[N8VEM-S100:7046] Magic Molex Ordering Assistant?

[Jeff Albrecht]

Perhaps someone can teach me how to order Molex connectors and/or perhaps
recognize what I believe is a fairly standard connector. At least back in
the early S-100 days. I have looked online to order but my eyes cross after
a bit trying to narrow it down. Perhaps this connector has a group or
'kind' name below Molex to further differentiate it?

I've seen this connector on several Solid State Music boards, and it is
very similar, if not exact, to the battery terminal for a CompuPro System
Support Board (SSB). The spacing seems the same as a four (4) connector
plug for a 5 1/4" FDD or older IDE drive although the pins on this
connector are narrower.

The two (2) pins are square about 1.5mm wide, 14mm long and 3.8mm spaced
apart. They are not polarized, which was kind of a pain on the CompuPro SSB
for battery polarity (it is *lightly* polarized).

<Loading Image...>

[Richard Cini]

I believe they are Molex 0.156" pitch. I don't remember if they have a name like the "KK" series but search on the 156. You can get them in IDC style.

Sent from my iPhone

Perhaps someone can teach me how to order Molex connectors and/or perhaps recognize what I believe is a fairly standard connector. At least back in the early S-100 days. I have looked online to order but my eyes cross after a bit trying to narrow it down. Perhaps this connector has a group or 'kind' name below Molex to further differentiate it?
I've seen this connector on several Solid State Music boards, and it is very similar, if not exact, to the battery terminal for a CompuPro System Support Board (SSB). The spacing seems the same as a four (4) connector plug for a 5 1/4" FDD or older IDE drive although the pins on this connector are narrower.
The two (2) pins are square about 1.5mm wide, 14mm long and 3.8mm spaced apart. They are not polarized, which was kind of a pain on the CompuPro SSB for battery polarity (it is lightly polarized).
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "N8VEM-S100" group.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Jeff Albrecht]

Post by Richard Cini
I believe they are Molex 0.156" pitch. I don't remember if they have a
name like the "KK" series but search on the 156. You can get them in IDC
style.

Thanks AltairManRich you got me dialed in pretty good.

I searched around the net with .156 and KK landing on Digi-Key and choosing
parts

Housing, Female WM2799-ND
<http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0/WM2799-ND>
CONN TERM FEMALE 18-24AWG TIN WM2300-ND
<http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0008500106/WM2300-ND/26477>

It looks good, and I feel it's much safer than the test clips I was using.

<Loading Image...>

[Richard Cini]

Great to hear. Nicely made connector!

Rich

--
Rich Cini
Collector of Classic Computers
Build Master and lead engineer, Altair32 Emulator
http://www.classiccmp.org/cini
http://www.classiccmp.org/altair32

From: Jeff Albrecht <***@gmail.com>
Reply-To: S100-Post <n8vem-***@googlegroups.com>
Date: Friday, May 22, 2015 at 7:21 PM
To: S100-Post <n8vem-***@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [N8VEM-S100:7060] Magic Molex Ordering Assistant?

Post by Richard Cini
I believe they are Molex 0.156" pitch. I don't remember if they have a name
like the "KK" series but search on the 156. You can get them in IDC style.

Thanks AltairManRich you got me dialed in pretty good.

I searched around the net with .156 and KK landing on Digi-Key and choosing
parts

Housing, Female WM2799-ND
<http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0/WM2799-ND>
CONN TERM FEMALE 18-24AWG TIN WM2300-ND
<http://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/0008500106/WM2300-ND/26477>

It looks good, and I feel it's much safer than the test clips I was using.
<https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lUZg3MqRQIM/VV-4t3YR47I/AAAAAAAAA-4/hMq
5Vz7EJzE/s1600/SSM%2BSB1%2BMolex%2BFinished.png>
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"N8VEM-S100" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
email to n8vem-s100+***@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[John Parsons]

Rich, do you have search suggestions for the female connector for the
Altair front panel? I am having the same decoding problem.
JohnP

[Richard Cini]

I believe the series name from Molex is the "MTA series". Look up "A1964" on digi-key. That one should be the same as the connector on the Altair CPU card that's used for the data connector for the front panel link. I would have to pull my board to be 100% sure though.

Sent from my iPhone

Rich, do you have search suggestions for the female connector for the Altair front panel? I am having the same decoding problem.
JohnP
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "N8VEM-S100" group.
For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.

[Crusty OMO]

I'm quite familiar with these connectors, we used to use them by the thousands at work.
I'm not sure if Molex called them MTA series, but AMP (now Tyco Electronics) did call them MTA (Mass Termination A?).
They do come in two sizes, 0.156" pitch and 0.100".
They have different colours, Red is the most popular.
I don't know it all, but here's what I do know...
In 0.156" there are Red and Yellow connectors.
in 0.100" there are Red and White connectors.

Yellow is good for 16 to 18awg wire.
Red is good for 22awg or 24awg.
White is for even smaller wires ~28awg?

There is a special tool to punch these connectors, this tool is quite expensive, fortunately, I have one from the old days.
It's difficult at best to punch your own with a narrow blade screwdriver, but I've seen it done. Since it's an IDC, I wouldn't want to bet on the quality of the connection done by the incorrect tool.

I still have a number of these connectors, what size do you need? I can prepunch them with a set of wires for you, just tell me the length of the wires. I have various roles of wire, let me know what colours you want, I might have it.

Regards,
Josh



From: ***@verizon.net
Subject: Re: [N8VEM-S100:7049] Re: Magic Molex Ordering Assistant?
Date: Wed, 20 May 2015 06:15:59 -0400
To: n8vem-***@googlegroups.com

I believe the series name from Molex is the "MTA series". Look up "A1964" on digi-key. That one should be the same as the connector on the Altair CPU card that's used for the data connector for the front panel link. I would have to pull my board to be 100% sure though.

Sent from my iPhone
On May 19, 2015, at 10:27 PM, John Parsons <***@gmail.com> wrote:

Rich, do you have search suggestions for the female connector for the Altair front panel? I am having the same decoding problem.
JohnP
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "N8VEM-S100" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to n8vem-s100+***@googlegroups.com.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "N8VEM-S100" group.

To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to n8vem-s100+***@googlegroups.com.

For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.