know where to start as far as terminology.
I don't know if all crimper/dies are like this, but on the ones that came with my kit if I leave the reel feed bit on the terminal when I insert the terminal in the crimpers the reel feed sets it at the right depth and also gives sort of a handle to keep it from twisting while the jaws are closing.