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best practices for Molex?

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prestonkavanagh

Joined: 27 Nov 2018
Posts: 16
Location: Tarpon Springs

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 8:54 am Post subject: best practices for Molex?

I'm wiring one of my first connectors, a 4-wire molex from wingtip light back to the wiring conduit and ultimately a faston tab on a panel switch.  Is there a standard for which side is male and which female?  



The radios tend to come with female plugs, so I thought to extend that:  everything that points either to center line or the panel is male.  But is there a standard practice?  And is there a FAQ on best practices?  Did I miss the relevant section in the book?  Thanks for the ongoing help - I'll be paying it forward!

_________________
PBK3
PA-12, BD-4, RV6a, gliders, Rutan canards

user9253

Joined: 28 Mar 2008
Posts: 1921
Location: Riley TWP Michigan

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 9:12 am Post subject: Re: best practices for Molex?

When connectors are taken apart, there should not be exposed hot contacts

that could short out.  So I connect hot power wires to the female half of connectors.

_________________
Joe Gores

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:00 pm Post subject: best practices for Molex?

At 11:54 AM 7/20/2020, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "prestonkavanagh" <preston.kavanagh(at)gmail.com>



 I'm wiring one of my first connectors, a 4-wire molex from wingtip light back to the wiring conduit and ultimately a faston tab on a panel switch.  Is there a standard for which side is male and which female?   The radios tend to come with female plugs, so I thought to extend that:  everything that points either to center line or the panel is male.  But is there a standard practice?  And is there a FAQ on best practices?  Did I miss the relevant section in the book?  Thanks for the ongoing help - I'll be paying it forward! 	


   I've seen come 'conventions' but they tend to

   be institutional . . . I usually try to

   put male pins in the cable plug and female

   on the black box. You're more likely to damage

   a male pin and they're a LOT easier to fix

   on the end of a wire bundle . . . sometimes

   impossible on a radio. But for pins out on

   a cable run . . . take your pick.



 

   Bob . . .

ashleysc(at)broadstripe.n
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:11 pm Post subject: best practices for Molex?

---

ashleysc(at)broadstripe.n
Guest

Posted: Mon Jul 20, 2020 6:13 pm Post subject: best practices for Molex?

Hi Preston;

Plug goes with what's removable (wing).

Receptacle goes with what's stationary (fuselage).

You get the idea.

Cheers!   Stu.



---

nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:20 am Post subject: best practices for Molex?

 	  Quote: 	
		    I've seen come 'conventions' but they tend to

   be institutional . . . 	


   In the dozens of 'design to specs' products

   I've worked, I don't recall any specification

   dictating gender of the pins EXCEPT where

   the device was form, fit and function for

   an existing device.



   Virtually all customers had a preference for

   the style of connector but the pin out gender

   was left open.  Most connectors are

   relatively 'scoop proof' these days as

   illustrated by this combination of pins

   and housing . . .



 

   Bob . . .

Molex_male_connector.jpg

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kjashton(at)vnet.net
Guest

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:08 am Post subject: best practices for Molex?

Hereâ€™s a good discussion of Molex connectors

http://tech.mattmillman.com/info/crimpconnectors/



-Kent



 	  Quote: 	
		   On Jul 20, 2020, at 12:54 PM, prestonkavanagh <preston.kavanagh(at)gmail.com> wrote:

 

 

 

 I'm wiring one of my first connectors, a 4-wire molex from wingtip light back to the wiring conduit and ultimately a faston tab on a panel switch.  Is there a standard for which side is male and which female?  

 

 The radios tend to come with female plugs, so I thought to extend that:  everything that points either to center line or the panel is male.  But is there a standard practice?  And is there a FAQ on best practices?  Did I miss the relevant section in the book?  Thanks for the ongoing help - I'll be paying it forward!

 

 --------

 PBK3

 PA-12, BD-4, RV6a, gliders

 

 

 

 

 Read this topic online here:

 

 http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=497374#497374

ceengland7(at)gmail.com
Guest

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:04 am Post subject: best practices for Molex?

Â I *try* to keep power supply terminals female if possible. Murphy seems to hang around my shop too much and even with the shroud aroundÂ theÂ  pins on DsubÂ connectors, I can find a way to drop one perfectly vertical on a bolt head, etc, and find the power pin in a 37 pin connector.Â  Â 

To answer a question you didn't ask...Would I use a typical Molex if there were any other option? No. Emphatically, NO. I know that a lot of mfgrs use them and a lot of people have good results with them, but I've seen countless examples in industrial equipment go intermittent or fail due to corrosion on the mating surfaces, likely due to vibration. I've had less than stellar service from them in a/c, too, with really poor performance from the small ones used for signal wires. My go-to connector for about 90% of stuff in the a/c is the subD. Anything under about 7A (with the machined pins), and I'll go higher by ballasting a pair of pins on occasion. Gold plated so no corrosion issues like Molex, and can be much more compact for 2 pin stuff by just using the pins/sockets/heat shrink with no shell as detailed in the AEC book.

FWIW..

Charlie

On Tue, Jul 21, 2020 at 11:17 AM Kent or Jackie Ashton <kjashton(at)vnet.net (kjashton(at)vnet.net)> wrote:

 	  Quote: 	
		  --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: Kent or Jackie Ashton <kjashton(at)vnet.net (kjashton(at)vnet.net)>

 Hereâ€™s a good discussion of Molex connectors

 http://tech.mattmillman.com/info/crimpconnectors/

 -Kent

 > On Jul 20, 2020, at 12:54 PM, prestonkavanagh <preston.kavanagh(at)gmail.com (preston.kavanagh(at)gmail.com)> wrote:

 > 

 > --> AeroElectric-List message posted by: "prestonkavanagh" <preston.kavanagh(at)gmail.com (preston.kavanagh(at)gmail.com)>

 > 

 > I'm wiring one of my first connectors, a 4-wire molex from wingtip light back to the wiring conduit and ultimately a faston tab on a panel switch.Â  Is there a standard for which side is male and which female?Â  

 > 

 > The radios tend to come with female plugs, so I thought to extend that:Â  everything that points either to center line or the panel is male.Â  But is there a standard practice?Â  And is there a FAQ on best practices?Â  Did I miss the relevant section in the book?Â  Thanks for the ongoing help - I'll be paying it forward!

 > 

 > --------

 > PBK3

 > PA-12, BD-4, RV6a, gliders

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > Read this topic online here:

 > 

 > http://forums.matronics.com/viewtopic.php?p=497374#497374

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

 > 

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nuckolls.bob(at)aeroelect
Guest

Posted: Tue Jul 21, 2020 7:40 pm Post subject: best practices for Molex?

At 12:01 PM 7/21/2020, you wrote:

  	  Quote: 	
		  Â I *try* to keep power supply terminals female if possible. Murphy seems to hang around my shop too much and even with the shroud aroundÂ theÂ  pins on DsubÂ connectors, I can find a way to drop one perfectly vertical on a bolt head, etc, and find the power pin in a 37 pin connector.Â  Â 



 To answer a question you didn't ask...Would I use a typical Molex if there were any other option? No. Emphatically, NO. I know that a lot of mfgrs use them and a lot of people have good results with them, but I've seen countless examples in industrial equipment go intermittent or fail due to corrosion on the mating surfaces, likely due to vibration. I've had less than stellar service from them in a/c, too, with really poor performance from the small ones used for signal wires. My go-to connector for about 90% of stuff in the a/c is the subD. Anything under about 7A (with the machined pins), and I'll go higher by ballasting a pair of pins on occasion. Gold plated so no corrosion issues like Molex, and can be much more compact for 2 pin stuff by just using the pins/sockets/heat shrink with no shell as detailed in the AEC book.



 FWIW...



 Charlie 	


   Agreed. Paralleling ballasted

   pins was employed on the Beech Horizon's DC

   power distribution system. I first used

   them on a power distribution controller

   in the GQM-163 SSST prototype



  https://tinyurl.com/yxwsd5p9



  https://tinyurl.com/8x5rssq



  https://tinyurl.com/6myc494 



   When considering a new connector

   requirement, my first thought is

   to figure out why a d-Sub WONT work.



 

 

   Bob . . .

prestonkavanagh

Joined: 27 Nov 2018
Posts: 16
Location: Tarpon Springs

Posted: Wed Jul 22, 2020 11:16 am Post subject: Re: best practices for Molex?

Thanks to all, for both the pin gender and comments on Molex. I'll revise accordingly. Cheers, PK

_________________
PBK3
PA-12, BD-4, RV6a, gliders, Rutan canards

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