Solved - removing wires from Molex connectors

[leenowell]

Hi all

I was fitting a new defrost element to my fridge and it came with a Molex t ype connector already fitted. Trouble is that the manual stated that you ha d to remove one of the wires from the connector to fit the element - needed to route the wires correctly. Now why it didn't come disconnected in the f irst place ....

Anyway they said you needed some tool which was not supplied in the kit. Af ter a lot of searching the web couldn't get anything I found to work. Eithe r because mine was smaller than others or it didn't work for me. After tryi ng various things I ended up cutting a bit of clear plastic from the an Eas ter egg box that was kicking around. It is the type used to create a clear plastic box rather than the ones that just surround the egg. Anyway, rollin g into a cylinder the same size as the hole and then pushing it in such tha t it went between the plastic and the metal connector. It went in fairly ea sy without buckling and then pushed the barbs of the connector in and pulli ng the wire released it.

Thought I would post it here in case someone else is facing the same proble m. Must have tried a dozen things and wasted a couple of hours before I got this sorted.

Thanks

Lee.

[dennis]

Plastic drinking straws used to work quite well but they are thinner these days and I haven't used one for years.

[Fredxx]

If it is the Molex connector I regularly come across, then the pin is held into the shell by a spring tab.

If you view the shell, there should be an opening where you can see the pins. Push the tab inwards using a jeweller's screwdriver. The pin should then be free to be pulled out.

There are of course different Molex connectors with different means of pin removal. I think YouTube is your friend although most there are for PC power connectors.

[leenowell]

Yeah drinking straws were one of the things I tried. Unfortunately they wer e too big and easily buckled. Also tried ball point pen refills, staples pu shed down the side, cut up milk bottle, the plastic pipe in squirty bottle all failed in one way or another :)

[Bob Eager]

I got a cheap set off eBay, and they work fine.

[whisky-dave]

type connector already fitted. Trouble is that the manual stated that you had to remove one of the wires from the connector to fit the element - need ed to route the wires correctly. Now why it didn't come disconnected in the first place ....

After a lot of searching the web couldn't get anything I found to work. Eit her because mine was smaller than others or it didn't work for me. After tr ying various things I ended up cutting a bit of clear plastic from the an E aster egg box that was kicking around. It is the type used to create a clea r plastic box rather than the ones that just surround the egg. Anyway, roll ing into a cylinder the same size as the hole and then pushing it in such t hat it went between the plastic and the metal connector. It went in fairly easy without buckling and then pushed the barbs of the connector in and pul ling the wire released it.

lem. Must have tried a dozen things and wasted a couple of hours before I g ot this sorted.

I just use a scapel or blade to push the little retainer back, and then I p ull the crimp terminal out don e it loads of times 20+ each year when I rec ue the molex sockets for recycling. I assume we;re talking the same connectors.

6

[leenowell]

I wish it were that type :)

They were like these

And the correct tool you needed was one of these