I see many types of wire connectors, but all seem related to pcb-cable connectors. I am lookimg for an inline 12 pin connector to use on the hotend setup on a 3d printer. For easy removal and replacing. What should I be searching for?

 

How many amps per cable?

Try this Molex wire-to-wire connector:
https://www.molex.com/molex/products/family/microtpa_wtw_connector?parentKey=wire_to_wire_connectors

 

12-pin seems to be a lot. Can you break into two smaller connections?

 

The 12v heater is the strongest at 5A. The rest is just sensor/thermistor/fans/endstop switch. 2 connectors is OK. To make this lot easier to work on. The Molex link above looks promising. Would that need a special crimping tool?

 

The 5A heater cable would definitely require heavy gauge wiring and connectors.
Two brands to look at for connectors are Molex and JST.

Here are JST 2-pin male/female wire-to-wire connectors.



Molex

 

12 pin is just 3 x 4 pins, not rare at all. Amp makes them as well but AMP connectors do not work well with higher current. That has been my experience. There are also "Jones" connectors, really classics.

 

I would suggest separating the high current connections from signals and low current. The lower level signals can be aggregated on a single connector as convenient. The AMP connectors are good ones.

For the high current connections, I would suggest Andersen Powerpole connectors (this website is a good but not exclusive source). The Powerpoles are offered in various ampacities, and can be stacked into arbitrary ganged configurations thanks to dovetails molded in.

They are among the best high current connectors you can get for non-industrial applications where custom options are not sensible.

 

For some projects, I use what is called "aviation" connectors, circular multi-pin connectors. You can get both male/female for cable, or get one that is panel mounted that a cable end plugs into.
Many of those will handle 5A, but they tend to get bigger in diameter to handle the larger pins.
Something like this one on Ebay, it is rated 5A, though that may be optimistic...



There are metal ones as well, but they cost more.
The SD28 series of connectors are rated 10A per pin.

 

Here is a link to a supplier of connectors that look the same as those in post #8

Les.

 

As a 3D printer myself who has already walked down this road I strongly suggest you keep the wires separate into multiple connectors.

Why? Say your hot end (HE) fan bites the dust and you need to replace it. Do you really want to pull your connector apart to tease out the two wires going to it, or just unplug that one part and plug in the new one?

For the fans I got a kit with lots of JST connectors, connector pins, and a crimp tool. Kinda expensive at $36 (free ship from China) but I like to keep things neat. Since I may switch to dual cooling fans I used the male board end connectors crazy glued back to back, wired in parallel, heat shrink on the pins, leading back to the main board, put on the HE. The fan wires were cut short as they only run a few inches, crimp on pins and add the connector on the hot end.

JST-XH 2-10 Pin Head Connector Kit and Crimping Tool

For the next time I rework the HE I picked up some male pin connectors, not sure if official JST but they are cleaner than the wire/heat shrink on PCB connectors.

Wire Cable Connector XH Plug Male & Female JST

You don't have to get this stuff. Check the guys on YouTube and many of them will splice in connectors without using any crimp tool at all.


That takes care of the fans and the thermistor. For the HE heater itself I have some Chinese Wago knock off connectors is the spares box so I the next time I replace the HE I can cut and splice these in. IF that seems too extreme some bullet type connectors would work too (local pick up at any auto parts place).

Wire Connector Terminal Block Splicing Joint

Sample of bullet type connector

 

I agree with multiple connectors if separate components can be changed out at times. You can get smaller circular connectors for signalling, and a 2 or 4 wire connector to carry power, etc.

 

Thanks. Multiple connectors it is then. I was thinking 1 connector because I recently worked on a TAZ6 that had one connector for the whole Aerostruder assembly allowing for removal. and then an inline 2pin for the thermistor. Easiest repair ever. Mine is an FLSUN I3 Chinese knockoff. Even the endstop is on the hotend. Would Dupont connectors work? I may have access to some. Not for the heater tho.

 

Oh yeah, Dupont connectors would work, but I don't know of any wired receptacle types, just wired plugs. Of course, you could use a PCB mount receptacle and lap solder wired onto the pins and heat shrink wrap them.

By the way, what is the blue block by your hot end? Bed level sensor?

 

Yep. Bed level sensor. its an FLSUN Prusa knockoff.