I’ve been staring at my idle printer for a while now but it is time to get off my lazy butt and work on my Ender 3 pro to install my upgrade fan and and fix the wiring harness for the hot end, I seem to have blown a fuse because it won’t turn on any more so I guess I should see about that too.
I want to make some connections to the fans that can be coupled and uncoupled and aren’t super annoying. I was wondering if anyone can recommend any particular connections.
I would suggest getting as small as possible so they will fit inside the mesh cable supports. maybe something along these lines https://www.amazon.com/Letool®30-1-25mm-Female-Connector-Cables/dp/B013JRWCBU/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=mini+jst+connectors&qid=1609274585&sr=8-3
I’ve found these connectors quite easy to use: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0188DMF3A/?coliid=IJ12WRLTB3LC8&colid=30P4VL62KYQLK&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it (since you’re in Canada, I found these on amazon.ca). This pkg is $45 CDN & doesn’t come with a crimper, so it may be more than you want to pay.
These are another option & are easier to crimp. However, they’re harder to connect & disconnect: https://www.amazon.ca/CEEYSEE-Insulated-Connector-Terminals-Connectors/dp/B085DK555G/ref=sr_1_96_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=3d+printer+connectors&qid=1609274848&sr=8-96-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyUFlGRlpETFdDSk45JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMDg4MDU2UkJKSThNWEFBTzRCJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA2NzIxNzUyMVNFSUNOOUxLNzJDJndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfYnRmJmFjdGlvbj1jbGlja1JlZGlyZWN0JmRvTm90TG9nQ2xpY2s9dHJ1ZQ==. They’re only $10 CDN & the crimpers are cheap.
Then there is this option, which requires soldering of the pigtails to rest of the wiring, but at least the crimping is all done: https://www.amazon.ca/10pairs-2-0mm-Battery-Female-Connector/dp/B073ZH79Y1/ref=sr_1_120_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=3d+printer+connectors&qid=1609274922&sr=8-120-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFCWFk2RzlDQktVSCZlbmNyeXB0ZWRJZD1BMDA1MzkzMTJPMkNVOUFJTjc5TzcmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDE1MDY1OTNUVUc2R0xWVThaSjMmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
Yeah, those JST connectors and their clones are great. I would recommend a set, like the once above, too.
The crimping needs some training and can be very frustrating at first, but is totally worth it, once you get it.
Once you know how crimping works best, you use it for everything. 
I bought this set. Mainly because I needed to crimp connectors for 3D Printer main boards and stepper motors:
https://www.amazon.de/gp/product/B07…?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I put dupont connectors and plain pins on my printers wiring. For example the hotend fan got reduced to a 40mm cable which is plugged directly at the hotend. This way I can unplug the fans and remove them when working on the printer. I did the same for the thermistor. When something breaks I don´t need to swap the entire 500mm cable and fiddle it though the cable chain. I just solder pins to the new component, replace it and plug it in.
I swapped the orientation, so I cannot connect the fans to the thermistor connector and vice versa, which would blow the board. My set requires soldering on one end. The JST connectors @Ender5r showed are perfectly fine for the job, too. Just make sure to use 2pin and 3pin versions or swap orientation to avoid mixing them.
I do like the look of them. I don’t have a crimping tool any more. That’s 23 bucks more. Maybe I’ll go for it.
I’m thinking about getting this too https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B088JTYSGX/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?smid=A2C3SMXXIDC93V&psc=1 but it seems too much for what I have to do, 25 feet of it is much more than I need. Any suggestions for an alternative?
Does anyone recommend a crimping tool? I only had a cheap one before I left everything behind.
They are mostly the same. Some come with a set of inserts, so you can expand the range of crimping connectors, but I find the one I posted above is fine for me. It is a little expensive on first sight, but the tool is worth at least 15 bucks and it included wires, two boxes with connectors or all sizes and sorts, a spool of male and a spool of female connectors. In addition to that it comes in a really handy case.
I did not regret the buy at all and would get it again.
These are pretty small and would require soldering I think they are small than the red JST connectors https://www.amazon.com/WST-Ultra-Connectors-Battery-Female/dp/B07XTCZL7P/ref=sr_1_2?crid=3VEII56FXPTPV&dchild=1&keywords=mini+deans+connectors&qid=1609282428&sprefix=mini+deans%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-2
These bullet connectors are often used in security/surveillance system wiring: https://www.amazon.ca/Glarks-Insulated-Terminals-Connectors-Assortment/dp/B01E5T81TI/ref=sr_1_58_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=usb+female+connector&qid=1609284136&sr=8-58-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEyWFlDSlY3RklPRE82JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwODA1MDE4MlZMMTdFN1VYM1JaViZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwOTgxNjk3Mk9EREFPV0o1NTdSMCZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2J0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=
This kit has the advantage of multiple colo(u)rs, so it’s easier to keep the wire polarities correct. It still requires a crimper though. I have done them with a pair of pliers when I didn’t have a crimper at hand, but I don’t recommend it.
Thanks for the help guys. I better close Amazon before I go bankrupt.