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How to repin this GI connector?
- Thread starter russdx1
- Start date
Was going to say is it not just and IDC tool, stick the word pinball on it and triple the price. 
Does this cheaper version do the job ok? https://www.onestoppinball.co.uk/products/0-156-3-96mm-idc-wire-insertion-tool
Do it onto a solid surface rather than in your hand, hold tool nice and square and give a firm push 
Before you do it have a quick practise on the old connector. Worth checking that the cables aren’t burnt too - may need snipping back a few mm .
Before you do it have a quick practise on the old connector. Worth checking that the cables aren’t burnt too - may need snipping back a few mm .Will give it a go thx
yeah deffo be cutting back a bit, old cable is fried and rusty or oxidised or something weird going on lolDo it onto a solid surface rather than in your hand, hold tool nice and square and give a firm push
Asiapinball
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If you dont have the idc tool rather than a small screwdriver you can use an old credit card. Old credit card works really well.
The answer is you can't repin it, the pins stay in the housing as far as I know. You can only put new wires into the existing pins, but if it's that burnt I imagine the pins are burnt too so the connector is done for.
You can buy a new connector and use an idc tool to transfer the wires over. Or what I'd do is replace it with a molex connector and crimp the wires into it.
Once you have the correct tool it's a really really quick job but unfortunately if you don't have the tool there's a cost of entry (plus the new header and pins which are cheap). I repin stuff most weeks, I just love a good crimp. Happy to demonstrate or assist with what you need, I believe the ratchet crimper I got was around £15-20, terminals and housings a few quid on eBay. Assuming you already have a wire stripper
Or if there's someone nearby who can crimp it's a quick job, (I know there's a few pinball people in Bristol), or get a new housing and IDC tool and move the wires over.
You can buy a new connector and use an idc tool to transfer the wires over. Or what I'd do is replace it with a molex connector and crimp the wires into it.
Once you have the correct tool it's a really really quick job but unfortunately if you don't have the tool there's a cost of entry (plus the new header and pins which are cheap). I repin stuff most weeks, I just love a good crimp. Happy to demonstrate or assist with what you need, I believe the ratchet crimper I got was around £15-20, terminals and housings a few quid on eBay. Assuming you already have a wire stripper
Or if there's someone nearby who can crimp it's a quick job, (I know there's a few pinball people in Bristol), or get a new housing and IDC tool and move the wires over.
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He’s talking about the white connector Dave, no pins, it’s an IDC connector. Pull wires out, snip back burnt ends & punch into new connectorThe answer is you can't repin it, the pins stay in the housing as far as I know. You can only put new wires into the existing pins, but if it's that burnt I imagine the pins are burnt too so the connector is done for.
You can buy a new connector and use an idc tool to transfer the wires over. Or what I'd do is replace it with a molex connector and crimp the wires into it.
Once you have the correct tool it's a really really quick job but unfortunately if you don't have the tool there's a cost of entry (plus the new header and pins which are cheap). I repin stuff most weeks, I just love a good crimp. Happy to demonstrate or assist with what you need, I believe the ratchet crimper I got was around £15-20, terminals and housings a few quid on eBay. Assuming you already have a wire stripper
Or if there's someone nearby who can crimp it's a quick job, (I know there's a few pinball people in Bristol), or get a new housing and IDC tool and move the wires over.
(Or if it’s the black connector that’s also IDC - misuse of the word re-pin in the title I think)Sorry yes when I say re pin I mean just cut the old connector off and press fit the wires into the new connectorThe answer is you can't repin it, the pins stay in the housing as far as I know. You can only put new wires into the existing pins, but if it's that burnt I imagine the pins are burnt too so the connector is done for.
You can buy a new connector and use an idc tool to transfer the wires over. Or what I'd do is replace it with a molex connector and crimp the wires into it.
Once you have the correct tool it's a really really quick job but unfortunately if you don't have the tool there's a cost of entry (plus the new header and pins which are cheap). I repin stuff most weeks, I just love a good crimp. Happy to demonstrate or assist with what you need, I believe the ratchet crimper I got was around £15-20, terminals and housings a few quid on eBay. Assuming you already have a wire stripper
Or if there's someone nearby who can crimp it's a quick job, (I know there's a few pinball people in Bristol), or get a new housing and IDC tool and move the wires over.
If you’re going to do that , use molex crimp pins and new housing instead of those awful idc connectors.Sorry yes when I say re pin I mean just cut the old connector off and press fit the wires into the new connector
Sorry to seem pessimistic, but the pins on the pcb connector (for the outlet of the circuit anyway) don't look too good, either. I can't see the input connector very well. That would mean replacing the strip(s) of pins on the circuit board, too.
Pins in the connecting header that aren't burnt, though it's a fine judgement, can be removed from the plastic housing; there's a slot in the plastic for each pin, where a retaining barb in the metal pin springs up to prevent the pin and wire sliding out. So depressing this barb allows the combined pin and wire to be extracted, while easing the wire past the two 'ears' at the entry point.
But then as Alan points out, the idc type isn't ideal for this usage. A proper crimp terminal would be a better solution.
Pins in the connecting header that aren't burnt, though it's a fine judgement, can be removed from the plastic housing; there's a slot in the plastic for each pin, where a retaining barb in the metal pin springs up to prevent the pin and wire sliding out. So depressing this barb allows the combined pin and wire to be extracted, while easing the wire past the two 'ears' at the entry point.
But then as Alan points out, the idc type isn't ideal for this usage. A proper crimp terminal would be a better solution.
He’s talking about the white connector Dave, no pins, it’s an IDC connector. Pull wires out, snip back burnt ends & punch into new connector
I was talking about the white one, as it's burnt. It's useless now. Russ saying "repin", we know what he means
But the prior replies seemed to read as if he was going to re use the connector and wanted to know which tool is needed to put the wires into it.If @russdx1 wants to have a go, here's what you need
Tool
Housing and terminals (just double check how many pins, I think J120 is 11 ways?)
There's a fantastic video by @stumblor on how to crimp which I started with a few years back when we had to make our own wires for the afterglow boards. Only part of the video applies and you'll see how simple it is
Like someone else has said you probably need to replace the pins on the board too, they'll cause a lot of resistance and later the same issue will return. That's a bigger job though, you might get away with cleaning the pins with light sandpaper one of those fibreglass pens.
J 120 and 121 are in parallel, offering dual connecting options for playfield and backbox for the 5 illumination circuits, so 10 pins and a blank keying channel does make 11. Often those pins used in one connector are vacant in the other, but an oddball like Dr. Who has the circuits split all over, so both are fully used.
I would always change the pins on the pcb - without fail. It the connector is burnt they wont be in good shape either.
Do not mess about with bodging it - get the correct tool.
Do not mess about with bodging it - get the correct tool.
Careful with those connectors... the pins suppliedwith them have to be used with those specific connectors, you cant mix and match with genuine molex. They will work... just saying that they have to be used together.I was talking about the white one, as it's burnt. It's useless now. Russ saying "repin", we know what he means
If @russdx1 wants to have a go, here's what you need
Tool
Housing and terminals (just double check how many pins, I think J120 is 11 ways?)
There's a fantastic video by @stumblor on how to crimp which I started with a few years back when we had to make our own wires for the afterglow boards. Only part of the video applies and you'll see how simple it is
Like someone else has said you probably need to replace the pins on the board too, they'll cause a lot of resistance and later the same issue will return. That's a bigger job though, you might get away with cleaning the pins with light sandpaper one of those fibreglass pens.
I have a bunch and they are actually fairly good. They arent Trifuricon tho
Crimp is interesting... Mine is similar, however only has two sizes instead of three. Would explain why crimping 16AWG for some of the power on my test rig struggles to get in, and i am also soldering to make sure of a good solid connection
Interesting, I have a mix and haven't encountered any issues so far. I have a few trifuricon terminals but as I get most of my bits off eBay I don't use them as much, (they're harder to find on eBay).
Maybe I've been lucky, but I'm sure I've mixed and matched just because I didn't realise the difference.
I've only got two sizes, I think it's the one reccomended by Davey in the video but I couldn't find where I bought it. The one on eBay seems to do the same job though.
The main GI pcb connector has been changed previously so that’s new. Will check back box lamps pcb connector.