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DB9 Serial connector termination

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rpearson

Technical User
Jul 25, 2002
297
US
Does anyone know of an online resource for a step by step procedure to terminate DB9 female connectors.I have all the materials etc. to do it,but dont know where to start.Thanks.
 
This was good ,but I need to know how to make the connector.As far as using the tools,methods etc.
 
So what you want to know is how to hook the wires up to a DB-9 connector?

There are basically two types to deal with; solder cup or crimp. Either way, the jacket of the cable gets clamped with a clamp included with the shell, putting the shell around the completed plug locks the clamp into place and forms the strain releif. Start by placing the clamp about 1.5" from the end of the wire, then removing that jacket from the clamp to the end. Then you can set the clamp and wire in one shell and determine how long you need the individual wires to be in order for them to reach the connectors.

Solder cup is just as the name implies, there is a small cup which you carefully fill with solder. Then you prepare the wire by stripping each wire about 1/8" or so, tinning it lightly with solder. Then you heat the cup until the solder melts, insert the tinned wire, remove the heat and hold until cool. This can seriously take some practice and a fair amount of skill. Overheating will melt the insulation off the wire and often soften the material in the plug enough so that the pins go sideways or come loose. If you are comfortable with a 15 watt soldering iron and have steady hands, they can be done quite easily. I use a small Panavise to hold the connector during the process, makes the whole thing a lot easier.

Crimp Style connectors are generally faster and easier than the solder cup, but are limited in the size of wire you can use. Some installations may require a larger gage wire than will fit in the crimp pin. Also, depending on the cable configuration, if you have two or more wires to put on one pin, the crimp thing is complicated. You usually have to crimp a single wire on the pin, the make a splice inside the hood. Anyway, the wires are stripped about 1/4" or so, slipped into the pin, and crimped with the appropriate crimper. Amp makes two very good ones designed for the pins on their DB connectors, I'm sure other vendors have similar products. I often crimp, tug on the pin to make sure it secure, then lightly solder the pin to make sure it stays and conducts well. However, for most installations, a good quality crimp will do fine.

Hope that was what you needed.

Good Luck It is only my opinion, based on my experience and education...I am always willing to learn, educate me!
Daron J. Wilson, RCDD
daron.wilson@lhmorris.com
 
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