How to crimp these damn things?

[rg12]

Hey Guys,

Bought these 3.0mm JST SM connectors (links to male and female):
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Sets-3-0...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649
http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-Sets-3-0...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

I have a crimp that works well for the male connector which has female terminals.
The problem is that the female connector (has a male terminal) has a longer "lip" that needs to be crimped and on the sides of that "lip" there are the two "wings" that lock the terminal inside the connector housing, so when I crimp that lip the "wings" get squashed.

The second problem is that I can't get the terminal to lock inside the housing...the "wings" were not squashed or anything so I just pushed it in different angled all the way in and the thing doesn't lock.

Any ideas?

 

[tomjasz]

oops

 

[tomjasz]

I bought a $11 crimper just fro JST. Money well spent. Sadly add on anvils for many criers are as costly or more, than a new crimper. Shop around the prices are all over the map. I got one for $12 delivered.

http://www.trait-tech.com/product/T-TOOL-1644__tu-190-08-terminals-tu-tool-crimping-tool-crimping-cable-cutter-for-24awg-10awg-0-08-0-5sq-mm-yellow.html

 

[rg12]

I got a few different crimpers, it's not the problem, I got one that crimps perfectly but only the terminals with the holes.
The terminals with the pins have a longer base to be crimped and on the higher area near the pin where the two locking "wings" come out the sides there is still a raised area to be crimped and the problem is that if I crimp it then the "wings" get smashed.

 

[fechter]

There must be a different tool made to crimp those without smashing the wings.

 

[tomjasz]

There must be a different tool made to crimp those without smashing the wings.

the tool i posted does the SM perfectly.

 

[Marin]

This is just for those works great. Think it came from grin

 

[rojitor]

I do not crimp those. I just solder and bend the metal with small pliers.

 

[rg12]

Something weird there...
I also, got the problem that it doesn't get locked in the housing...
Do you guys know of a 10 pin cable connector that isn't too big? I don't want something as thick as an XLR connector...

 

[Alan B]

I've had no problems crimping either male or female JST SM connectors with a small crimper similar to the one shown. I know some folks have had trouble with these, so you are not alone. Some have resorted to buying pre-crimped connectors and splicing them which introduces more connections and also introduces various colors of wire insulation that can lead to confusion. It is best to have the correct wire color all the way to the pin, and no extra connections in the wiring.

There are a few possible issues. The Crimping tool, the Technique, or the Components could cause difficulty.

Sourcing the parts from ebae increases the risk they are clones, and may have some defects in their manufacture or dimensions. It has been awhile since I did one of these, but as I recall the housing has a feature that grabs the pins to hold them in.

The pins and the features in the crimper are small and this increases the possibility that the pins and/or wire are not properly positioned in the crimper. Sometimes the crimpers bend the pins a little and this may create problems seating in the housing. Straightening the pin after crimping and before removing from the crimper may be necessary. The crimper has two crimping regions, one for the uninsulated wire and another for the insulation strain relief crimp. The wire must be stripped to the proper length so the regions match the pin areas designed for this, and everything positioned properly during the crimp process. Due to the small items good lighting and magnification is helpful for positioning and alignment during the crimping process.

The pins and crimper are designed for a certain range of wire sizes and insulation thickness which is quite small. Using wire or insulation that is not in the range could also lead to problems fitting the housing properly. Check the manufacturer's documentation on the pins and housings for the full details.

After crimping the wire (and insulation) will be firmly grasped by the pin and will not pull out. I visually inspect and pull test each one before insertion into the housing. If not perfectly crimped it should be re-done. It will slide into the housing and lock, usually with an audible click. It will be free to move slightly in the housing but stay locked in, it will not be wedged in (unable to move slightly).

Soldering will usually damage the insulation in the strain relief portion of the pin crimp and reduce the reliability of the pin. It should not be necessary if the pin and wire are properly crimped. These pins are not designed for soldering.

 

[izeman]

i use this one. they come in 2 sizes for different size crimps. got it 5 years ago. i don't like the big crimp tools. i have two, but like the small one more. it's very precise and can recommend it.

https://www.amazon.de/universal-micro-crimping-crimppins-Engineer/dp/B002AVVO7K/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1503236059&sr=8-12&keywords=crimping+tool

 

[tomjasz]

I do have to pay attention to how the connector is lined p in the crimper. No different than the Anderson crimper in that orientation is important.

 

[rg12]

i use this one. they come in 2 sizes for different size crimps. got it 5 years ago. i don't like the big crimp tools. i have two, but like the small one more. it's very precise and can recommend it.

https://www.amazon.de/universal-micro-crimping-crimppins-Engineer/dp/B002AVVO7K/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1503236059&sr=8-12&keywords=crimping+tool

I just got this one and yes it's much better than the ratchet mechanism chinese tool.
Will try again the whole process and see if I get somewhere and then will update here.