mankato filter questions

[loss1234]

i am waiting for my pcb to arrive and i have some big questions about this.

I have never used MTA style connectors so I am wondering if there are special tools I will need? Or do the mouser part numbers refer to connectors that are preloaded with pins? I recently messed up a batch of molex connectors due to poor crimping technique (i guess) or poor wire choice and I see this board has tons of mta connections.

so any advice on working with these?

also, does anybody have a part number or reference for the male counterpart to the Dotcom DC connector??

thanks alot

cant wait to build this!!

[numbernone]

I just hard wired it.

My first real fancy connector job will be the Klee...

[slo]

Just used MTA for the first time and while I got good results, (the circuit worked) I had a bit of a time with the connectors. First I poked the wire down with a small screwdriver, but this spread a few of them ( they slice the wire to make a solderless crimp) then I modified a tool to poke the wire down into them. I have heard there is a small tool available from AMP, but have not found it yet.

[Tim Servo]

Hey Loss and Everybody,

Well, the MTA connectors specified for the Mankato are definitely optional. They make it easier to change or replace panel components, but you may or may not really need that capability. I use them because just about every module I make is some sort of test bed / guinea pig, and I like being able to swap things around easily. I've specified an "open" connector where the wire can be routed out of either side. I generally route mine to the inside (so they go back over the board), as there's not a lot of room around the outside of the panel & PCB in a Frac system. The one exception to this would be the DC Power connector, which should have the wires routed away from the PCB and back to a power distribution board.

I've had good luck using a jeweler's screwdriver to push the wires down into the female MTA. These are an IDC (Insulation Displacement Connector), so they don't require any crimping or soldering at the connector. I boogered up one or two when I first started using them, but after a bit of practice I've really grown to like them. Of course, you can wire directly to the board. Dave Brown did that with his Mankato, and that's one of the nicest implementations I've seen yet.
http://www.modularsynthesis.com/magicsmoke/mse.htm

As far as the DotCom style DC connector, the Mouser part numbers for those are listed in the Mankato Parts List. The male "header" is the part that goes on the PCB, and the female is the IDC portion that attaches to the DC Supply wires. The items I've specified are made by AMP. The part numbers are:
Male PCB mount Mouser# 571-6404566 AMP# 640456-6
Female IDC Mouser# 571-6445636 AMP# 644563-6

There's a couple of nice pictures on the DotCom Technical page that shows how the connectors look on the board. Look about 1/2 way down the page under "6 pin MTA Connectors for DC Power to Modules." Remember that the "friction lock" (the vertical plastic tab) always goes towards the inside of the board, not the outside:
http://www.synthesizers.com/technical.html

Don't forget that these connectors are made to work with 24 gauge wire. Use stranded hook up wire (not solid), and you'll be all set. One more option is to hit up Suit & Tie Guy and see how much he charges for a set of MTA pigtails (connectors with wire already inserted). He has a special tool and makes them up in batches. He posted on another thread here about Mankato panels and pigtail connectors, so you should be able to find that under the "Thomas Henry Designs" heading.

Cheers!

Tim (making connections) Servo

[fluxmonkey]

[Tim Servo]