Need part numbers for PBrd Cabling Connectors

[scantrontb]

Thread WAS called: Need Electronics Help

Hi Everyone,

I am hoping that you guys can help me out. I ordered a printrboard to run my recently purchased 3d printer kit (a makerslide ORD). The printrboard just came in and I was very surprised to see that it doesn't come with any cables. I checked the wiki and the connectors are only described as "4-conductor molex" "3-conductor molex", etc of which Digikey has hundreds.

I've tried e-mailing printrbot twice this week with no luck. Would you be able to point me in the right direction as to where to get the specific connectors for the board?

Thanks!

-Vgordin

[vgordin]

JDS has pointed out in a PM that the power connector is a standard ATX 4-pin power connector.

My question was regarding the rest of the wires as well.

Although I originally asked via PM, I'm posting here as well so that it can be found by others Googling for an answer to the same problem.

Thanks!

-V

[PxT]

Power is a 4-pin ATX-style connector. All the others are rectangular connectors, should be something like these I think: http://search.digikey.com/us/en/cat/cab ... to%20board

Double check that those are the correct pitch, I don't have a printrboard in front of me. You will need some 2, 3 & 4-connector versions.

[vgordin]

Going from the wiki, I'm thinking that it's 6 of these

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 2-ND/26435

and 4 of these

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 1-ND/26433

am I correct here?

What about the 2-pin headers?

How tough are these things to terminate with motor wires?

-V

[PxT]

BTW, I think the proper name for the connectors you need are "Molex KK" -- that may help with your searches.

2x 2-pin are needed for the thermistors. Note that there are no contacts in those ones you linked to, they're just the plastic housing. See this video for some help on how to connect them up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEm2PuHBt4Y

There is a specialized crimping tool that really should be used to do the job correctly.

[Wildzbill]

The connectors for the end stop switches are 3 pin, using only the outside 2.
Temp. sensors, 2 pin
Motors, 4 pin.
Hot end and heated bed, 4 pin.
I believe that the type of pins used for the hot end and heated bed are II (eye-eye), as they carry current better, plus the associated connector housing. The KK connectors just do not carry enough current for the heated bed, they get hot and could cause a fire.

[vgordin]

@PXT, thanks for the video and heads up about the crimping. Is this what I want for pins?

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 4-ND/26475

@Wildzbill, I tried searching "Molex II" and came up with these.

http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... -ND/760718

Is this the correct connector to handle the current drawn by the hot end and heated bed?

Thanks!

-V

[Wildzbill]

Those are not the ones used at HQ. It is the pins, the metal parts, that count, but they only fit into a certain type of housing/connector.
The pin of the KK connector is sort of shaped like a 'P' and the round part of the P comes in contact with one side of the pin extruding from the Printrboard.
The II connector wraps around the pin, connecting on 3 sides. We called it the 'toothbrush' because it looks like one from the side.
The housing did not have one square hole for the wing to catch on, rather a square hole with 2 open slices toward the inserted wire.
I wish I could tell you more, or find the parts. I will spend some time today looking. I feel that this is very important due to the fire hazard.

[Wildzbill]

OK, I give up.... Too many types, could not find the type used at HQ after a search of Digi-key, molex, and even just an image search in Google.
My suggestion is that someone finds a connector pin that connects at least 3 sides, maybe all 4, rather than just one. The P shape is good for transferring signals, not power. The heated bed is only a few ohms. At 12 volts it can pull over 6 amps.
I am old school, and I am amazed that RepRappers are using SMT to control motors and heaters. We used to use large FETs or relays and thick wire. I am pretty sure that the small traces on these boards are not wide enough to carry the power (maybe they are using entire inner planes?)

[vgordin]

Thanks for the effort.

Way too many options is exactly what I found when I tried to look.

I was surprised that the board came with no wires and even more surprised that three e-mails to the printrbot folks over the past two weeks about sourcing wires have gone unanswered.

[lwalkera]

Hi, I designed the printrboard. Here are the connectors you need:
For all, the metal crimps: http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 4-ND/26475
4-pin housing: http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 2-ND/26435
3-pin housing: http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 1-ND/26433
2-pin housing: http://search.digikey.com/us/en/product ... 0-ND/26431

If you have any further technical questions with the electronics, don't e-mail Brook, just contact me.

[vgordin]

@lwalkera... thank you very much!

[Wildzbill]

The maximum gauge for these pins is 22, for chassis wiring 22 gauge can carry 7 amps. If you wire all 4 pins for the bed (2 wires for +, 2 wires for -), and they share the current (not guaranteed), you should be OK. I would check occasionally for signs of overheating (less than white connectors).

[bitdude]

Find a couple of dead pc atx power supplies. You can cut the 4 pin 2x2 for the printrboard power from the ps already terminated. just put terminals on the clipped end.

You can also salvage the 4 pin FDD power connectors with wire terminated on them, splice them to the motor's. remove the the little nub on the middle on the same side as the side rails and they will work for the motors. WIth a little trim they will also work for the thermisistor as well. Ill post pictures tomorrow.

Beats the waiting for connectors.

Bob

[trth]

[shai]

What about the connectors that have two pins on top to connect the extruder heater and thermistor? Need those as well.

[danimal1228]

I realize this is an old thread but it has some really good info.

The connectors that connect the extension wires to the extruder heater & thermistor are "Molex Micro-Fit" 3.0 connectors. You will need 2 complete sets, 1 for the thermistor & 1 for the extruder heater.

A complete set is (Molex):

1x #43645-0200 "Receptacle"
2x #43030-0007 "Female Socket"

1x #43640-0201 "Plug"
2x #43031-0007 "Male Pin"



While we are at it, I know that there are links to the other connectors but I figure I would list them & their part numbers here too. They are Molex KK 0.100" connectors:

6x #22-01-3047 "4 for the motors, 1 for the extruder heater & 1 for the hot bed"
4x #22-01-3037 "3 for the XYZ endstops & 1 extra. ??"
3x #22-01-3027 "2 for the thermistors & 1 for the fan"


All of them can be found on Mouser, Jameco or digikey.

[gyronictonic]

[rswarner]

My HBP cable failed at the KK connector. I think it happened this way: my first attempts to print had me setting the bed temp in Pronterface to 110 C as recommended. Since I hadn't yet looked at my real world offset between set temp and actual, I was unwittingly asking for a real temp somewhere above 140 C. It took a long time, but I eventually saw 110 C in Pronterface. When the print wouldn't stick, I started taking some measurements with an IR thermo. I realized the issue, and had success printing with bed set temps between 75 and 80 C. Many hours of printing later, while trying to mitigate some unevenness in the heat output of the bed, I noticed some ugliness at the connector. Thankfully, I had ordered some spare parts per the list above (thanks for that!), and was able to reterminate my cable.

Here are my questions: is it possible that the damage shown below was a progressive kind of failure, precipitated by my initial overheat?

Since the crimps shown (originals sent with my Printrbot+) are a different style from the type called out by Iwalkera, can someone clear up for me which of the two is the high current type? The single wiper type listed above is made of heavier guage material, but the originals in the picture seem to make contact over a larger surface area. Anyone?

Thanks!

[scantrontb]

while i personally can't answer the question of which is the higher current rating... i CAN tell you that in your first picture showing the PBrd and wires, that if that is how your heated bed came wired, then THAT is a problem... you only have 3 wires, there are supposed to be 4... TWO black AND TWO red... I'll bet you that was the ORIGINAL cause, not so much the type of actual pin connections, though that may have contributed to the casualty, since the heater current had two black wires in order to share the load thru each, they could be of a lower load-class, but ALL of the current HAD to go thru the SINGLE red wire, and if it was the same lower class pin connection as well, that's one of the reasons why it overheated and took out that connector after a time.

[rswarner]

Very sorry. It was lame of me not to explain in my post that I pulled that wire after the fact, as I started dissecting the connector. The cable was intact when I assembled the 'bot, and until I started disassembling it for repair. The crimps on all the terminals looked great, in spite of all the heat damage, and everything was properly seated in the connector shell. So I think the connector was well assembled at the factory.

[scantrontb]

[rswarner]

Ok! Thanks for the link to the heathbed thread. I'll check for the 1.2 to 1.7 Ohms across the heatbed, and do a close visual inspection on it (particularly if I come in under 1.2). FWIW, all four wires in the pictured connector were discolored from heat (strands in the crimps were darkened), and had melted insulation right at the crimps. I do remain curious about the two terminal styles, as to current handling... I plan to mount my heatbed in a machined piece of mic 6 tool plate and insulate the underside with cork. Hopefully this connector won't have to work so hard with the insulation in place. We'll see I suppose. Thanks again!

[ivymike1031]

same problem w/my board, 8". . I had posted separately a while back (viewtopic.php?f=15&t=2012) just noticed your thread today.

my fix was to snip the bed leads and connect them to a fog light relay ($6 at the auto parts store, 40A 12V SPST/NO) and use the relay to directly power the board from the power supply. It works fine now, and makes a nice loud "click" when the board heat turns off/on so I know its working.

I added a wiring diagram in my thread on the topic, if it helps anyone (link is above).

[Hirnsausen]

Hmmm, question: are there TWO sets of wires to connect the hot end with the electronic board in order to lower the current burden to each cable? Or did I misunderstand? Photo required. Thanks.

[holmes4]

One set is for the heater, the other for the thermistor. They have different plugs so its harder to confuse them.

[Hirnsausen]

Ah, okay. Thanks. That explains.