Having problems with mini-fit plugs

Not a stranger to sleeving but in this case I'm having one hell of a time wrestling the new pins into the Seasonic mini-fit connectors, currently I'm at about 25% success rate getting them back into the mini-fit after sleeving on 18 AWG with 550 paracord. Is there a trick I'm missing or am I just getting impatient. It seems that the paracord is bunching at the mini-fit which prevents it from locking in. I get ~1mm from locking in almost every time but if I try to work it in further, I've been bending the terminals at the crimp area and the frustration factor is increasing here
Please tell me there's a trick I'm missing here (not holding my tongue out at the proper angle?) since this is my first attempt at heatshrinkless paracord sleeving (trying to stay away from heatshrink for this project)

Sounds like you're just trying to put too much into the connector housing.
How thick is the paracord?

I wasn't aware paracord may have different diameters since I am (was) under the impression that paracord is measured only by tensile strength - this is run-of-the-mill 7 strand 550# as offered here http://www.paracordplanet.com/550-Paracord--Type-III-Commercial-Paracord_p_2345.html a quick (likely not too accurate) measurement shows ~3mm when relaxed

On the flip side, I'm getting closer, got 75% in. It seems to me (could be the frustration talking) that the mini-fits used by Seasonic are at a higher tolerance (read tighter) than most I've come across. For example, I took these same wires and had no problem getting them into the mini-fits used on my Fortron built NZXT Hale 90 850W (I thought I was ordering the Superflower built version but ended up with V2) - I also had issues when trying on my Enermax Revolution 1050, I'm thinking the higher quality PSU's are to blame* here

*only in reference to my frustration

An extra 3mm is quite a bit to fit into a connector housing like that.
Hate to say it, but the easiest way will be for you to get some heatshrink...

Got it, I had left too much exposed wire when stripping, rather than going into the mini-fit, the excess was bunching up right behind when crimped which is why some were fitting (the ones properly crimped) and some weren't, bad technique on my part. My eyes have gotten bad enough, I couldn't see it until I put on my magnifiers - Doh!

Ahhhhhh, I didn't even think about it being strands pushing apart.
Glad you figured it out!!

Let's see some pics when you're done

Pics are coming, got the technique down but now I'm trying to figure the best way to stitch the cables together - any thoughts? YouTube and general searches have revealed nothing useful (right now I'm "cheating" but won't confess how)

Here's a few pics from the sleeving starting with the leftovers that wouldn't cooperate

The PCIe finally done

Molex pig tails that I decided to make since I only use the 12V for fans and the pump

Sharp eyes may notice that the connectror is wired backward in the above pics, corrected below. That had me sorta freaked out since I lost some of my confidence level and had to go back and check all my wiring (three times to be sure)

The aftermath and where did that red led fan come from? I don't recall ever buying (let alone sleeving - it was sleeved) a red led fan


I have mixed feeling about the sleeving, for one with the flat cables provided by SeaSonic, there doesn't seem to be much of an advantage in doing this sleeving other than the bling factor. My color choice was poor, not reactive to the UV at all. Would I do it again? Oh hell yes, I had fun with it and it does look okay... next will be a semi-modular, I have the prime candidate

BTW for those wondering, the PCIe cables I made for the SeaSonic were ~9" long since that's all I needed to go straight from the PSU to the graphics card

And the sleeving trials and tribulations continue...
This time I'm not making custom wires, I'm simply sleeving the existing wires on my Enermax Revolution 1050 and once again find myself struggling with the mini-fits. This time I know it's not me since this is factory wiring and crimps. I've got more than 60% of one PCIe cable done and am stuck. It's a strange system going from a 12 pin header at the PSU to the 16 pins for two 6+2 connectors - the three grounds for the 6 pin part are one cable that splits to 3 - I don't like that so I changed it a little so that two of the three are direct to the PSU while the third and the +2 are from the split. That shouldn't have any effect on the fitment into the connector though.

I had started to practice on a Delta 250W that came from a server just to get the method down for the semi modular project. Had no issues with those mini-fits...

And a picture I've titled "a Complete Waste of Time", this is the Delta 250W I was practicing on (I guess it's not a complete waste then) and had very little issues with the mini-fits but I did learn some more tricks.


I'm wondering if there's a want or need for videos or pics for "How-to" here. There is some info out in the wild but I've found nothing that covers all the issues of heatshrinkless sleeving