Just collecting some information on JST connectors and Icepower amps. Please help by correcting any mistakes. Good info and links are available on Wikipedia and Matt's Tech Pages.
Definitions:
Header is the part on the ICEpower PCB.
Housing is the white plastic part that holds the contacts (wires), and plugs into the header.
Contact is the small metal piece that crimps on the wire.
High current or voltage use VH (speaker, AC power) or NV (DC power) connectors.
The connector contacts are identical and interchangeable in the VH and NV housings. VH housing has 4.96mm spacing and NV housing 5mm spacing. The VH housing does not fit the NV header. The NV housing does not fit the VH header.
Contact SVH-41T-P1.1 for 16-20 AWG wire
Contact SVH-21T-P1.1 for 18-22 AWG wire
Sample jumper wire JUMPER SVH-41T-P1.1 X2 12" Digi-Key Part Number 455-3107-ND Manufacturer Product Number ASVHSVH16K305
Black 16 AWG Jumper Lead Socket to Socket Tin 12.0" (304.8mm) will work with VH and NV housings. Note that the only available color is black.
Signal or low voltage/current use EH or PH connectors. The connector contacts are virtually the same and interchangeable in the EH and PH housings. As with the VH/NV above, the EH housing will not fit the PH header.
Contact SEH-001T-P0.6 for 22-30 AWG wire
Contact SPH-002T-P0.5S for 24-30 AWG wire
Sample jumper wire JUMPER SEH-001T-P0.6 X2 12" Digi-Key Part Number 455-3104-ND Manufacturer Product Number ASEHSEH22K305
Black 22 AWG Jumper Lead Socket to Socket Tin 12.0" (304.8mm) will work with both EH and PH housings.
JST connector planning:
If the connector is being used for PCB to PCB connection, you probably want contacts and housings on both ends. For example, 200ASC to 200AC. I generally prefer mass produced, machine made wires. Crimping tools are expensive, and there is a learning curve to using them. The difficulty is finding premade with contacts and housings at both ends with decent wire.
The official ICEpower wiring harnesses only have connectors and housings at one end. The same is true for Ghent Audio harnesses.
If connecting a 500ASP (which has VH header for DC bus 50V, +-12V) with a 200AC (which has EH header for +-12V and NV for 47V; and yes, the 200AC is designed to "hang" from the 250ASP or 500ASP, even though they provide absolute maximum 50V to the 200AC) you will need to crimp or solder contacts for the VH to EH wires. The housings and contacts are inexpensive, but plan ahead so you order them at the same time.
The premade crimped wire may have the wrong AWG, wire is low quality or the colors are limited. When soldering wire to the contacts, use enough heat and flux to be sure of a solid solder connection.
Removing wire and contact from the housing:
PH/EH: use a stiff, solid 20 gauge wire as a tool. First, push the connection wire all the way into the housing. Insert the wire tool into the housing on the wire end into the groove until the white tab is pushed up. Then pull on the wire and remove it a few mm, then pull out the wire and tool.
VH: push the connection wire in all the way. Press down on the contact lock tab with a flat screwdriver. Pull out the connection wire.
NV: push the connection wire in all the way. Then insert a 1.2mm flat screwdriver (as found in a cheap precision set) in the hole above the contact hole. Gently pry the screwdriver up, which will push the lock tab on the contact down. Then pull out the wire.
Definitions:
Header is the part on the ICEpower PCB.
Housing is the white plastic part that holds the contacts (wires), and plugs into the header.
Contact is the small metal piece that crimps on the wire.
High current or voltage use VH (speaker, AC power) or NV (DC power) connectors.
The connector contacts are identical and interchangeable in the VH and NV housings. VH housing has 4.96mm spacing and NV housing 5mm spacing. The VH housing does not fit the NV header. The NV housing does not fit the VH header.
Contact SVH-41T-P1.1 for 16-20 AWG wire
Contact SVH-21T-P1.1 for 18-22 AWG wire
Sample jumper wire JUMPER SVH-41T-P1.1 X2 12" Digi-Key Part Number 455-3107-ND Manufacturer Product Number ASVHSVH16K305
Black 16 AWG Jumper Lead Socket to Socket Tin 12.0" (304.8mm) will work with VH and NV housings. Note that the only available color is black.
Signal or low voltage/current use EH or PH connectors. The connector contacts are virtually the same and interchangeable in the EH and PH housings. As with the VH/NV above, the EH housing will not fit the PH header.
Contact SEH-001T-P0.6 for 22-30 AWG wire
Contact SPH-002T-P0.5S for 24-30 AWG wire
Sample jumper wire JUMPER SEH-001T-P0.6 X2 12" Digi-Key Part Number 455-3104-ND Manufacturer Product Number ASEHSEH22K305
Black 22 AWG Jumper Lead Socket to Socket Tin 12.0" (304.8mm) will work with both EH and PH housings.
JST connector planning:
If the connector is being used for PCB to PCB connection, you probably want contacts and housings on both ends. For example, 200ASC to 200AC. I generally prefer mass produced, machine made wires. Crimping tools are expensive, and there is a learning curve to using them. The difficulty is finding premade with contacts and housings at both ends with decent wire.
The official ICEpower wiring harnesses only have connectors and housings at one end. The same is true for Ghent Audio harnesses.
If connecting a 500ASP (which has VH header for DC bus 50V, +-12V) with a 200AC (which has EH header for +-12V and NV for 47V; and yes, the 200AC is designed to "hang" from the 250ASP or 500ASP, even though they provide absolute maximum 50V to the 200AC) you will need to crimp or solder contacts for the VH to EH wires. The housings and contacts are inexpensive, but plan ahead so you order them at the same time.
The premade crimped wire may have the wrong AWG, wire is low quality or the colors are limited. When soldering wire to the contacts, use enough heat and flux to be sure of a solid solder connection.
Removing wire and contact from the housing:
PH/EH: use a stiff, solid 20 gauge wire as a tool. First, push the connection wire all the way into the housing. Insert the wire tool into the housing on the wire end into the groove until the white tab is pushed up. Then pull on the wire and remove it a few mm, then pull out the wire and tool.
VH: push the connection wire in all the way. Press down on the contact lock tab with a flat screwdriver. Pull out the connection wire.
NV: push the connection wire in all the way. Then insert a 1.2mm flat screwdriver (as found in a cheap precision set) in the hole above the contact hole. Gently pry the screwdriver up, which will push the lock tab on the contact down. Then pull out the wire.
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JST Plan B:
Just remove the JST headers. Heat the white plastic, and it pulls off without much difficulty. Then unsolder and remove the individual header pins. Solder wires directly in place or solder terminals. Soldering is always a better connection.
Any thoughts?
Just remove the JST headers. Heat the white plastic, and it pulls off without much difficulty. Then unsolder and remove the individual header pins. Solder wires directly in place or solder terminals. Soldering is always a better connection.
Any thoughts?
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Plastic part of the headers removed.
Detail showing the dent in the pins which helps retain the plastic piece.
Icepower 200AC JST free.
Detail showing the dent in the pins which helps retain the plastic piece.
Icepower 200AC JST free.
VH holes measure 1.5mm (0.059") with approximately 0.25mm ring. It would probably pass 15 gauge wire.
NV holes measure 1.5mm (0.059") with approximately 0.5mm ring.
EH holes will easily pass a 20 gauge wire 0.81mm (0.032"). It would not pass an 18 gauge wire. The hole is probably 1mm.
NV holes measure 1.5mm (0.059") with approximately 0.5mm ring.
EH holes will easily pass a 20 gauge wire 0.81mm (0.032"). It would not pass an 18 gauge wire. The hole is probably 1mm.
The above ring dimensions are for the top of the PCB. On the bottom:
VH ring is oval 1mm top and bottom at the widest portions. Pad is 4mm x 3mm.
NV ring is 1mm and round. Pad is 4mm x 4mm.
EH ring is oval 1mm top and bottom at the widest portions. Pad is 3mm x 2mm.
VH ring is oval 1mm top and bottom at the widest portions. Pad is 4mm x 3mm.
NV ring is 1mm and round. Pad is 4mm x 4mm.
EH ring is oval 1mm top and bottom at the widest portions. Pad is 3mm x 2mm.
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I use an ICEpower amp for my sub. I made suitable leads up after buying the matching connectors, but then I have a suitable crimp tool for the contacts, an Engineer PA-21. You could wire directly to the board as you say, just follow the pinout in the instruction sheet. It's a single channel amp, with balanced inputs, so I used a two-gang 10k volume pot, one gang for + and one for -, to add an input sensitivity control, while retaining the balanced input.
Not sure if you have seen the attached, but maybe? Obviously very old and only for the modules that were on the market back then, so validate against current p/ns etc.
You can use a small 1.0/1.2mm screwdriver to gently lift the locking tab on the housing as well. It just needs to be lifted a little bit, then the locking tab clears the "lump" on the connector and you can slide the wire + connector out.
Opinion based on one problematic Icepower 1200as2. " I even disconnected and reconnected the connections that connect to various plug-ins. I then tried it again and it worked for a while, then started doing the same thing." Maybe faulty JST system. It's not only the connection between the contact and the header, but also the crimp and wire. A poorly crimped wire can corrode. De-JST and solder the signal wires in place.
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In my limited experience with Icepower, the modules are good and things around them fail. I have a few of the VocoPro Featheramps with 125ASX2 modules. They all eventually failed. Something in the preamp section (not worth troubleshooting a bad design). All of those Icepower modules are still good.
@hifiamps
Actually I am basing this on others that have had issues with the 1200as as well. I've even joined other forums to try and get some help, but to no avail. I really would like to fix the issue I am having, but if I can't get any help trying to scope out the problem, I guess I'll scrap it. Unless maybe you have a suggestion on what I should do? If this amp didn't cost as much as it did, I wouldn't even bother trying to fix it!
Actually I am basing this on others that have had issues with the 1200as as well. I've even joined other forums to try and get some help, but to no avail. I really would like to fix the issue I am having, but if I can't get any help trying to scope out the problem, I guess I'll scrap it. Unless maybe you have a suggestion on what I should do? If this amp didn't cost as much as it did, I wouldn't even bother trying to fix it!