Recently, I needed to attach a serial cable to my GoFlex Home, following the instructions at http://cyanlabs.co.uk/tutorials/seagate-goflex-home-recovery-via-serial. Some of the GoFlex Homes come with a header for the serial port already installed on the PCB, but mine was simply bare solder pads with holes (2 rows of 5). The usual advice is to solder the wires of your serial cable converter to these pads, but for those challenged with a soldering iron, like me, that's a problem. Instead I used wire wrap terminals (Wikipedia:Wire Wrap). I simply cut the bottom off some wire wrap terminals to about 1/8 inch, and used the wire wrap tool to push them into the pad holes on the PCB. It takes a fair amount of force. Then, I could easily connect the jumper cables of my serial/usb converter with no soldering. As a bonus, it is easy to swap the jumpers around. In my case, I needed to swap the TX and RX cables for some reason. Unfortunately, since wire wrap is a fading technology, the tool is rather expensive ($37 seems to be the going price on ebay). Ask around. Maybe one of your older friends has one in his toolbox he can loan you. You might be able to get away with using needle nose pliars, but that can be risky. You could easily slip and damage your device. Maybe someone can come up with a cheaper solution. Parts: 1. Serial/USB Converter: Search ebay for "usb ttl PL2303". Be sure to get one with the jumper cables. About $1.60. 2. Wire Wrap Tool: search for "WSU-30M". $37 and up. Ouch! 3. Wire Wrap Terminals: search for "wire wrap T46" on ebay. 10 pieces goes for about $1.20. I actually bought my terminals decades ago, but I'm *pretty sure* T46 is the right kind. https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13267#msg-13267 Sun, 08 Mar 2026 06:04:44 -0500 Phorum 5.2.23 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13801#msg-13801 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13801#msg-13801 -------------------------------------------------------
> Recently, I needed to attach a serial cable to my
> GoFlex Home, following the instructions at
> http://cyanlabs.co.uk/tutorials/seagate-goflex-hom
> e-recovery-via-serial. Some of the GoFlex Homes
> come with a header for the serial port already
> installed on the PCB, but mine was simply bare
> solder pads with holes (2 rows of 5). The usual
> advice is to solder the wires of your serial cable
> converter to these pads, but for those challenged
> with a soldering iron, like me, that's a problem.
>
> Instead I used wire wrap terminals
> (Wikip
> edia:Wire Wrap). I simply cut the bottom
> off some wire wrap terminals to about 1/8 inch,
> and used the wire wrap tool to push them into the
> pad holes on the PCB. It takes a fair amount of
> force. Then, I could easily connect the jumper
> cables of my serial/usb converter with no
> soldering. As a bonus, it is easy to swap the
> jumpers around. In my case, I needed to swap the
> TX and RX cables for some reason.
>
> Unfortunately, since wire wrap is a fading
> technology, the tool is rather expensive ($37
> seems to be the going price on ebay). Ask around.
> Maybe one of your older friends has one in his
> toolbox he can loan you. You might be able to get
> away with using needle nose pliars, but that can
> be risky. You could easily slip and damage your
> device. Maybe someone can come up with a cheaper
> solution.
>
> Parts:
>
> 1. Serial/USB Converter: Search ebay for "usb ttl
> PL2303". Be sure to get one with the jumper
> cables. About $1.60.
>
> 2. Wire Wrap Tool: search for "WSU-30M". $37 and
> up. Ouch!
>
> 3. Wire Wrap Terminals: search for "wire wrap T46"
> on ebay. 10 pieces goes for about $1.20. I
> actually bought my terminals decades ago, but I'm
> *pretty sure* T46 is the right kind.

It seems T46 is not the right size. I've tried on one of my 2 GoFlex Homes which has only row of holes. Could not force them into the hole jackets. I'm afraid to break the board if I'd use more force. They are good for temporary connection, though. If anybody knows which smaller size of wirewrap terminals to try, I'd appreciate the info!]]> bodhi uBoot Wed, 16 Oct 2013 02:55:17 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13448#msg-13448 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13448#msg-13448 TIA]]> bodhi uBoot Sun, 01 Sep 2013 18:37:39 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13426#msg-13426 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13426#msg-13426 metric uBoot Fri, 30 Aug 2013 14:45:48 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13423#msg-13423 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13423#msg-13423
Thanks for the info! I'd never know such alternative for soldering even exists.

One of the plugs I have, instead of just holes, they are filled with solder. I suppose I would need to desolder them? anybody?]]> bodhi uBoot Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:46:54 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13310#msg-13310 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13310#msg-13310 -------------------------------------------------------
> I use this wire wrap tool
> [url=http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?p
> roductId=2103243]Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool[/url]

Thanks laprjns! got one from Radio Shack today. They do have them in many different store locations in US, for $6.99 :) but these store don't have the wirewrap terminals. I guess it will have to be eBay?]]> bodhi uBoot Mon, 12 Aug 2013 21:07:17 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13287#msg-13287 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13287#msg-13287 Radio Shack Wire Wrap Tool]]> laprjns uBoot Sun, 11 Aug 2013 07:05:44 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13275#msg-13275 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13275#msg-13275 majic79 uBoot Sat, 10 Aug 2013 17:42:51 -0500 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13267#msg-13267 https://forum.doozan.com/read.php?3,13267,13267#msg-13267 http://cyanlabs.co.uk/tutorials/seagate-goflex-home-recovery-via-serial. Some of the GoFlex Homes come with a header for the serial port already installed on the PCB, but mine was simply bare solder pads with holes (2 rows of 5). The usual advice is to solder the wires of your serial cable converter to these pads, but for those challenged with a soldering iron, like me, that's a problem.

Instead I used wire wrap terminals (Wikipedia:Wire Wrap). I simply cut the bottom off some wire wrap terminals to about 1/8 inch, and used the wire wrap tool to push them into the pad holes on the PCB. It takes a fair amount of force. Then, I could easily connect the jumper cables of my serial/usb converter with no soldering. As a bonus, it is easy to swap the jumpers around. In my case, I needed to swap the TX and RX cables for some reason.

Unfortunately, since wire wrap is a fading technology, the tool is rather expensive ($37 seems to be the going price on ebay). Ask around. Maybe one of your older friends has one in his toolbox he can loan you. You might be able to get away with using needle nose pliars, but that can be risky. You could easily slip and damage your device. Maybe someone can come up with a cheaper solution.

Parts:

1. Serial/USB Converter: Search ebay for "usb ttl PL2303". Be sure to get one with the jumper cables. About $1.60.

2. Wire Wrap Tool: search for "WSU-30M". $37 and up. Ouch!

3. Wire Wrap Terminals: search for "wire wrap T46" on ebay. 10 pieces goes for about $1.20. I actually bought my terminals decades ago, but I'm *pretty sure* T46 is the right kind.]]> PhantomsDad uBoot Sat, 10 Aug 2013 13:25:27 -0500