October 20, 2007 - Molex Connectors

 I bought the Whelen System 6 Kit from Vans years ago.  It included this shielded 3-wire bundle for the strobe power supply.  The lucky builder gets to attach Molex connectors to each end.  I didn't know anything about Molex connectors so I had to get smart on that.  Turns out the Molex connectors need their own special crimping tool.  I was able to borrow one from Bruce in my local EAA Chapter.

First step was to remove a couple of inches of the grey covering with an X-acto knife. 

 
Then I peeled the foil covering back.  A bare twisted wire ground wire runs on the outside of the foil. 
 
An action shot -- for the record. 
 
I prepped the metal terminal things by trimming the longer tabs that go around the insulated part of the wire slightly.  I also stripped the ends of the red, black and white wires. 
 

First I crimped the wings that go around, and into, the uninsulated part of the wire, with "D".

Then I used "C" to crimp the wings that go around the insulated parts of the wire. 

 

Now for the fun part.  I slide the three prongs into the Molex plastic thing.  The unshielded wire will eventually be tied to a ground wire going back to the ground bus. 

I put Molex connectors on the ends of the three wire bundles that insert into the strobe power supply.
 
These instructions that came with the strobe power supply was very useful.  I also found a good article in the AeroConnection archives.
 
I started working on the dreaded Intercom wiring.  First I mounted the Jacks at the top of the baggage bulkhead.   We have the pilot jacks mounted in the panel of the Citabria and I've never liked having the headset wires flop around to the side and in front of me.  I'm hoping the headset wires will stay behind me with this setup. 
 
I ran the Strobe power and ground cables from the switch back to the vicinity of the strobe power supply. 
 
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