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IBM XT 5160 - Molex Power Cables 4 pin - Anyone know the exact part numbers/size and Crimping tool?

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DaCiRo

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2014
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169
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Japan
Looking to make my own Male and Female Molex power cables, I found that there are few sizes. There are the part numbers:
- 60618 (Male) and 60617 (Female) for AWG size 24~18
- 60620 (Male) and 60620 Female) for AWG size 20~14

...Though not sure what the differences are (size?, diameter?) but I would have thought that there was one size only, or at least all my 4 pin power molex connectors are. Anyone knows which is the right part #s for the standard 4 pin Power Molex Cables?

Also What tool is the right the to Crimp these? I found some second hand online (asuming these were the right one which I dont know as I cant confirm the sizes).. but the price is astronomical, they are ancient and rusty and can't tell which one is for what size.

Anyone has tried to build their own 4 pin Power Molex Cables and went thought these issues .... If so any guidance would be very much appreciated.
 
BTW, my point is that I want to build the cables to the rights seize and shape by crimping the connectors/parts, all in a clean build in one piece,... not cutting and soldering.
 
The size will be based on what size wire you decide to use, so you’ll get the pins and compatible crimpers based on the size wire. And the size of wire will depend on how many amps you expect.
 
I see, Thanks!. I looked at the Molex cable and noticed that the Grounds cables (Black) are thinner than the 5V (Red) and 12V (Yellow),...so I guess I need both tools?
 
DaCiRo said:
I see, Thanks!. I looked at the Molex cable and noticed that the Grounds cables (Black) are thinner than the 5V (Red) and 12V (Yellow),...so I guess I need both tools?
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I am not expert at this electricity stuff, but I'm reckoning that there's less than a 50% chance of your computer catching on fire, burning down your house, and also killing all the kids in the orphanage next door if you happen to use a larger gauge of wire for your ground returns than you see in those other PSUs. Maybe worth the risk?
 
DaCiRo said:
I looked at the Molex cable and noticed that the Grounds cables (Black) are thinner than the 5V (Red) and 12V (Yellow)
Click to expand...
A possibility is that the back wires are of the same AWG, but have thinner insulation.

Looking at some of my power supplies, 18 appears to be the standard AWG for all wires going to the subject Molex connectors.
 
AWG 18 is what I use, though I've seen some adapters using 20 or 22. Depends on the expected current draw. What's more important to your success, however, is the number of strands in the wire. Cheap wire uses fewer and tends to break under fatigue more easily.
 
Thank you All, this input and views are extremely useful!. I am clear on the cables sizes now and why there are different size numbers for the Make and Female pins.

What about the crimping tools; does anyone uses any other models for this job than the ones Jafir kindly shared above (91504 and 91512)?… and cheaper more affordable than 700$ a piece.
 
Th
Chuck(G) said:
Lots of import stuff; consider this one. Has a nice die for crimping.
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Thanks Chuck(G), really helpful. I do not see explicitly mentioned that this tool is compatible with the 4 Pin Molex connector parts 60617, 60618, 60619, and 60620, but I guess these should be also covered to as per the type of crimp and the wire sizing (AWG 18-24)? Just want to make sure I am not missing something as I am just learning on this subject on the go.
 
As others have mentioned, there are very specialized tools for this, but they are very expensive. I believe that the inexpensive tool I pointed to should do the job. If it doesn't, it isn't as if you'll be bereft of a lot of money. I singled it out because it uses a die that has separate sections for the insulation crimp and the conductor crimp.

I have a tool that I use for Dupont-style connectors; its action is ratcheted, so that it doesn't release the crimp until complete. While convenient, it's entirely possible to do the same with a less expensive tool.
 
modem7 said:
Not by my reading of the 'Stranded wire AWG sizes' section of [here].
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Hm. I was going by this table that that gives significantly lower typical ampacities as the core count goes up for for any particular gauge. But they do note that, "The AWG table below is for a single, solid, round conductor. Because of the small gaps between the strands in a stranded wire, a stranded wire with the same current-carrying capacity and electrical resistance as a solid wire, always have a slightly larger overall diameter." I wonder if they're measuring gauge including the spaces between the wires, for some reason? (And thus I wonder if vendors are doing that too.)
 
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