I have been using those for years, just strip twice the length of the IR wire and double up for girth so the crimp has enough to grab.

Yeah, and "spark plug with a .027 gap" is a part number, too. Just try to buy one!

Molex actually has real part numbers, as there may well be different styles of .062 connectors. So, to repeat QQQ's question, any (actual) PART NUMBERS?


Are Dolphins the little white jobbies, open on one end, that the phone connector designers thought would be a crimp connector? If so, that's what I use. I DO NOT depend on the crimp to make the connection. Instead, I twist the wires together, double over, inster into the connector (as Larry does), then crimp with the same crimper that does butt connectors.

The white connector is therefore really just an insulator; the connection is the twisted wires. It could be that the spikes inside the connector aid in making the connection, but I am totally not depending on that.

I have also heard these called jelly beans, but I think the people who call these jelly beans have never looked at the round ones with the colors that Larry described, then looked over at some real jelly beans, then looked back at the connectors! I call THOSE connectors jelly beans and I would only use them for solid to solid.

The molex takes too much time, as does solder and shrink.
By

These are ths ones I was talking about:



They don't require stripping or doubling; they're meant for phone wire like CAT-3, which usually has the same wire gauge as CAT-5.

Thanks a lot Matt.

Larry, we just started using the Wago's and love them. Hadn't thought about them for this and assumed they would not work well with solid Cat 5. Seems like the Cat 5 would want to break but you are right and they will work with solid wire. Have you used them this way? I'm going to try it today. The ones we use have no goop in them (that I've ever noticed) but otherwise look identical. However, unless you know something I don't they are Not insualtion displacement and the web site also shows the wire stripped back when inserted.

[Link: wago.com]

They may not require it, but I strongly suggest (from experience) stripping and doubling the emitter wire(unless using the factory soldered ends).

They will bite right through the Cat-5 jacket and make a good connection, but the "softer" housing of the stranded wire sometimes will not play nicely and doubling up is just an extra and quick step to ensure a solid grip.

`The connectors in Larry's post 18 are Scotchlocks and I don't know if they were designed for stranded wire. The "dolphin" connectors are known as B connectors, come with and without goop, and are called "good and plenties" bu phone men(which I still consider myself to be on occasion. The Scotchlocks are a lot more costly than B connectors. The b connectors are supposed to be pressed flat and I never use the goopy ones. Those Wagos look nice though.

Thanks Shoe...
I don't use the ones Larry put up with the red button on top, but the other guys called the "beans" at my supplier, and the weather resistant ones were "jellybeans" because they had the snot in 'em.

B connectors are what I was talking about, little oval tubes with white insulation that you crush. They have the bed of nails in there that are SUPPOSED to pierce the insulation every time and complete the splice. I agree about using them after you strip and twist the conductors together, but I do use the jelly filled ones.

The Wago connectors look very nice, but seem like they would be pricy for day to day use splicing IR and keypad wires.
BTW, now we know who supplies Speakercraft with the no-strip, quick connectors for their VCs and speaker selectors...

These are the ones that he was referring to when he said they have goop in them. You can get them with or without goop (insulator). They are made by 3m.

We used the monkey rubbers (that's what the telephone guys call the dolphins around here) for a long time and still do from time to time but the installers like the 3m connectors much better.

Robbie S

Qx3, the Wago's do require stripping, the button ones don't. They are different items. The Wago's take the wide wire range, and are actually rated for line voltage and current. The buttons are meant for small-size solid, like CAT3- and -5.

We use the 3M Scotchlock buttons with stranded wire as well as solid and haven't had any issues using the non insulated connectors. The insulated connectors are sometimes a little stuborn (sp) with stranded wire depending on how rigid the stranded wire is and the temperature (goop gets tough in cold weather).

Robbie S

I would recommend the Wago's to anyone as excellent for splicing speaker wire, especially the jumper that usually runs between in-wall speakers. I like them MUCH better than butt splices but they are expensive, around 25 cents each I think. I was thinking about using them for the application I mentioned in my initial post, but if you had four emitters that would equal enough Wago's to be about the size of your fist. Not too practical but great for speakers.

Larry,

We were either posting at the same time or I hadn't seen your later post or...who knows. I caught it afterwards.

Robbie,

We use the Scotchlocks (or however they're spelled) but have never tried them with stranded wire since they so explicitly state that they are for solid. I'll have to try them.

This message was edited by QQQ on 02/15/05 11:31 ET.

Ernie,

Sorry, they don't give the exact part number in the website. If you put "standard .062" in the part number then select "wire to wire" on the next page, it takes you right to the connector I was talking about.

Matt