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December 30, 2021 3 min read
A Molex connector is a common type of connector used to power internal computer components.
PC power cables use connectors developed by Molex Corporation to connect cables running from the power supply to various computer components. Molex connectors are generally defined by a two-piece design consisting of a male plug with a specified number of pins and a female plug with an equal number of sockets in a rectangular housing. 4 -Pin Connector
The 4-pin Molex connector is the most common PC power connector. It consists of four metal pins or sockets arranged in a row within an elongated nylon housing. This type of connector is commonly used for power fans and disk drives.
MAIN POWER
Power to a PC's motherboard is typically provided with a 24-pin Molex connector. Also known as the 24 -Pin Molex Mini -Fit Jr, this connector supplies power at multiple voltages to various components on the motherboard.
Molex Connectors are a bitunique in terms of functionality. They offer the plug and play functionality for different electronic devices. So, if you deal with electronics a lot, you’ll probably require setting these Molex connectors often.
Although the Molex 8981 connector is still used in many PCs, modern storage devices such as SSDs and SATA drives often use newer types of connectors. However, other products in the Molex family are still used in many electronic devices. Theseconnectors are not generically referred to as "Molex connectors", but have property names. Examples include the "Mini-Fit Jr." motherboard "PanelMate" connector used to power flat panel monitors.
12 Volt Connector
The +12V connector is a four-pin power connector that provides additional power for the latest processors. This connector uses 18 AWG and consists of two power wires and two COM wires. This connector is also known as the Molex 39-01-2040.
Peripheral Connector
The peripheral connector is an older standard power connector that supplies power to devices such as CPU fans or floppy drives. This cable transmits both +12 V1DC power and a +5 VDC power signal with a nominal 18 AWG. It is also known as the Molex 8981-04P.
Here’s the article presenting the complete procedure:
PROCESS OF WIRING A MOLEX CONNECTOR:
A Molex connector requires the following steps for connecting it properly.
CONNECT WIRES TO THE POWER CONNECTOR:
- Strip 5mm of wire insulation using the wire cutters. While cutting the wire, you have to make sure that you don’t want to go beyond the length of the crimp zone and the power connectors.
- Slide the exposed copper wire in the female side of the Molex power connector.
- Crimp the power connector with the wire to ensure that the connector fixes with the wire properly.
- Repeat the same procedure with the other wire you want to connect for incorporating the male power connector.
INSERT THE POWER CONNECTOR WIRES TO THE CONNECTOR HOUSING:
- The orientation for inserting the connector housing may differ depending upon the type of connection you need to establish. Male housing and female housing orientations are the two options available.
- Add the male power connector to the female housing on one side and the female power connector to the male housing on the other side. Give the connection a light tuck to check if it stays in. If the power connectors get out, there must be a problem in the crimping, and you’ll have to redo the initial steps.
- Put both sides of the plug together to check if your Molex connectors are working properly and your connection is ready.
SUMMING UP:
Molex connectors can provide a secure connection for the electrical settings. They don’t get out easily. Thus, ensuring that you would not have to face loose wires or faulty installations because of wire movements.
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FAQs
How do you put a wire in a Molex connector? ›
Hold the Molex connector so the rows are horizontal and insert the tool from the contact side. Ensure the prongs are between the pin and plastic connector body on both sides. Next, push the tool as far as it will go into the connector. To assist with resistance, push back on the wire, not the connector body.
What should be connected to the Molex connectors? ›Also known as a Molex power connector (pictured), it connects your computer power supply to drives and devices inside the computer.
How many pins does a Molex power connector have? ›Four-Pin Molex Connector
The most famous of all 'Molex' connector configurations may be the four-pin connector, a versatile component that suits many power and IO connector applications.
**Development: **The 4-pin Molex connector is pretty standard for disk drives, computer peripherals and things like that but it's also a great general purpose power connector. If you're using a computer power supply to juice-up your project, this is a nice clean way to hook it up.
What does a 4 pin Molex connector connect to? ›Often refers to the 4-pin connectors used to attach DC power to the drives inside a PC cabinet. Molex is a large manufacturer of electronics plugs and sockets that dates back to the 1940s.
What is the output of Molex connector? ›Each SATA/Molex connector provides three 12v pins at 1.5 amps each, for a total of 4.5 amps. 12 volts, times 4.5 amps, equals 54 watts able to be provided by a SATA/Molex connector.
How do you test a Molex connector? ›Start by grabbing a large (4x1) molex plug and insert the black probe into one of the black (ground) wires on the molex plug. Then place the red probe into the red wire for your reading. Since this is a red wire, it is a 5 volt wire and should read somewhere in the range of 4.5 to 5.5 volts.
What color is the Molex connector? ›Molex Mini-Fit Versa Color Connectors include red, green, and blue color options and 2 to 12 circuits. These connectors are ideal for use in a variety of automotive, commercial vehicle, consumer, data, home appliance, industrial, and medical applications.
What color of the wire in the Molex connector that provides 12V of power? ›All the other plugs coming out of the power supply—called Molex connectors—are for drives, and they provide +12V (yellow) and +5V (red) power, as well as two ground wires (black).
How do you attach a connector? ›To separate the connector from the printed circuit board, push the tip of a spudger under the clip. Then, swing the clip over to the other side of the socket, so that it lies flat against the cable. Holding the clip and cable together, pull in the direction of the cable to remove the connector from its socket.
What are the 3 types of connectors? ›
Electrical connectors are classified into three types based on their termination ends: board-to-board connectors, cable/wire-to-cable/wire connectors, and cable/wire-to-board connectors.
What is used to attach connectors to wires? ›A crimping tool is the tool used to deform the material and create the connection. Crimping is commonly used in electrical work, to attach wires together or wire to other connectors.
Which of these components is most likely to need a Molex connector? ›A floppy drive needs a molex.
What are the different types of Molex terminals? ›- CP Connectors.
- DITTO Connectors.
- Mega-Fit Connectors.
- Micro-Fit Connectors.
- MicroTPA Connectors.
- Milli-Grid Connectors.
- Mini-Fit Connectors.
- Mini-Fit Sr. Connectors.
The ATX 24-pin power supply connector is the standard motherboard power connector in computers today. The connector itself is a Molex 39-01-2240 connector, often called a Molex Mini-fit Jr.
Where do you connect a 4 pin power connector? ›A 4-pin CPU power connector is the standard connector for most CPUs. It has two yellow wires and two black wires, and it plugs into a 4-pin socket on the motherboard.
What is the function of ATX 4 pin Molex 12V P4 connector? ›This Motherboard P4 12V 4-Pin to Molex 4-Pin Power Adapter Cable is used when you want to upgrade your system to a Pentium 4 (P4) system. Using this cable allows you to upgrade without having to buy a new power supply. This cable is designed with high-quality materials that allow for the best electrical conductivity.
What is the part number for Molex connector? ›Molex Connector Part Number - 34885-6521.
What voltages should the two hot wires on a Molex connector read? ›What voltages should the two hot wires on a Molex connector read? B. A Molex connector's red wires should be at 5 volts; the yellow wire should be at 12 volts. Why is it a good idea to ensure that the slot covers on your computer case are all covered?
What voltage is carried by a red wire on a power connector? ›The red wire carries the +5V voltage, the black carries the ground and the yellow wire carries the +12V voltage. Note that the +5V wire and the ground are sometimes doubled due to the high currents they might convey.
Are push-in wire connectors up to code? ›
Specifications Push-in wire connectors meet a range of specifications depending on the manufacturer but are typically UL listed and meet CE electrical code.
How do you wire a 4 wire outlet? ›- Connect the green cord wire to the ground screw.
- Connect the white cord wire to the center neutral terminal. ...
- Connect the black cord wire to either the left or right terminal.
- Connect the red cord wire to the other hot terminal.
The Molex connector is used for power connections for a disk drive in a computer as well as for other computer components such as CD-ROM's, graphic cards etc. The Molex connectors bring DC power to the drives inside a PC case. One computer can have several Molex connectors.
How do Molex cables work? ›Molex connectors come in thousands of sizes and shapes, but the most common style utilizes a pin-and-socket interconnect: Four independent pieces join a single wire to another wire. The pin―a metal clamp of sorts―is crimped to the wire of choice using a specialized crimping tool.
How do you open a Molex connector? ›To disconnect a Molex connector (male and female connection), simple press down on outside clip and pull the connectors apart. The power connectors have hooks that allow the connectors to latch into the connector housing. Once the crimped wire has been inserted into the housing, it will be difficult to remove.
Where does my Molex cable go? ›So the longer cable is the one that goes into the power supply. The one you were showing is if you have a floppy drive (or something that uses that connector). That cable goes into the longer one.