ElekTek 1.5mm Crimp Connectors - Need to Strip Wires?

[Techboy]

I want to extend a cable (for an internal USB conection within my PC). I have some 1.5mm Crimp Connectors. Do I have to strip the individual wires, or will the crimp bite through the plascic covering?

I think I will need to strip the wires but I thought I would ask here for confirmation first

Thanks.

 

[Adam_151]

you strip the wires

but is this a 1.5mm² wire? most of the wires in a pc (with the exception of the psu ones) are too small to crimp standard crimp terminals onto, I recommend soldering and covering with heatshrink

 

[Techboy]

Ah, you are right - they are 1mm wires.

I'll go with your suggestion.

Many thanks!

 

[ban-all-sheds]

A USB cable won't be anywhere near 1mm²

I don't know what internal cables will be like, but the standard for external USB cables specifies AWG 28 - 20 cores, 0.11mm² - 0.68mm².....

 

[Techboy]

It's the USB cable conneting a card reader (SD, MMC, etc,) with is in the 3.5" slot to the internal USB connection on the motherboard. I have cut ope the cable and it contains 4 1mm wires.

I have a full sie tower and the cable isn't quite long enough, so I am going to extend it (using Cat5e cable - 4 wires withn that, same thickness).

 

[pdcelec]

It's the USB cable conneting a card reader (SD, MMC, etc,) with is in the 3.5" slot to the internal USB connection on the motherboard. I have cut ope the cable and it contains 4 1mm wires.

I have a full sie tower and the cable isn't quite long enough, so I am going to extend it (using Cat5e cable - 4 wires withn that, same thickness).

cat 5e is not 1mm²

 

[Techboy]

On closer inspection, 2 of the USB wires look the same at the Cat5e wires, but the other 2 are slightly wider...

What should I do?

Would it work if I just used the Cat5e wires or would I be risking something?

 

[Spark123]

AFAIK with all data connections it is better to get the correct lead for the job due to interferance and impedance reasons. Crimping and putting cat5e wire in will probably work but there is no guarantee you will not get any errors.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Why not buy a USB lead, cut the plugs off, and replace the whole thing?

How is it attached at each end to motherboard & card reader?

Have you tried companies that supply components for people who build PCs?

I would regard extending the cable by inserting something, with crimped/soldered/welded/whatevered joints as an absolute last resort, as you could well introduce reflections, timing delays, signal skews...


http://www.usb.org/developers/docs

 

[Techboy]

I went to Maplin and they do not sell an extension cable and I haven't been able to find one on other websites (like eBuyer, Dabs, Simply, etc). It is hard-wired into the disk unit so I can't unplug that end of it, so I will have to extend it.

I bought a ColdHeat soldering iron today (so I wouldn't have to keep borrowing my dads) - and it's rubbish, so I will be taking it back tomorrow and will get a 'proper' one instead. While I am there I will also get the right type of wire

The overall cable will be about 60cm (currently about 40cm) so I don't think that signal loss/degredation will be an issue

 

[Spark123]

What type of plug to the motherboard, 5pin PCB header?

 

[slippyr4]

you didn't look that hard on ebuyer. i found several in less time than it took you to write that message. have a look here

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I did have a look there.

Couldn't see anything suitable.

 

[plugwash]

usb isn't exactly the fastest interface in the world and i cant imagine you having problems using a bit of cat5.

keep the two data lines (the thinner wires) in one pair and the two power wires in a second pair and you should be ok. its only half an amp max even on the power wires.

as for the actual joining i'd say twist solder and heatshrink would be the best way.

 

[kevplumb]

i take it nobody has noticed the add at the bottom