Dupont Crimp Tool Tutorial

This Instructable describes how to crimp Dupont connectors on a wire without soldering.

A custom cable with 2 single male pins to 2 grouped female pins will be created step by step. (See the picture) This cable is not available in any store, so let's DIY with the right tools and components.

Dupont is also called Jumper Wire cables. They are low cost and used to connect hardware such as sensors, Arduino boards and breadboards together. The connectors are available in male and female with a 2.54mm (100mill) pitch.

Advantages of creating your own custom cables:

• Cheap.
• Solid connection.
• Custom cable length.
• Custom cable color.
• Easy to connect / disconnect hardware.
• Any combination of male / female connectors.
• Group male / female pins in one single connector with 1 to 8 pins.

Applications:

• Connect sensors to your Arduino board.
• Connect a breadboard to your Arduino board.
• Connect other hardware PCB's together.
• Wire hardware in a final product.
• Others.

Let's start and have fun!

Step 1: Shopping List

Dupont housings are available in single pin or multiple pins (groups of 1 to 8 pins). Ready-made cables are also available, but it's cheaper to create your own cables.

The following components are needed for this custom male-female cable:

• 2x Dupont male.
• 2x Dupont female.
• 2x Single pin Dupont housing.
• 1x Dual pin Dupont housing.
• Two colored wires.
• Dupont crimp tool.

Dupont kit:

This Dupont starter kit contains male and female connectors with different housings:
http://www.banggood.com/310Pcs-2_54mm-Male-Female-Dupont-Wire-Jumper-With-Header-Connector-Housing-Kit-p-1063303.htm

Tools:
I use this Dupont crimp tool:

https://www.banggood.com/COLORS-SN-28B-Pin-Crimping-Tool-Crimping-Plier-Spring-Clamp-28-18AWG-Crimper-0_1-1_0mm2-Square-p-1249161.html?rmmds=search&cur_warehouse=CN

Wires:
You can use:

• Individual wires such as LiY 18 x 0,1mm, 26 AWG
• Flat cable, for example:

http://www.banggood.com/5M-1_27mm-20P-DuPont-Cable-Rainbow-Flat-Line-Support-Wire-Soldered-p-959792.html

Note: A Banggood shipment takes about 2 to 6 weeks, but is very cheap.

Tip: It's valuable to buy the connectors in quantities of 100, 200 or even 1000 pins.

Step 2: Tools

Other required tools:

• Wire cutter.
• Flat nose pliers.

Let's build the cable!

Step 3: Cut Wires

The first step is to cut wires with the same length.

Tip: Choose your favorite wire colors, such as:

• Black for ground.
• Red for power.
• Blue for negative power.
• Other colors for data.

Step 4: Strip the Wires

Strip the wires on both sides with 4mm copper.

Step 5: Cut Male or Female Header

Use a nipper to cut a male or female header from the strip.

Keep the attachment at the end of the Dupont connector. The attachment will be used to position the connector in the crimp tool.

Step 6: Place the Wire in the Dupont Connector

Place the stripped wire in the male or female Dupont connector.

The position is important: Click on the picture for additional comments.

Step 7: Fold the Pull Relief

Use a flat pliers to fold the pull relief. This is needed to keep the wire in the right position by placing the male/female connector with wire in the crimb tool. (Next step)

Note: You should not solder the wire.

Step 8: Shrink the Dupont Connector

1. Place the Dupont connector into the crimp tool with the copper side downwards.

2. Put the connector as far as possible until the attachment reaches the crimp tool.

3. Crimp the connector on the wire.

4. Remove the cable from the tool.

Note: Click on the pictures for additional comments.

Step 9: Remove Attachment

Use a plier to remove the attachment at the back of the connector.

Step 10: Mount the Connector Housing

Mount the connector housing with the copper wires up and connector hole on top.

Step 11: Completed!

Congratulations! Now you can create your own low cost cables dedicated for your hardware by using the right tools and components.

Feel free to leave a comment with feedback or your success story. :-)
Thanks!

Comments

[Alpha_geek]

Where on earth did you get those red snips? I've never seen anything like them!

They look like a medieval torture implement with comfy plastic handles ... :-)

[Tempo25]

Seemed excellent instructions to me, thanks.
It concentrates on making plug and socket connections but where do you get those male pin headers that solder into a PCB? Then just make up the female socket end to connect the cable.
thanks Gary

[Ichthsy-Pi]

After trying out the suggested method, I tried doing mine by using the attachment itself to help you to hold the cable and the connector. I didn't pre-crimp the cable itself. Basically you take the attachment and fold it toward the cable and crimp the necessary sections of the connector. You can also fold the attachment downward at a 90% angle.

[datoo786]

Just a simple question, came across this tool, will it able to strip the wire and crimp properly?

If you search under eBay "Professional Automatic Wire Striper Cutter Stripper Crimper Pliers Terminal Tool".

[kweston666]

The link to the Dupont crimp tool you provided is not not working for me. (I get a page at the Banggood site that says Sorry, We couldn't find that page). Perhaps you could find an alternate link to it, or a link to a crimper tool you believe to be a match to the one you are using. Thanks!

[Erriez]

Thanks for your notification. I found another crimp tool on Banggood and updated the link. I'm not sure if this is exactly the same tool, except for the color.

[kweston666]

Thank you Erriez!

[wmccarthy]

This is totally wrong. The DuPont system is designed to crimp through the insulation to make contact with the wire. This maintains the strength of the joint by using the insulation.
The connector is just twisted of the reel and placed into the crimp tool at the correct depth, which is halfway and is held there by a groove in the tool which catches the end two pointed wings so these should not be bent over the cable. The tool is now closed just enough to hold the connector in place.The unstripped cable is now inserted into the connector until it is just visible on the otherside and then crimped. With practice it should take about 15 seconds

[michael.kostukov]

You seem to also have suggested not stripping the insulation in a related Youtube video as well. This is completely wrong. Dupont connectors are not designed to displace the insulation. If you got working connections using this method so far - you got them DESPITE using this "technique" not BECAUSE of it.

Dupont connectors are designed with two zones:

1) Insulation crimping zone
2) Conductor crimping zone

As the names suggest, there should be enough insulation left to crimp and provide some strain relief, while enough conductor should be stripped for proper contact and direct metal-to-metal crimp.

[oliverb76]

Pretty sure that the crimp shown in the picture is a wrap-around not an insulation displacement system. I think this is just what happens when a name gets used for a generic class of connector.

[bwh13]

Nice!

I skip Step 7 and let the crimper do the folding of the pull relief

[wmccarthy]

That is what it should be. There primary function is to locate and hold the connector in the correct position in the tool. See my post. It should only take 15 seconds or so to make a DuPont connection

[Erriez]

Thanks for your feedback.

The position of the wire (coper and plastic isolation) in the connector is critical. I had many damaged connectors when the wire moves a few millimeters when placing the wire with connector in the crimp tool. For this reason, I invented step 7 to fold the pull relief first. This keeps the wire in position which is a huge improvement for me.

I leave it up to the reader to test step 7 and post feedback. Maybe it is not needed with every tool.

[PhilGerBE]

I have to say I am impressed by these instructions. They are so detailed and precise that my first crimp was perfect. Reading it I found keeping the attachment and using pliers to fold the pull relief weird but both methods helped a lot.
So much better than other crimping instructions! Thanks a lot!

[wmccarthy]

The pointed wings acting as a pull relief is secondary to their use. See my post. A DuPont connector should only take about 15 seconds to make.

[xaviwe60]

The crimps are poor quality because the strands were twisted. The strands need to be straight so that the wings can separate the strands into 2 bundles and separately clench them as the die curls the wings inward.

[wmccarthy]

Wrong, see my post, crimping into the wire WEAKENS the joint.

[pathill12345]

I just bought a crimper, connectors, and ribbon wire to make a cable for a header. Your instructable was just what I was looking for--well written, logical arrangement, and great illustrations.

Two small recommendations: 1) coper is spelled copper. Coper is a dishonest horse trader. That is funny. I would be "funnier" if I tried to write in Dutch. 2) Change "See the comments in the pictures." to "Click pictures for additional comments." That is what I had to do on my browser.

Thanks again for a very helpful instructable. I have bookmarked it.

[Erriez]

Thanks for your feedback!
1. I've replaced all "coper" with "copper." I was not aware of this, but consequent on multiple places. :-)
2. I've also changed "See the comments in the pictures." to "Click on the pictures for additional comments.".
Good to hear that this instructable was helpful for you.

[thiolate]

Crimptastic!!

Many thanks for the guide, simple and easy to follow. Can now crimp consistently.