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Quick Notes on Terminal Strips
- The standard terminal pin sizes are blue, red, and green.
- All removal/insertion tools are color coded for pin size. The white side is used for removal. The colored side is for insertion. Deutsch tools are cylindrical at the midpoint. Amp's have a square shape.
- One major hassle with removal tools is placing the wire "in the tool". If the wire length is available, it can be "walked in" from the gap further back on the tool body.
- Terminal strip pins are hidden. Removal tool color is usually based on wire size. A trial and error method must sometimes be used to find the correct tool. A proper fit is "felt" with the fingers. If the proper tool is not used or if it is not fully seated, the locking tabs for the pin will not release it.
- There are many occurrences in which one type of tool works better than the other. If an Amp tool doesn't seem to work, better luck may be found with a Deutsch.
- Plastic extraction tools cannot be rotated left/right after placement in the strip. If a good seat is not made, remove the tool and re-position before inserting again. If a tool is rotated, it will break. If any pieces are left in the terminal strip that cannot be removed, the whole strip will need to be rejected. Any stray plastic pieces will prevent a tool from seating and the tabs will remain engaged.
- Unused positions of a terminal strip will not have pins. If a pin is installed without a wire attached, there is no means of removal.
- Terminal strips usually have little resistance to pin insertion. A click will be felt when the tabs engage. A slight tug on the wire will verify the pin is locked.
- Each terminal strip block can have numerous configurations. A block can have pin connections for 2, 3, 4, 6, and 8+ interconnects. Some blocks join all the pins together. A white outline box is usually used to identify pin connections.
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