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Pitch trim connector

jneves

Well Known Member
Hello everyone, new to the board and already asking for help. I’m helping a local RV14A builder with his bird. Today we debugged a problem with the pins in the connector at the tail for the pitch trim. We need to order a new connector and the correct pins, thinking Digikey will have them but was hoping someone could help with part number for the connector. Picture attached. Any info would be appreciated.
 

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Digi-key part number for the male housing is 43020 and 43025 for the female housing. The connector part number is 43031 and 43030 for male and female.

Good luck
 
Many people (including me) have found the micro molex connectors to be nothing but trouble. I replaced most of them with better connectors. Many options including d-sub and Deutsch DTM.

Do some searches and you'll find lots of information.
 
Many people (including me) have found the micro molex connectors to be nothing but trouble. SNIP

+1
I spent a day ringing out the pitch servo wiring to finally find the intermittent connector in the elevator on a buddy’s build. I cut it off and installed a better connector.

Carl
 
Great call, I also found the connector to be a bit flimsy and the pins just wont take hold in the housing. I’ll do some research and seek out a more robust solution.
 
I had the same problem yesterday as well. Replaced mine with D sub connectors and heat shrinks. Steinair has a excellent video on how to do this.
 
I don't recommend a field install of the micromolex connectors. If you bugger the supplied pins replace with something better. The pins are not designed to be removed and reinserted.

For that location I recommend using d-sub pins incased in shrink tubing. It's a common trick outlined in the Aeroelectric.
 
Please note that the pins go in and lock in place only in one orientation, once it is in the correct orientation it stays on well but I admit they are a pain to work with.
The elevator trim is the only place that I am using the Molex micro, other locations that does not have that nice slot for the connector to be mounted, I am using the Molex mini which is a bit bigger and easier to work with.
 
Please note that the pins go in and lock in place only in one orientation, once it is in the correct orientation it stays on well but I admit they are a pain to work with.
The elevator trim is the only place that I am using the Molex micro, other locations that does not have that nice slot for the connector to be mounted, I am using the Molex mini which is a bit bigger and easier to work with.

This is a VERY important point when working with micro Molex connectors. If they are installed incorrectly, you will have nothing but problems. However, once crimped properly, a feat in itself, and installed in the correct orientation, they work as expected. However, I understand why people would want to replace them.
 
This is a VERY important point when working with micro Molex connectors. If they are installed incorrectly, you will have nothing but problems. However, once crimped properly, a feat in itself, and installed in the correct orientation, they work as expected. However, I understand why people would want to replace them.

The micro Molex are so difficult to crimp it's a joke. Even then (using connectors crimped and inserted by SteinAir) I found them unreliable. Regular Molex no problem.
 
for those of you using d-sub here, are you using just the pins and not a connector housing? I guess just the pins makes some sense since it's not going to be frequently disconnected...
 
for those of you using d-sub here, are you using just the pins and not a connector housing? I guess just the pins makes some sense since it's not going to be frequently disconnected...

Yes. Just the pins, encased in shrink tubing.
 
I'm pretty good at Molex connectors, but even I succumbed to the pins/heatshink solution. After I built my panel I had lots of pins and heatshrink, and the right crimper. So it is dead simple to just connect each wire with a pin set and little heatshrink then heatshrink the bundle. Completely reliable, unlike the Molex. If you do need to remove it then you just cut off the heatshrink and the pins come apart.

I've left the Molex that work alone, but both of them for the elevator trim have been abandoned.
 
Why not just put a 9 pin connector on and be done, better mechanical support and easy to unpin if you need to remove down the road. You ever try cutting off adhesive heat shrink from a 22/24ga wire with damaging the wire? I have seen that done before and I just cut em all off and replace them, takes less time.
 
New Rv Build

Hey Turner, good to see that you are doing it again with a Rv12. Would like to come by and see it. Have my RV6 finished and flying. I ran across this post looking for a trim servo and wiring diagram. Any luck with Ray Allen?
Laland Booth.
RV 8 RV 8A sold
RV6 KCRG
 
D-sub with no shell

If you use a d-sub connector, you don’t have to use the back shell. I just zip tie the 2 d-subs together using the screw holes. I use silicone tape on the wires to add a little support.

It’s been working flawlessly for over 1,000 flight hours.
 
None

As Walt alluded to above, It's much easier to just use a butt splice and heat shrink to eliminate the connector all together. Much more reliable. If/When you might have to remove the pitch trim just cut the wires and re-splice. You loose about 1/2 inch of wire doing this so I ensure there is plenty on the initial service loop for removal and replacement. My first aircraft (purchased) had connectors all over the place and was an electrical nightmare. You can't eliminate all connectors but reducing them will go a long way to improving reliability and troubleshooting.
 
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