Help with inserting wires into Raymarine Smartcontroller!

[tfox2069]

I’m trying to insert wires into a Raymarine SmartPilot head. I’ve RTFM, which says:

“Use a small screwdriver to push the small plastic lever on top of the terminal and release the cable clamp.”

for the life of me I cannot figure out which WAY to “push” the plastic lever -up, down, straight back? Nothing seems to work and I don’t want to force it since that’s a sure way to ruin the little levers. Here’s a photo that might look familiar to someone who knows the answer. Sorry the photos won’t load right side up - it’s correct on my phone but uploaded upside down in the close up, and 90 degrees off on the zoom out, but you get the idea of the plastic tabs:

 

[DougM]

If you look at the blue, yellow, green, and red wires in your photo the plastic “t” tabs adjacent appear to be in a a depressed position compared to the tabs with no wires inserted. My guess would be that the push would be straight down with a small screwdriver into the depression on the tab. Just push down and simultaneously pull out the wire. The wires don’t look like they were very carefully inserted in the first place, and may not be making a solid contact, the red and yellow especially.

 

[tfox2069]

Turns out lifting was the trick. I tried it in an unused wire port for a gyro I’ll never install, so if I broke the tab I wouldn’t have been too upset. That did the trick.

Agree with you, DougM, that the wires do not appear to be solidly inserted, but the autopilot works fine and it is a real PITA to get anything in there. Wish they’d have used screws instead of this Good Idea Fairy crappy plastic tab approach. Impossible to see the wire contact without my iPhobe grabbing a pic. And trust me, once it’s in there you don’t want to do it again. Sheesh.

 

[Mark Maulden]

Strange..My brand new one has set screws. The one had 7yrs ago also had set screws...

 

[DougM]

Strange..My brand new one has set screws. The one had 7yrs ago also had set screws...

My 14 yr old controller also had set screws...go figure.

 

[Ron20324]

My 14 yr old controller also had set screws...go figure.

Hhmmm... new vendor to the boat factory??? Now the WAGO blocks, I hate!

 

[rforrester]

It appears the wires go into the half circle holes. Above the metal spring ends where the wires have been inserted are color coded plastic tabs, pushing in the tab with a small screwdriver may open the entry down below for the wire to easily slide in.

 

[LloydB]

MFG instructions often suck especially in regards to terminals that everybody knows how to do. Push to release\connect terminals have been around for a long time and have been proven to be reliable in many applications(others not so much). They generally work like the jaws of a clothespin that can be opened to push the wire into the jaw. Where to push and how far the jaw will open apparently is proprietary information.( just my opinion) It would be interesting as an experiment to find out if there is an additional solution. By using a tiny screwdriver push in on the connector block away from the wire entrance hole then hold pressure on the release spring. Put the prepared twisted wire(well twisted) into the entrance hole and release pressure on the connector block.