Changing connetors?

[Airsoft-Ed]

Can someone give me a guide for how to change connectors?

It's nothing major, just want to go from large to small tamiya, but I can't figure out how to get the wire ends out of the connector they're already in, do you just pull or is there a certain method, or what?

Cheers,

Ed.

 

[Liam Porter]

I normally just cut them off and replace them.. never really tried to get them out.

 

[Deva]

Cut, but don't cut both at the same time, it'd short the 2 wires when the metal of the side cutters connects them.

Save yourself some hassle. Buy a load of deans and just change everything you have. Problem solved forever. They're also better.

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

I knew someone would say that <_<

I was hoping this could be a, fix it over night, have a usable gun in the morning, type thing.

Is there any way to get the wires out of connectors? Or is cutting them off literally the only way?

I wouldn't mind cutting them, it's just that I don't have a bag of connectors lying around.

 

[Deva]

I've never tried. If you tried to pull them out I can only imagine you'd mangle the wire and break the connector. Give it a shot if you want..

Soldering a connector takes less than 1 minute once you're set up.

If you must keep it, leave a sensible length of wire on the connector before you cut it, so you aren't trying to solder right next to the connector. Being a tamiya it will melt. Deans don't have this problem.

You can do it without soldering by just intertwining the wires and electrical taping it, but I wouldn't recommend it at all, it's a bodge job.

Deans can be bought from component shop and they'll be with you before next weekend if you're skirmishing then..

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

What about the fuse?

My basic problem is that I've bought some lipos but they don't fit because there's way way way too much extra wire and the space it all has to go into isn't big enough, so I want to shorten all the wires to be an inch long or less.

But I'll need to wire another fuse in there somehow.

The connector thing is just because the lipos are using small tamiyas and the gun has a large type connector.

I think I might just have to go back to Patrol Base again next weekend and see if they can't do it for me then and there.

I've already emailed them to ask so I'll have to see what they say.

 

[Deva]

Assuming they'll charge for that you could do it for a lot less yourself.

You don't need the fuse. If you want it then just include that piece of wire with the fuse on when you solder.

Or, you just need to try and work the wiring in more neatly, but either way one connector has to change so.. also, since they are LiPo's the norm would be to have deans.

There isn't a quick get around. It's a job worth doing properly imo and that's it (it happens to be an easy one too).

 

[Hibernator]

You can buy a little tool that allows you to remove the plastic bit and leave the metal connectors on the wires. It won't help in your case as the metal bits are smaller on the mini tamiyas than on the large, so it wouldn't work doing it that way anyway.

Replacing tamiyas is easy. You can buy sets on ebay quite cheaply. All you do is strip back the wires a bit, crimp on the metal connectors then push on the plastic outer. No tools needed other than a cheap pair of wire cutters/strippers.

But as above, deans is the way to go. A small investment in a soldering iron and some practice will mean you'll be able to replace all your gun connectors fairly easily.

If your gun is working fine with a fuse, just leave it out. As long as you remember not to keep pulling the trigger if there's a problem, you'll be fine without a fuse. I removed most of mine when I started running stock tube lipos because of the space. Never had a problem

 

[Airsoft-Ed]

Alright cheers guys. Think I'll give it a go myself at some point over the week.

Last question, the wires that come from the gun to the connector are thinner than the wires on the battery and tend to fold instead of bending. I imagine they'd probably come apart from bending them if I did it enough... Would I still be able to strip the wires when they're like that?

I imagine I can I just thought it'd be worth checking out.

Ok, maybe that wasn't the last question lol, what offline shops are likely to sell soldering irons, solder, small tamiya connectors and wire strippers? Also, would getting some heat shrink rubber slips be a good idea, for covering frayed wires or exposed sections?

 

[Hibernator]

Soldering iron, shrink wrap etc = Maplin

Connectors I usually get from eBay!