Cable Sleeving Guide

[JaccoW]

Yes it can be stretched. I use those bent needle-nose pliers for it. If you are carefull you can stretch it to almost twice the size, but expect to have a few broken heatshrinks flying through the room.

The problem with the 24-pin cable is that it is relatively broad at the end of the cable. When you shrink it it will probably slide up and reveal the cables.
You could however sleeve just 10cm of the individual cables (or group them by, lets say four together) and use a larger sleeve single for the rest.

[WeeMaan]

Shazza, thanks for your answer.
Yeah, i guessed it would be the only way to make it work again.
What kind of crimping tool will I need?
Would any of these work? As cheap as possible is a big plus, the TJ07 project destroyed my budget.
And is it these connectors that I need?

Anyone with an answer on witch of the crimping tools above I need?
Is it the 0,5-2,5mm?
Its for the ATX main cable.

[Equinediver]

This is the crimper I use, and I think most of us do. It looks similar to this one, but I see that one only does wire up to AWG 22.

With the lack of description and basic picture of the pin, I wouldn't like to say if it is the right one or not.

[aka_GK]

This is the crimper I use, and I think most of us do.

Could you tell me how to use it properly? I have this one from PPCs too

[WeeMaan]

I have a feeling I have a broken window and a psu lying on the street together with a bunch of sleeving any minute now..

[WeeMaan]

I have a feeling I have a broken window and a psu lying on the street together with a bunch of sleeving any minute now..

Yeah, I give up now.
First the (individual) connectors on the ATX main cable would not stick when you inserted them, then they break after a few tryes.
So, I bought new connectors and after spending about 1½ hour of trying to make the connector (pin) stick to one of the cables I finally got it to barely stick.
And when I inserted the individual cable and pin to the ATX it did'nt stick, alltough it was a brand new pin.

So I don't now what more I can do but throw the psu to the garbage and sell my TJ07 (including all new watercooling gear) and buy dell or apple only from this point on..

[BlueAqua]

WeeMaan. What tool are you using to remove the pins? It sounds like you're damaging the plastic housing or the pins themselves.

One reason the pins may not stick is because of the amount of heatshrink you might try putting in the housing. That's just something I've noticed a problem, may or may not be yours at all.

What psu are you sleeving?

[DragoonXX]

yeah, could you take a pic or two of what the problems you're having are...before buying a H3LL or apple...

[WeeMaan]

WeeMaan. What tool are you using to remove the pins? It sounds like you're damaging the plastic housing or the pins themselves.

One reason the pins may not stick is because of the amount of heatshrink you might try putting in the housing. That's just something I've noticed a problem, may or may not be yours at all.

What psu are you sleeving?

I'm using staples.
Did'nt notice any problems when I first sleeved all cables individually (it's all done) but when I had to remove them again to put some big heatshrink for the transition of the beginning (with big sleeve) and the individually sleeved cables
they just started to break one after one.
Even tryed without any heatshrink and it was the same.

Edit: Dragon - The problem is the first pic won't stick to the second pic when I insert them.

[BlueAqua]

I'm using staples.
Did'nt notice any problems when I first sleeved all cables individually (it's all done) but when I had to remove them again to put some big heatshrink for the transition of the beginning (with big sleeve) and the individually sleeved cables
they just started to break one after one.
Even tryed without any heatshrink and it was the same.

Edit: Dragon - The problem is the first pic won't stick to the second pic when I insert them.

I would say the plastic housing is damaged from the staples. I'd buy another 24 pin connector housing from PPC's or something and keep trying.

I can't stress enough why having the right tool for the job saves a lot of pain. I've used staples on an entire build and it was fine, but it wasn't nearly as pain free as the Molex pin remover is.

[WeeMaan]

I would say the plastic housing is damaged from the staples. I'd buy another 24 pin connector housing from PPC's or something and keep trying.

I can't stress enough why having the right tool for the job saves a lot of pain. I've used staples on an entire build and it was fine, but it wasn't nearly as pain free as the Molex pin remover is.

Yeah, I'll try replacing the housing. I'll buy a new one tomorrow.
And I will definetly consider buying a molex pain remover.
But what is the easiest way of replacing those pins (picture 1 on last post)?
I was close to killing myself with the one I tryed replacing and the result was poor, probobly does'nt even work.

[neonblingbling]

Just wondering, does anyone ever solder their pins on? The only real reason I'd consider it is if you don't have a crimper...

[weston]

what kind of tool do you use to crimp those wires to the pins?

[Equinediver]

Like everything, there is a knack to doing it! Hubby gave up and thought it was the wrong tool, but the female brains saved the day

If you look at the tool sideways on, with the handles to your left, you will see there is a ridge on the crimping 'bar'. Take you pin and put it in the jaws with the bits that bend round the wire/cable pointing downwards. I find it useful to leave the little end pice on, as I use it as a stopper. Have it pressed up against the jaws, this puts the pin in the right position. Lock the pin by just gently pressing till you here a click. Then take your wire and insert it in as far as it will go, don't force it in too far. Then press the handles together and voila one crimped pin!

Basically all the pins, beit molex, fan or atx are the same. Get some wire and pins and just practice for a while, then when you feel confident do the cables on your PSU.

Like so many things, practice makes perfect

[shazza]

And, just to show there's lots of ways to do things ... I insert the stripped wire end into the pin, gently fold the pins over using little needle nose pliers - just enough to keep the wire in place. Then, using my left hand, I put the pin into the groove on the crimping tool (which I rest on the table top holding it with my right hand). Gently squeeze, and it's done.

Good Luck - don't give up.

[dualbrain]

Good Luck - don't give up.

It seems to become the new motto of sleeving

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

I'm using staples.
Did'nt notice any problems when I first sleeved all cables individually (it's all done) but when I had to remove them again to put some big heatshrink for the transition of the beginning (with big sleeve) and the individually sleeved cables
they just started to break one after one.
Even tryed without any heatshrink and it was the same.

Edit: Dragon - The problem is the first pic won't stick to the second pic when I insert them.

the molex block you show in that pic is a male block (requiring male pins) but the pins you show in the picture are female pins, I suspect this is your issue.

[xeek]

first post. love this place, especially this thread.
got a question. am i not doing something right or pulling sleeving too tight. cuz the sleeving will just pull right out of the heatshrink when i curve the cable around.
my last project of my cathode cable i burned the sleeve edge and it seems the stiff, curled up edge is holding better. is that all i need to do to keep it in? and/or get some glue maybe?

another quick question. y-cables going to something not needed i can just snip off? i did that and put a little shrink on it to cover wire then sleeved like normal. is that fine?


anyway, heres pics of things ive done

[WeeMaan]

the molex block you show in that pic is a male block (requiring male pins) but the pins you show in the picture are female pins, I suspect this is your issue.

I'm sorry, just took the first atx contact pic i saw.
Anyway, the one I have is a female, the one that was there from the beginning on my Corsair HX.

[dualbrain]

Xeek: Welcome to XS Burn the edge as you already found out. But not too extreme. Experiment to find out "how much is enough".

[slamz]

you sure you're not putting the sleeving up too far? meaning it his the block before the pins can click in? As this was what I did a few times with mine...

[WeeMaan]

you sure you're not putting the sleeving up too far? meaning it his the block before the pins can click in? As this was what I did a few times with mine...

I put them so far as the picture that cames with the guide you get when buying mdpc-x sleeve.
But even if that was the case, how come it worked like a charm for every single one of the 24 cables before?
And then when removing them and putting them back the same way it won't work at all.

[Nem]

I think the main problem, as outlined by Nils to me, is the flexible memory of the metal. Once it's been bent once it looses it's flex so the fins don't pop out any more to hold the pin in the plug.

It seems that you really need to take the pin out, sleeve it and then put it back and not touch it again.

I might have my 2nd delivery from MDPC-X today so will have another go tonight, I've also got a fresh PCI-EX extension cable to work on now.

[dualbrain]

just primitive and brutal methods like staples destroy flexibility.
pin-remover removed pins don't lose flexibility. I have a test-cable where I removed the same pin hundreds of times. All good

[xeek]

Xeek: Welcome to XS Burn the edge as you already found out. But not too extreme. Experiment to find out "how much is enough".

ok. i guess ill take the sleeveing off, burn and put back

and incase it was missed:

y-cables going to something not needed i can just snip off? i did that and put a little shrink on it to cover wire then sleeved like normal. is that fine?