I have a Neutrik 12-pin DC cable but it's too short, so I will need to make one (or pay someone to make one). 12 pins of 22awg, times two.
I am not terrible at soldering but it's sort of a twice a year thing for me, and these pins are little. I couldn't hold a candle to someone like my father, who was godlike at my age.
My questions are threefold:
1. Can someone who is barely skilled do this or is it simply a bad idea?
2. What's the best way to strip 22awg wire?
3. Any other tips or tricks?
(details here: https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/mscm12)
I am not terrible at soldering but it's sort of a twice a year thing for me, and these pins are little. I couldn't hold a candle to someone like my father, who was godlike at my age.
My questions are threefold:
1. Can someone who is barely skilled do this or is it simply a bad idea?
2. What's the best way to strip 22awg wire?
3. Any other tips or tricks?
(details here: https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/mscm12)
Well, following the datasheet, the contacts are soldered individually while out of the plug body then inserted into the plug body.
This makes it easier.
Hold everything securely so your hands are free to hold the iron & solder.
A pair of pliers with an elastic band over the handles, resting on the bench works well to hold the contact securely.
Something heavy resting on the cable stops that moving.
Twist a piece of wire over the other cores to keep them out of the way as you solder one contact at a time.
A smear of flux always helps.
The tricky bit is not melting the insulation, though some thin heatshrink could rectify that.
This makes it easier.
Hold everything securely so your hands are free to hold the iron & solder.
A pair of pliers with an elastic band over the handles, resting on the bench works well to hold the contact securely.
Something heavy resting on the cable stops that moving.
Twist a piece of wire over the other cores to keep them out of the way as you solder one contact at a time.
A smear of flux always helps.
The tricky bit is not melting the insulation, though some thin heatshrink could rectify that.
Start by checking which parts need to go over the cable before you start soldering. Don't ask me why I say that, just a itch....
Nothing better to strip such wire then a CK 30013 or 30009 wire stripper. Not cheap but great for such things.
Nothing better to strip such wire then a CK 30013 or 30009 wire stripper. Not cheap but great for such things.
Oh yeah, ideal for someone who solders twice a year is a £50 set of strippers.
I think you should forego the soldering & buy the crimp tool from Mouser.
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDet...IFAPRx9kZO2FLhHn7Fv3leBFGRmOK62QaAkd-EALw_wcB
Take advantage of the free shipping LOL.
I think you should forego the soldering & buy the crimp tool from Mouser.
https://www.mouser.co.uk/ProductDet...IFAPRx9kZO2FLhHn7Fv3leBFGRmOK62QaAkd-EALw_wcB
Take advantage of the free shipping LOL.
Definitely read the assembly instructions a few times before you start.
That looks like a very nice connector.
If you can live with eight connections instead of 12, the neutriCON seems to be a strong option: https://www.neutrik.us/en-us/neutrik/products/circular-connectors/neutricon/neutricon-connectors It's larger so it may be a bit easier to work with.
Tom
That looks like a very nice connector.
If you can live with eight connections instead of 12, the neutriCON seems to be a strong option: https://www.neutrik.us/en-us/neutrik/products/circular-connectors/neutricon/neutricon-connectors It's larger so it may be a bit easier to work with.
Heh. At that price you should find someone who has the tool and pay them to make the cable for you. It'd probably be cheaper. 🙂
Tom
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Thanks everyone. This is a great forum.
Oh also I meant to add that I have the connectors on order. The connectors aren't that expensive and keeping the OEM umbilical is probably best for resale.
Oh also I meant to add that I have the connectors on order. The connectors aren't that expensive and keeping the OEM umbilical is probably best for resale.
Oh, also, also, the adjustable stripper is OOS almost everywhere but the CK stripper that does only 22awg was available on eBay for thirty bucks. I get that's a little bit expensive for what will probably be a single-use tool but still a hell of a lot cheaper than paying someone to do it for me. And a lot cheaper than the crimper. The Neutrik heirs in Liechtenstein must get a kick out of that crimper.
If it is only for a "single use" then they are expensive. There are other tools that will get it done but may take a bit of trying before committing to a cable. This Jonard Tools ST-500ESD looks identical to the CK but I have no experience with it. This Jokari Jokari 40025 PWS-Plus works similar (got one at the second home). Even something like this Stanley STHTO-75068 if you take your time to adjust it properly.
Unless you are making a living out of it, a simple pair of strippers like these will give a lifetimes satisfaction. https://www.toolstation.com/wire-st...M4xrrh9_kk12z6naXBhoCD8IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
It isn't pretty but the easy half is done (because I could put the wires where they wanted to go rather than where they had to go, I figure the second half is going to be a lot harder), no unwanted continuity.
This is going to hard to test after I get the second half done, isn't it?
This is going to hard to test after I get the second half done, isn't it?
Frankly, I guess it will be a nightmare to test 12+12 pins connected haphazardly in a such confined space.
+1 For heat-shrinkable sleeves (like @Netlist already suggested), since I would never leave those wires so close without them.
Just out of curiosity, did you regularly disassemble those pins before soldering them?
Ulogon the pins and the connector are new from Neutrik so if I understand you correctly they came disassembled.
Heat shrink would be great but I have only 15mm of wire to play with and 4mm of those 15mm are bare wire (the soldering surface) so while it's theoretically possible, I'm definitely not talented enough to cut it to ~6mm lengths and keep it out of the way while I solder.
Heat shrink would be great but I have only 15mm of wire to play with and 4mm of those 15mm are bare wire (the soldering surface) so while it's theoretically possible, I'm definitely not talented enough to cut it to ~6mm lengths and keep it out of the way while I solder.
Not exactly.
Even if I've never used the 12 pin connector, the pins have to be disassembled before soldering so that you can solder the wires easily and then you must reassemble the pins following the colored line of their path which replaces the numbers assigned to each pin.
Furthermore, the above will make it extremely easier to test the cable when you have finished soldering all the pins and have them positioned neatly instead of haphazardly. 😉
https://www.neutrik.com/en/product/mscm12.pdf
I thought I understood that you had a cable that was too short
so I figured the new cable you wanted to make was longer and long enough to easily fit a 6mm sleeve.
May be a misunderstanding, so a less close-up pic of the cable could be useful in order to give further advice.
Edit to add: Anyway, once the pins have been disassembled it is very easy to add a sleeve regardless of the length of the exposed wires.
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Ah, now I understand you ulogon. Yes, you are correct that my existing able is too short (thus I am building one from scratch) and yes, as you note the pins get soldered to the wire before they are put into place within the harness.
By "only 15mm of wire" I meant that the instructions call for stripping the outher jacket only down to 15mm.
I guess my contention (wrongly perhaps) was that even if I were to cut the heatshrink down to size I would run into two problems:
1. There would be too much bulk in the way of the "distance sleeve"
2. It would be very difficult to get the wires into the "contact insert"
I know you're trying to help-- and I am grateful!-- but are you sure that heatshrinking everything is a feasible approach?
Note in the photo that I had to heatshrink the violet wire and even that made the "distance sleeve" hard to close up
By "only 15mm of wire" I meant that the instructions call for stripping the outher jacket only down to 15mm.
I guess my contention (wrongly perhaps) was that even if I were to cut the heatshrink down to size I would run into two problems:
1. There would be too much bulk in the way of the "distance sleeve"
2. It would be very difficult to get the wires into the "contact insert"
I know you're trying to help-- and I am grateful!-- but are you sure that heatshrinking everything is a feasible approach?
Note in the photo that I had to heatshrink the violet wire and even that made the "distance sleeve" hard to close up
Yes, those I called "exposed wires".
No.
I guessed, I was not at all sure, but in my view it's the best possible approach, when/if it's possible and from what you describe here it seems not to be.
Although the sleeves you are using seems too thick, perhaps a thinner type in thickness and diameter would help more.
Anyway, I think that to cut the corner you have to solder the wires more precisely.
The bare 4 mm of wires well twisted and pre-tinned (with little tin), the pins recess pre-tinned (with little tin), a lower temperature of the soldering iron, overlap the pre-tinned wire over the pre-tinned recess, touch the pin just long enough for the tin to melt and when it cools clean off the excess of flux.
The bare exposed wire and the soldering tin must be straight and must not protrude (as much as possible) from the recess of the pin and you can go without heatshrink.
Wanting to add a couple of hints.
The tip of the soldering iron must be clean, but it must also have a small drop of tin on it in order to transfer the heat better and therefore more quickly in order to obtain the "right speed" regarding the objects you are soldering.
The "right temperature" of the soldering iron has to represent a compromise and it must be "high enough" for a good melting speed of the solder in order to be not to heat the pieces too much and "low enough" so as not to melt the insulation of the wires.
However, looking again at your last pic I noticed that (just as expected from having the pins disassembled) it seems like you did better than the first time and I want to encourage you because you did well, bravo!
The tip of the soldering iron must be clean, but it must also have a small drop of tin on it in order to transfer the heat better and therefore more quickly in order to obtain the "right speed" regarding the objects you are soldering.
The "right temperature" of the soldering iron has to represent a compromise and it must be "high enough" for a good melting speed of the solder in order to be not to heat the pieces too much and "low enough" so as not to melt the insulation of the wires.
However, looking again at your last pic I noticed that (just as expected from having the pins disassembled) it seems like you did better than the first time and I want to encourage you because you did well, bravo!
I can see some nice progress. This Neutrik job reminds me of the days when big Harting connectors were assembled for multicables and snakes in the pro audio world. Again, next time try to find some cable with heat resistant insulation. I believe Klotz among others has them.
Hugo
Hugo