Testing electrical components

23vc · 10 Apr 2021

Got a rear wiper motor I’m working on and want to plug it in on my bench to a 12v supply as it’s a faff doing it in the car (and it’s cold)
It’s got a male connector with no flex, and I won’t be able to connect croc clips to it easily without shorting the connections as the pins are close together - am I missing some clever way of doing this or am I best just cutting the wires on the car side, using the female socket and re-crimping them later?
Cheers

DIYspanner · 10 Apr 2021

Not quite sure of the connectors but perhaps a couple of small screwdrivers to act as probes to touch the connectors with the leads of the battery you're using clip onto the screwdrivers shanks?

Got a picture of the motor's terminals?

23vc · 10 Apr 2021

You can just about make out the connector (3 pins inside the black housing) in the pics.
Trouble is, I want a persistent connection to it while I’m working on it (croc clips kinda thing) rather than occasionally touching a probe to it

DIYspanner · 10 Apr 2021

One answer is to go to a local breakers and snip the plug off if there's one in stock.

Can't quite make it out but if its spade connectors, make a little harness to your own design.

23vc · 10 Apr 2021

That’s a good shout re. Spade connectors, although I think these are smaller, more like pins. I’ll check though as I’ve got a load of female spade connectors. Tbh, it’s no biggie for me to just snip off the harness on the car side, and crimp it back on when I’m done. Wish these were standard but it seems every one is different

DIYspanner · 10 Apr 2021

If you cut the wires to get the plug off the car, I'd suggest soldering and shrink wrap when you reattach.

EFLImpudence · 10 Apr 2021

Cut some insulation (i.e. plastic tube) from a suitable sized cable that will fit over the male connectors and will hold the back probe pins in place.

If you don't have any back probe pins, use needles (or solid core domestic wire) to which you can attach crocodile clips.

DIYspanner · 10 Apr 2021

As above but perhaps strip and solder tails on the wire ends then use the insulation to hold the tinned tails on to the terminals. Needless to day, care when pushing them on so none of the contacts snap off.

What model is it by the way?

JohnD · 10 Apr 2021

car connectors sometimes have half-size spade connectors, they may be for a size smaller than a ratchet crimp will grip so the cheap "car type" crimper will do. The tube part is supposed to be filled with wire, so you can bend it over if very fine.

I suppose you could add solder for long life.

23vc · 10 Apr 2021

EFLImpudence said:
Cut some insulation (i.e. plastic tube) from a suitable sized cable that will fit over the male connectors and will hold the back probe pins in place.

If you don't have any back probe pins, use needles (or solid core domestic wire) to which you can attach crocodile clips.

So fit a strip of insulation over each pin, and put a wire in the other end of each? Good shout, didn’t think of that.

No idea what a back probe pin is, will google

23vc · 10 Apr 2021

DIYspanner said:
As above but perhaps strip and solder tails on the wire ends then use the insulation to hold the tinned tails on to the terminals. Needless to day, care when pushing them on so none of the contacts snap off.

What model is it by the way?

The car? 2007 fiesta. Rear wiper motor. Old one broke, got another one from a scrappy, kind of worked minus the self park bit, and I’ve now become a bit obsessed with fixing it using parts from both. Admittedly I could just pay £20 again and hope for third time lucky...

Testing electrical components

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