Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

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kcbooboo
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Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by kcbooboo »

I've pushed, pulled, and stuffed rather strong tools into the rectangular holes in the wireline block on the back of the station, but nothing seems to release the wires from the round holes.

Is there a trick to this? How far down must I push a tool (a small jeweler's screwdriver)? Must I angle the tool one way or the other, or just push it in straight? Do I angle it up or down after pushing it in?

The wires that are presently in the holes seem to be quite large and were stranded and then tinned. They may even be too large for the terminals. They wiggle but don't budge other than that. For now I've just snipped them off but I really want to extract them completely.

Bob M.
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d119
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by d119 »

Pull on the entire black 4-pin plastic block. It should unsnap from the backplane. Remove wires, reinsert. Those connectors are made for standard telco-type cross connect wire or CAT-5 type cable, not anything larger.

They were such a piece of garbage that they went to screw type euro terminals on the MTR 3000.
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kcbooboo
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by kcbooboo »

Thanks. It did seem as if it would unsnap. The block on another station was sitting at an odd angle and I didn't know it could be fully removed. I'll give that a try. It's almost as if someone soldered the wires to the contacts inside.

Bob M.
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kcbooboo
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by kcbooboo »

Well, I yanked and wiggled and the plastic block just does not want to come off. Now it could be that the remnants of the wires I snipped are holding it in place, as the insulation is larger than the holes the wires go through. I'll have to snip them right at the plastic block.

Do I first have to remove the metal cover over the backplane to get a good grip on the plastic block, or be able to pry it out? I really don't want to break it by being too gentle.

Bob M.
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d119
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by d119 »

Hmm... You could disassemble the station down to the backplane and squeeze the plastic inserts that hold it in place, then it will come out.
Birken Vogt
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by Birken Vogt »

On the MTR3000 they snap out. The MTR2000 the thing is soldered onto the board.

It is a complete POS and does not want to give up wires without breaking them. That is probably why they changed it.

Keep trying. Just beware when it comes time to insert new wires that they may not grab reliably any more. I have swapped backplanes around for ones that are used only for in-cabinet repeat to get new unmolested wire connectors.
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kcbooboo
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by kcbooboo »

Well, I CAN tilt the plastic blocks up and down, it's just not possible to grab it to get both edges to come out at the same time, because the opening in the metal plate over the backplane just isn't big enough to put anything in to wedge it out. Nothing inside the rectangular holes seems to move either.

I haven't tried putting a tool inside the rectangular holes that aren't holding wires in place, to see which way things move, if at all.

I have used similar push-to-release terminal blocks on other equipment but these just refuse to let go of the wires. Very frustrating.

Bob M.
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by com501 »

Last resort: Ball peen hammer, solder wires to remaining circuit board connections. As stated earlier, this is a SUPREME POS.
Birken Vogt
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by Birken Vogt »

I seem to remember it is pretty easy to remove the backplane, then you basically have a circuit board on the table and can look better what is wrong with it.
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kcbooboo
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Re: Removing wires from MTR2000 wireline block

Post by kcbooboo »

Easy is a relative term. Pull the wireline card, pull the station control/exciter/receiver modules, unplug some connectors, cut some ty-wraps, remove the screws holding the rear cover on, remove any remaining screws holding the backplane to the chassis. If this was my station, I'd do all of that.

I may pull the wireline card first and maybe remove the top of the cardcage and see if I can look at the block from the front and determine what's holding the plastic block in place. Perhaps I can free it that way by pushing the clips through the holes. Worth a shot. I don't NEED the wireline port; I just want to clean the wire remnants out of it. Then I'd like to shoot the guy who jammed (or soldered) #20 wire into the holes.

Bob M.
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