IDC Connectors

[Hammerhead]

I have two burnt 11-pin IDC connectors that need replacing - part number 5791-10862-11.

Looking around I cannot fin this specific part number. Are other 11-pin IDC connectors interchangeable, or are they all proprietary?

 

[mwong168]

If your IDC connectors are burnt or need to be replaced it is advisable to replace them with molex since they are far more superior and reliable too.

http://www.greatplainselectronics.com/category-86.asp

You will also want to buy a bunch of crimp contacts too as well as a $15-20 crimper tool

http://www.greatplainselectronics.com/Category-80.asp

 

[mwong168]

This video will give you an idea of what is required to crimp a molex connector

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=JVB9rpeDZgc[/youtube]

Also if you are going to buy crimp contacts always buy more then you need in case you mess up

 

[Slam_Tilt]

Its also advisable to replace the header pins on the board. When getting the pins for the Molex connector make sure you get the Trifurcon pins.

Here is more good info on connectors:

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

 

[Menace]

+1 on all of the above.

D

 

[Hammerhead]

Thanks everyone - I'll give this a try!

I know it's advisable (and the guy in the video said it also), but is it absolutely necessary to replace the header pins also? That requires removing the board and soldering, and I'm not too confident on my soldering skills. The header pins show no signs of being burnt.

Maybe some explanation would help - why would these connectors have burnt in the first place?

 

[Slam_Tilt]

Someone else will probably have a better explanation but basically IDC connectors don't have the best connection between the wire and contact on connector. With bad connections can generate a lot of heat. Thats when you get burnt connectors. That is why going to molex and pins are much better. You get a much better connection with crimping the wire to the pin. When you get a burnt connector it also heats up the solder on the header pins causing bad solder points. If you just replace the connector and not the header pins then you will have the possibility of the same thing happening again. This time the weak point is at the header pin and not the IDC connector.

You may get lucky and not have to worry about the header pins. Depends if you want to go through the process again at a later date. At the very least. if you don't want to replace header pins, at least reflow the solder on the existing header pins. This should help quite a bit.

 

[Menace]

IDC is the cheapest way to connect a wire to a connector pin which is why it's used. The downside is the resistance it can create between the two connection points. Under heavy load (such as GI) the resistance creates heat, and as it heats it degrades the connection even further resulting in even more heat and on and on and on.

The reason you should replace the header at the same time is the tin plating on the header will have been degraded because of all of the heat generated during the above. Once the plating is degraded it no longer conducts as well as it should (higher resistance) and you end up in a similar situation as above, or the plating is so far gone the connection still will not work. Basically if you're replacing the pins, you do the header at the same time to ensure the connection is back to factory spec and to avoid having the same issue down the road. (if you only replace the pins you risk damaging the new pins / connector you just replaced)

Hope that helps!

D

 

[Hammerhead]

Yes, that helps and makes things clearer. Looks like I'd better brush up on my soldering skills.