Airsoft Canada - View Single Post - Electrical connectors: where to use a mini, large, or Deans connector

MadMax · May 26th, 2007, 21:15

Strain relieving is an issue that's not well addressed by Deans connectors.

I strain relieve molex type connectors by applying 0.5" of heat shrink to individual conductors about 1.5" of large diameter shrink over about 0.4" of the tail end of the connector and 1.1" on the wire sticking out. The effect of this is to gradually stiffen the wire coming out of the connector so you don't get a tight radius bend right at the sheet metal connectors. Any area where you get a sharp transition in wire stiffness is a place where you'll get small radius bends which cause high strain on wires. Effective strain relief is a luxury you often don't get to apply in AEGs because of the small space in battery compartments so I usually put up with some wire fatigue.

Solder is really bad for developing an area of strain concentration. The wetted zone becomes very stiff, like a solid wire, and the dry braid leading to it is comparatively very flexible so you get significant stress concentration at solder junctions.

Again, there often isn't much that can be done to strain relieve wire connections in AEGs. One good trick is to apply tape tabs to batteries for you to pull on instead of yanking on wires to extricate batteries from stocks. For instance, I like to tear a 1" wide ribbon of gaffers tape or duck tape that's about 4"-5" long. Fold it in half to form a 0.75" tag in the middle (touch the adhesive together to form a 0.75" tab) and adhere the remaining tape to opposite sides of a stick pack. This provides a pull tab to pull a stick pack out of an M16 or AK stock so you don't have to pull on the wires.

May 26th, 2007, 21:15	#16
MadMax Delierious Designer of Dastardly Detonations Trader rating Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: in the dark recesses of some metal chip filled machine shop	Strain relieving is an issue that's not well addressed by Deans connectors. I strain relieve molex type connectors by applying 0.5" of heat shrink to individual conductors about 1.5" of large diameter shrink over about 0.4" of the tail end of the connector and 1.1" on the wire sticking out. The effect of this is to gradually stiffen the wire coming out of the connector so you don't get a tight radius bend right at the sheet metal connectors. Any area where you get a sharp transition in wire stiffness is a place where you'll get small radius bends which cause high strain on wires. Effective strain relief is a luxury you often don't get to apply in AEGs because of the small space in battery compartments so I usually put up with some wire fatigue. Solder is really bad for developing an area of strain concentration. The wetted zone becomes very stiff, like a solid wire, and the dry braid leading to it is comparatively very flexible so you get significant stress concentration at solder junctions. Again, there often isn't much that can be done to strain relieve wire connections in AEGs. One good trick is to apply tape tabs to batteries for you to pull on instead of yanking on wires to extricate batteries from stocks. For instance, I like to tear a 1" wide ribbon of gaffers tape or duck tape that's about 4"-5" long. Fold it in half to form a 0.75" tag in the middle (touch the adhesive together to form a 0.75" tab) and adhere the remaining tape to opposite sides of a stick pack. This provides a pull tab to pull a stick pack out of an M16 or AK stock so you don't have to pull on the wires. __________________ Want nearly free GBB gas?