All about Molex connectors, sizes, pins, tools and crimping! - PinballHelp.com

So what's the deal with all these plastic pinball connectors? Molex? Well, "Molex" is a very specific brand but there are knock-offs. We'll just use the term "Molex" to refer to the name brand, or possibly imitations depending upon the game/manufacturer (cough JJP cough). They come in different shapes and sizes. Used in different areas of games. Here's a short guide to the most common types of Molex connections you will find in most pinball machines. How do they work? How to service them? For more, visit www.PinballHelp.com - Thanks for watching - please subscribe! :)
Pinball help on Twitter @PinballHelp, pinballhelp, Instagram: MysticKrewe

[@Dahna_]

Thankyou for explaining this! Helped me with wiring a light to my industrial sewing machine servo moter. It has these molex connectors and the one for the light is a 2 pin male that I just needed to create a 2 pin female for my led light cord.

[@danijelcar5184]

Nice to know how to repair connectors and Merry Christmas from Croatia!

[@-Gramps]

Thanks for a very educational video for a noob just entering the hobby!

[@jsargent8195]

Thank you, this helped me a lot!

[@justinblessing6119]

This was incredibly helpful to me…thank you, Sir👍

[@monaem441]

hi, thanks for the video. do you know if the contact for a molex 5264 and contacts for a XH 2.54 are the same please? i have a new battery with a XH connector but i need to have a molex 5264 (that's the connector on the circuit board ), so i wanted to know if i can simply pull the wires out of one and pop them into the molex connector? thank you

[@anthonygervolino7662]

Thanks for the help

[@randyrust1]

Thia video helped me repair my upright freezer/evap fan without splicing wires. No repair man, thank you!

[@PinballHelp]

Glad it helped

[@ericsiggins254]

Hello I have a cyclone pinball and only 1 half of my wheel lights wont come on can 6 min be connected to a 7 pin oppisite side

[@bgregg55]

Very helpful, THX

[@ronhobyak9902]

When buying pins - What is meant by "B-WIND - Right Payoff" and/or "D-WIND - Left Payoff" ?

[@getreal3336]

Great vid. Is it wise to flow a little solder over the wire crimp? I do that on my connections for peace of mind of a solid and secure connection.

[@PinballHelp]

I've been known to do that myself. It's a bunch of extra work but it's another layer of contact security.

[@TheShawna1]

my problem is when i disconnect the nylon halves the pins/ sockets pull out through the front what am i doing wrong?

[@troyhill4270]

Thanks!

[@oswaldonovaes7037]

where can I find a replacement male crimp pin 0.040"

[@williamreynolds9698]

Try Newark.com. They have good customer service to help you get the exact part you need

[@StockingsTube]

How do you take the pin off the wire if a mistake was made or the wire got ripped off

[@PinballHelp]

The pins aren't easily meant to be re-used. You'll typically have to cut the pin off and use a new one.

[@billwilliams6338]

PINBALL HELP, 1.) Arcade Technicians have told me to change all the Molex and AMP pin types size to 0.156 inch Trifurcon crimp terminals. I'm not sure why they want to use TRIFURCON type pin, any reasons why? I thought the pin size was how much current rating but the Trifurcon is better for higher currrent ratings I'm guessing. 2.) In arcade games and pinball games the connectors and wires gets corroded which causes intermittent failures. I'm guessing the Trifurcon pins don't cause corroded interminitten failures? or what type of pins material would you recommend to not cause future intermittent corroded issues on the connectors?

[@PinballHelp]

Trifucon pins have more surface area than many other pins and "grab" more of the base connector. They've proven to be more reliable. The actual size of the pin will determine the amp rating. In some cases pinball engineers underestimated the reliability and stability of certain pin/connector configurations. This is most notable on Bally/Williams WPC games on the GI (general illumination) connectors. With incandescent bulbs in the game, they can pull a lot of current and heat up the connectors and contacts, causing damage. This is one (of the many reason) people including myself recommend using LED bulbs in GI instead of incandescent. They use less power and will put less strain on connectors.

[@billwilliams6338]

@@PinballHelp thanks for the help, 1.) I'm still not sure why Trifucon pins can handle higher current amp rating they are made out some type of special nickel or steel coating to prevent oxidation and intermittent issues? 2.) Which pin size do you recommend using because pinball games use 16 gauge to 22 gauge and use pin sizes .084, .100, .156, .093 molex and AMP connectors. What are the common pinball pin sizes you run across? 3.) I have heard you can use different types of pin types and sizes in either molex and AMP connectors which i guess are interchangeable? 4.) I'm guessing you can use the same wire gauge like 16 gauge and use 0.156 pin and also use 22 gauge wire using 0.156 pin? So you can use the same pin size even if the wire gauge is different? 5.) I'm not sure what type of wire is used in pinball games and arcade games as in the wire insulation resistance to prevent the wires heating issues like in the GI wiring has a different wire insulation resistance being used in the GI wiring harness?

[@johnalexander7490]

@@billwilliams6338 Just go with Trifurcon contacts, as he said, and don't worry about all the questions afterward. You're over-thinking this. Sort of like the Email with the PIA questions (which I was happy answering!). The Trifurcon grab on THREE sides, instead of just one side, so you get more surface area of the pin in contact with 3 sides of Surface Area on the Header Pin. Plus the added grab will help keep the connection from getting hot and weakening everything.

[@billwilliams6338]

@@johnalexander7490 thanks for the help 1.) Some arcade games use 2 clock signals that are clock inverted signal and clock phase signal, any reasons why? 2.) Any reasons why arcade games use different RAM "access times"? 3.) The ROM's chips data width size doesn't equal when your "subtract" the address start and address end range. Any reasons why they would want blank unused space in the ROM chips not having any code? Is the blank space used in the ROM chips used for compiling the ROM data contents?

[@johnalexander7490]

@@billwilliams6338 You're getting into areas involving Programming Language and Routines / Subroutines and general MPU system architecture. Find a book on programming, like a college course manual.

[@oscarvogel2140]

just the white molex. Not the microfit so title is a bit misleading.

[@Americandreamsurvivor]

Carpal tunnel result. It's not good for your hands. It's repetitive motion.

[@carlosfields9937]

You got to get a microphone you talk to low

[@wolf9545]

All of his videos have been fine for me in audio. Make sure the volume slider on the video is turned up all the way. Also make sure whatever device you are watching on is turned up.

[@carlosfields9937]

@@wolf9545 when im working I use my phone to watch vids, I can hear johns arcade and tnt amusement videos perfectly fine,so it's not my device. In order to hear what he's saying I have to hold my phone up to my ear, but I need both hands to work,so this video will have to wait until im in surround sound one day

[@wolf9545]

@@carlosfields9937 Weird that you are having this problem. I just tried playing this video on my Pixel 2 and the audio is fine. I'm not saying you don't have this problem, just trying to narrow it down. I normally watch his videos on my computer which is connected to my tv. I wonder if it is something weird where he records the video in stereo and somehow your phone is only playing back the one audio channel?

[@carlosfields9937]

@@wolf9545 im not sure, I have noticed that some of his videos are just fine and some I can not hear. No worries I'll move on

[@austinmurphy9074]

i heard him fine

[@cyanidechrist]

What make and model crimping tool are you using? Thanks!