Deutsch - my new favourite rugged connector

One of the nice things about AliExpress (not a sponsor) is that it gives access to interesting industrial components. Better still - cloned components that are much more affordable for personal projects that don't carry risk. (But use the proper components and tools for work that carries liability.)

A recent find was a listing for Deutsch style waterproof vehicle connectors, and it appears that the automotive hacking geeks love these connectors. Having got some and tried them, I'm not surprised.

There are two wire termination options for the pins. The super-snug turned pin crimp terminals, with matching four prong ratchet crimping tool, or the more traditional folding wing crimp terminals.
I got the more expensive turned pin versions and love how tight they are when crimped.

Once terminated the pins are pushed through a waterproof seal one at a time, until they click into position. The latch can be gently lifted with a screwdriver tip to release them again if needed.
Once all the pins are in, a locking plate goes in to secure the latches and lock everything in tightly.
For the socket side, the locking plate also secures the rubber seal and adds an extra barrier in front of the terminals.

They mate and disconnect easily, but securely, with a bump-proof locking tab that is easy to press in with a finger.

The only connector I had an issue with was the triangular three pin one. With loose wires it should be OK. But with the outer sleeve of the flex creating angular pressure, it was harder to get the pins into position and locked.

Any unused positions will need blanking plugs put into the waterproof sealing plate.

Here are some links to the items shown in the video. Note that the kits are available with either the round terminal crimps or the folding wing style crimps. These are affiliate links, which does not affect the price you pay, but gives a few cents credit for me to buy more technical stuff with.

Here's the listing I bought the kit from:-
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c4M3HwML

And a tool for the "round" terminals. This is not suitable for the folding wing terminals:-
https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/_c2ReniIf


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