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Separating Connector Safely

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briesmith

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Can anyone help me with the technique to separate this plug and socket combination (the white component in the attached image)?

I am very reluctant to apply any force as I don't want to damage the socket's connection to the circuit board.

Any help/advice will be much appreciated.
 

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A picture from the side would be helpful.

JimB
 
Can anyone help me with the technique to separate this plug and socket combination (the white component in the attached image)?

I am very reluctant to apply any force as I don't want to damage the socket's connection to the circuit board.

Any help/advice will be much appreciated.
How does it look underneath? Are there just solder connections? Or sometimes there is a little plastic tab you need to hold down.
 
Thanks to both for replying. I can't get the circuit board out to have a look at the underneath until I solve the mystery of these connectors. Sorry.
 
Photo is very unhelpful. You'll have to inspect it closely, there might be a tab you either press or prise outwards. Sometimes they just have detents on the inside and all you can do is pull. Sometimes you can get a small screwdriver between the parts of the connector and lever it out. Sometimes a connector is actually a moulded header which is soldered in to the board, so you can't pull it off without de-soldering (though I don't think those are used much now). Often these things are counter-intuitive.
Take photo from other side!
 
Don't mean other side of the board, mean other side of the connector, from over that quad package.
 
Photo is very unhelpful. You'll have to inspect it closely, there might be a tab you either press or prise outwards. Sometimes they just have detents on the inside and all you can do is pull. Sometimes you can get a small screwdriver between the parts of the connector and lever it out. Sometimes a connector is actually a moulded header which is soldered in to the board, so you can't pull it off without de-soldering (though I don't think those are used much now). Often these things are counter-intuitive.
Take photo from other side!
I would agree with throbscottle on this. Normally the manufacturer won’t make the connector impossible to detach. Normally it’s just a steady pull while holding a plastic latch or something. Worst case scenario if you accidentally pull it out, it looks like only two connectors and should be very easy resoldering, but that’s the very last resort.
 
I've taken 3 more photos which I hope are helpful.
 

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Would it perhaps be the wires that need to be disconnected instead of the whole connector? Just wondering?
 
I was hoping the pix were good enough for someone who's actually had hands on experience with these connectors to recognise them and to say, " You do it like this ... ".

Thanks Billy Bob for the suggestion. I've had a look and don't think it is possible to pull the cables out; certainly no easier than separating the two parts of the component anyway.
 
I was hoping the pix were good enough for someone who's actually had hands on experience with these connectors to recognise them and to say, " You do it like this ... ".

Thanks Billy Bob for the suggestion. I've had a look and don't think it is possible to pull the cables out; certainly no easier than separating the two parts of the component anyway.
huh. he's a stubborn little guy! Unfortunately I haven't had any experience with that specific connector. What is the board to?
 
Possibly its a clip on cover hiding the real connector? I'd be inclined to try a squeeze and pull approach on just that top part. It looks like those are mains wires so likely to have more protection on it.
 
They are mains power connection cables - 240VAC - to the other boards in a Miele Induction Hob which I am trying to disassemble so I can replace some blown capacitors.

I'm beginning to think it would be easier to cut the cables and rejoin rather than risk damaging the board by wrenching them apart.
 
It may well be the easiest route. Use insulated straight crimp connectors to connect them back together. Then once you get the board out you kick yourself now you can see how it works! Mains PCB connectors often have a latch that you squeeze one end to release the other, but nothing like that visible here.
It won't be something that can't be disconnected, but it's often the way that things are easy to assemble but hard to pull apart. I'd try to poke inside with a small screwdriver - might reveal something.
 
I suspect the board has "blade" connectors and that housing holds the terminals that fit them?
Try a good solid pull directly away from the board?

eg.
PCB blades like these:
spade.jpg


With a triple version of these in the insulator:
nylon-flag-quick-disconnect-terminals-025__9297_300.jpg
 
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