Alternatives for Header Connector

X-Carve Troubleshooting
1

Crashed my z axis yesterday. Told the machine to ‘home’ and z went up, up, and up. Hit the e-stop, but the limit switch was toast. Never had a problem before.

I believe one of the issues ‘might’ be the Header Connector. Connecter is loose and wobbly. YouTube vid I found talks about replacing it with a different style Header Connector, but his being in Britain made any reference to local merchants for parts a problem.

Does anyone have any recommendations. Only solution I can come up with involves soldering the wires directly to the pins.

2

Terminal blocks or screw terminals.

You can get them with 2.54 mm pitch, same as the header, and then screw in wires so there is no wiggle.

3

OK, just to be clear… Your suggestion is to unsolder the pins provided with the x-carve and replace with a terminal block.

I’ve been browsing Mouser hoping to find a header (the black bit) with screw terminals at both ends without success.

5

As in, a screw terminal that installs onto existing pin header?

I’m pretty sure that’s what this kind does. Though, it’s a spring fit for both wire and header pin. I ordered some a while back, but have not gotten around to trying them out.

6

Yes, Exactly.

I saw that one, but since I could not rotate it around, did not know what it was on the other side.

Thanx

7

Would anyone mind verifying that this terminal will work as an alternative to crimping?

DIGIKEY A98338-ND

Thanks!

8

I got mine on Amazon

5pcs 2.54mm 8-Pin Plug-in Screw Terminal Block Connector Panel PCB Mount

$6 for 5 of them, took 2 weeks to get them though

9

I’ve verified that these connectors will work for mating to existing male header. They have spring slots on one side to stuff a wire into and then slide onto the male header. They are essentially a solderless wire to female header adapter. Not bad, but not as good as desoldering the male header and putting in 100 mil pitch screw terminals.

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10

100 mil is nice, but I prefer 2.54mm

Really though, thanks for looking into those. That’s a very clever, non distructive, cheap upgrade from just using header pins.

11

Nice that they’re exactly equal in this case without too many decimal points.

12

That shield doesn’t require any soldering if you didn’t plan on wiring in capacitors immediately, correct?

14

@RonP

If you just want a screw shield you can use something like this:

15

Soldering’s not a deal breaker. I like the design regardless. And the price is nice, too.

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16

Ordered these. I’ll let you know how they work out in a few weeks.

-sterling

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