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I was wiring a DZ-2500 switch motor for long Ross Custom Switch that required a relay (DZ-1008) to flip the power to the center crossing rails. However, after wiring I discovered that the relay was not working. So I have to use a new one and re-solder the mess of wires.

As I was doing this I thought is there a "reliable" friction connector that I could use so that the relay and switch motor could be interchanged without all the soldering. I looked into several "friction-like"  M/F pin connectors but each was not solidly connected which may be why this is not done.

QUESTION: Does anyone know of a good relaible connector that can be used?

There are  6 (six connector points for the Red,Black, White, Blue,Green and Yellow wires) in the DZ-2500; whereas the DZ-1008 has a Red, Black,Yellow(not used), Green, Blue, White and Grey wires) so about 6. connector points.

 

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I know about wire twists I was looking for a single plug-in friction or snap connector with six connectors for the small wires.

I note that in your application you are not using the white (or yellow) wire so it just an on/off relay. In mine the relay's  blue wire is track power and the switch is between the white and gray wire. 

Last edited by AlanRail

My interpretation of what the OP is asking for is a 6-position (or whatever) connector system rather than connecting 1 wire at a time using screw-nuts, Wago connectors, or what have you.  In which case, the so-called Dupont terminals/connectors might work.  It's just that the Arduino explosion/phenomenon has made these connector quite the value especially if eBay is an option.

dupont system

A possible gotcha is this connector system is not "polarized" or "keyed" so you could mate the male to female backwards.  But, as shown above for a 6-position example, one should assume that the wires of like color mate/align, and presumably do the male-female mating ritual once in a lifetime!

If really pressed for $, you can "crimp" wires into the inserts using a needle-nose plier rather than a crimping tool.  The inserts support wire between 18-26 AWG or so.

 

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gunrunnerjohn posted:

If you're going to crimp wires, go with a decent polarized connector.

How about a recommendation then?! 

Even with a polarized connector, the user must insert the right wire into the right position in the first place.  Likewise, with the individual one-at-a-time method, the user must be mindful to twist or mate the red to red, black to black, etc..  That said I don't see it as an onerous burden when using a 6-position male and female pair to orient the two housings correctly.

As for the Dupont type, one technique that can help are so-called keying pins or keying plugs.

keying plug

You would need to use a larger position connector.  So maybe an 8-position rather than a 6-position.  You place a plug(s) on the female housing side in selected position(s).  The male side must then have NO male pin in the corresponding position or else the housings won't mate.  Obviously this is not fool-proof but it is common practice.  Needless to say the keying plugs cost MORE than the metal crimp inserts and a quick search on eBay found zero listing for them!  I have been known to jam a wooden toothpick into the housing hole to be plugged and snap the toothpick off at the surface...voila!...a keying plug.

 

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