Removing molex connectors

[javafiend]

Hi all,

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what do you use to remove molex connectors when you're sleeving the wires? Is there a special tool?

Thanks!

[DaveW]

There's 2 clips in the pin: you can get a 'molex removal tool' from the shops, but don't.

Most people use something like a drinking straw or a screw driver. They'll come out soon enough.

-Dave

[The boy 4rm oz]

If you buy a VIZO molex kit for only $4.95 AUS it gives you one. Works really well.

[Crimson13]

find a pen unscrew the cap and take out the ink tube thing and use the open end of it. the pin shouldnt touch the ink or else you might have a mess but other wise those are about the correct size for molex pins.

[jreffy]

I was just about to post a similar topic.

I want to shorten the cables coming from my PSU and also my fans to help with cable management. I assume since there is a tool to remove these pins, is there one to re-attach them?

Basically, I figure it should be easy to remove the hub and pins, cut my cable, strip the wires, re-attach molex pins (male or female) and then reattach the hub.

Is this as easy as it sounds? and what am I going to do need to do it?

[ajmilton]

http://www.marvin3m.com/connect/

webpage has lots of details on molex. it's written for pinball machine repair, but the concept should be the same :P

section 4 on that page is probably the most useful :p

(basically, yes. it appears that simple)

to get the crimps right when re-attaching the pins, you need to get a crimper

alternatively, you could just cut a length from the middle of the cable, slip on some heatshrink tubing, then solder the cable back together and heatshrink over that to make it pretty. and to prevent short circuits.

[jreffy]

alternatively, you could just cut a length from the middle of the cable, slip on some heatshrink tubing, then solder the cable back together and heatshrink over that to make it pretty. and to prevent short circuits.

I dunno, sounds like "cheating" to me :). Yeah, I could definitely do that, but it wouldn't look "clean". It doesn't seem to me that attaching molex pins to the end of the wires would be difficult, especially with the molex crimper. Looks like this is the solution I was looking for, hooray for cable-management made easy.

[Rankenphile]

Excellent links and tips, thanks guys.

[ajmilton]

just trying to give you some alternatives, jreffy :)

yeah, i think if you get the proper crimping tool it shouldn't be much of a pain.

[javafiend]

Oh yeah, I forgot about putting them back in (duh!) How do you anyway? Folks are talking about a crimper, but I'm sure folks have used other things, right?

[ajmilton]

a pair of needlenose pliers will probably do in a pinch. i haven't actually looked at the pins on a molex before so i might be wrong on this :P