[RE-wrenches] Xantrex SWI Cable

[mick abraham]

Hi, a client's rodents recently chewed up their SWI sync cable. I found that
the Trace connectors can be opened carefully, then reused with new ribbon cable.

20 conductor ribbon cable was not available in my podunk town but I had some
10 conductor ribbon with the correct spacing (.1 inch if I recall correctly).
I just used two lengths of that. Small amounts of this material can be
purchased from model railroad hobby stores, since some of the fancy new toy
trains use this for communications.

The #1 conductor in the ribbon has a red color indicator but I can't remember
if this is crossover or straight through. I just followed the pattern on the
chewed up cable.

I think the actual connectors are the same as for a computer parallel printer.
I squeezed the connector down onto the ribbon cable using a bench vise to
apply even pressure, and the connector pierces the ribbon insulation as it
closes. A shop that builds custom computer cables could probably fab an
assembly for you...if I had done a better job here of explaining all the
specification details.

I furnished plastic wire loom as part of the rebuilt assembly for my
customer...hopefully in a flavor that the rodents won't like. 

Mick Abraham, Proprietor
www.abrahamsolar.com
Voice: 970-731-4675

---------- Original Message -----------
From: William Miller <wrmiller at charter.net>
To: RE-wrenches <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
Sent: Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:43:04 -0800
Subject: [RE-wrenches] Xantrex SWI Cable

> Friends:
> 
> I need to build a Xantrex SWI cable (the sync cable for two SW 
> inverters).  Do any of you have the specs. for one of these?
> 
> Thanks in advance, and happy solstice!
> 
> William Miller
> 
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------- End of Original Message -------