W

William

Well Known Member
Hello everyone I've ordered these fully insulated fast on connectors http://www.waytekwire.com/item/30713/FEMALE-DISCONNECT--250-X--032/ to do a lot of the wiring in my aircraft. I'm using these PIDG crimp tool from BandC http://www.bandc.biz/pidgstylecrimptool.aspx. My question is I've read that people were having a difficult time crimping the fully insulated fast on connectors with the PIDG crimp tool I purchased. Is this tool not going to work for me? Should I purchase the fast connects without the full insulation?

thanks,
Bill
 
I would not be concerned about the PIDG tool.

I WOULD be concerned about the connectors you are buying.

They appear to be automotive style rather than PIDG style.
It is quite possible that they are pieces of ****.
One difference is in the construction of the crimp area. PIDG connectors include a metal sheath that permanently crimps and holds the wire insulation.
Automotive styles have a plastic sheath that can be crimped but will not stay and will not provide strain relief.

I tried to confirm the sheath design but I cannot via the technical documents on the website. I can only assume they are what they appear to be.

You will be way better off by using real PIDGs and insulate them with heat shrink tubing over the sliding section.
 
What you want is PIDG FASTON from AMP / Tyco

They are the proper stuff - Google it and you should get many direct link to suppliers in the US
 
Trivial Perhaps

PIDG = Permanent Insulated Diamond Grip. Not that I keep up with this stuff but there are requirements that can be missed by the casual user. In 1958 or early 1959 every electrical worker and every electrical inspector at McDonnell Aircraft (I was working the F-101B line as a R&E Inspector) had to attend an AMP class to learn those requirements so we did them right in the first place and we all knew what was acceptable and what wasn't. What can possibly go wrong? Well, surprisingly several things but after that investment I don't recall seeing a bad crimp.

The terminals you have a link to in the original post are the type I was supplied with the Electronics International CHT and EGT instruments. I used a regular terminal crimper that I bought from Radio Shack or Aircraft spruce (LOOONG Time ago). As all of the other posters implied or stated outright I just did the best i could to get a good conductor crimp. I stripped off enough wire insulation to allow me to fold back the exposed conductor because it is small and extra cross section is required to get a reliable strong crimp on the terminal conductor crimping barrel inside the terminal insulation and just took what I got with the insulation crimp. You might be able to work out a procedure with and extra sleeve build up on the wire insulation and get a little support there in the insulation crimp, I don't know. I just secured the wires on each side of the terminal interface for stabilization and strain relief.

Bob Axsom
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.