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Step 6Create the connecting cable
Space inside the stoplight is at a premium. The relay control circuit probably won't fit in the same lamp housing as the arduino, or you may want to keep the arduino outside the stoplight. In either case a cable to connect the six pins on the relay circuit needs to be constructed.
Cut the six wire ribbon cable to the desired length, leaving enough length to route around anything in the way in the light, plus a little extra. I was unable to find a 6 wire cable, so I got a length of 9 wire cable and stripped off three conductors. Make sure you leave the colored wire on your cable if possible, you will use it to know which side is which later on.
Place the ribbon cable in the socket and squeeze it shut with a vise. It is possible to crimp it with pliers, but it's also very easy to ruin the socket that way. If available, a vise is greatly preferred.
For the other side, you will need to solder the wires to male pins to plug into the sockets on the arduino. Because of the gap between the power pins and the analog pins, you will need to break off a set of two pins and another set of 4. The easiest way to solder the wires on to the pins is to first plug the pins into the sockets on the arduino. This lets the arduino act as a holder for the pins, requiring you to only have three hands to hold the wire, solder and soldering iron.
If you don't have three hands, you can first solder a blob of solder onto each pin. Then tin each of the bare wires with a bit of solder. To connect the wire, you can just touch it and the soldering iron to the blob of solder on each pin.
Make sure you connect the power line to the right pin on the arduino, referring to the picture. If you have a marked wire on your cable, use that one. The next wire over goes to ground, the two of them being twisted. The remaining four wires go to analog 1-4 (pins 14-17).
If you are using the Arduino/Ethernet enclosure, you will find that the case will no longer close, as the cable is now in the way. GENTLY bend the pins over 45 degrees, and then band the headers slightly as well. This will allow the case to to fit.
Cut the six wire ribbon cable to the desired length, leaving enough length to route around anything in the way in the light, plus a little extra. I was unable to find a 6 wire cable, so I got a length of 9 wire cable and stripped off three conductors. Make sure you leave the colored wire on your cable if possible, you will use it to know which side is which later on.
Place the ribbon cable in the socket and squeeze it shut with a vise. It is possible to crimp it with pliers, but it's also very easy to ruin the socket that way. If available, a vise is greatly preferred.
For the other side, you will need to solder the wires to male pins to plug into the sockets on the arduino. Because of the gap between the power pins and the analog pins, you will need to break off a set of two pins and another set of 4. The easiest way to solder the wires on to the pins is to first plug the pins into the sockets on the arduino. This lets the arduino act as a holder for the pins, requiring you to only have three hands to hold the wire, solder and soldering iron.
If you don't have three hands, you can first solder a blob of solder onto each pin. Then tin each of the bare wires with a bit of solder. To connect the wire, you can just touch it and the soldering iron to the blob of solder on each pin.
Make sure you connect the power line to the right pin on the arduino, referring to the picture. If you have a marked wire on your cable, use that one. The next wire over goes to ground, the two of them being twisted. The remaining four wires go to analog 1-4 (pins 14-17).
If you are using the Arduino/Ethernet enclosure, you will find that the case will no longer close, as the cable is now in the way. GENTLY bend the pins over 45 degrees, and then band the headers slightly as well. This will allow the case to to fit.
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When I came back to this step to attach the 6-pin connector after doing the rest of the project I realized I could just make out the location of the red marked cable in this picture of the connector and the ribbon cable - at this orientation the red is on the top. It was easy enough to confirm with my digital multimeter as well but I didn't want to crimp it the wrong way and (I think) ruin the connector.
It would be important if the pins were set in a socket matching the header, which would be a much more elegant way of doing it than the 6 bare pins I recommended.
I've added a note in the picture to show which one was the red one for those with less sharp eyes than you, and added a bit more info to the following step. Thanks again for the feedback!