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(Solved) Laptop Caddy connector identification. Getac, Roda and Itronix laptops
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Fraser:
It looks like I need a KEL 8901-050-177-S-A-F socket for my DIY Roda Rocky HDD caddy’s

Radio Spares are a KEL agent but the connectors are on back order so I will have to wait.

Fraser
Ecmbuster:
After the struggles and searches, I stumbled across this post.
The investigation is amazing and I have two RODA ROCKY II PM.
Booting off a cheap USB will change after what I read.
Is it possible to create a diagram pin to pin to make up an new harness between the computer and the IDE drive and post it?
Thanks for the details.
Fraser:
ECMbuster,

This is a great coincidence........

I just bought yet another Roda Rocky as it included the hard disk drive, DVD recorder and power supply. It was the right money  :). I already own several Roda Rocky laptops, mainly RT886  models and a couple of RT686 units. From what I can establish, the same hard disk caddy will work in all of the Roda Rocky laptops, which is great news. The caddy is sealed against water ingress so I had not opened the only example I own to date. A have several brand new RT886 units awaiting the day I find the KEL connector so I can make adapters to fit the hard disk in its correct port. Sadly Radio Spares never got stock and have deleted the connector from their catalogue. I am even considering buying a higher pin count KEL connector that they still stock and cutting it to length to give me the correct pin count ! The connectors are not cheap but I have few options.

The latest Roda Rock II purchase came with the hard disk caddy and a hard disk but the caddy was cracked so I disassembled it for a plastic welding repair. This may be the time to create the pin out diagram that you are asking about. I was waiting until I found a source of the connector but now is as good a time as any :) The Caddy connector PCB also contains a large SMT diode and that may be a temperature sensor. The caddy surprisingly does not contain a heater for cold environs use. The actual caddy casing is very thin and fragile ABS plastic and a 3D printed replacement is a clear way forward to making a clone. I will take some pictures of the dismantled caddy and begin creating the pin out diagram as soon as I have a spare moment, hopefully tomorrow.

If anyone knows of a source of the correct, or higher pin count KEL connector, as detailed above, I would be interested to hear from them  :-+ KEL connectors are found in a lot of rugged laptops but are not that common when trying to buy small quantities. I got lucky with my Getac M230 rugged laptop hard disk connector requirement as a company produced a small batch of complete M230 HDD adapter PCB’s that I bought at £10 each. A bargain :) Sadly I can only find complete Roda Rocky hard disk caddy’s at £100 each on eBay. I live in hope of finding cheaper listings. My backup plan will be to buy the 100 contact connectors from Aliexpress and cut them down.

Fraser
Fraser:
I just ordered 10 of the KEL 8901 series 100 contact connectors from Aliexpress. I can make the connectors that I need out of them. Each 100 contact connector will provide a 50 pin for the Roda Rocky and a 30 pin for the General Dynamics-Itronix GD8000 laptop  :-+ in this application, only one locating spigot and end is really needed per connector.

The connectors worked out at $5 each delivered so if I can make two useful connectors from each then the price drops to a very reasonable $2.50 each  :-+

Fraser
Ecmbuster:
Interesting, an eye opener!
The document in this post is far smaller than uploading the camera images and thought today:
"Put this together and post it"

The ribbon that I found, you can have it. Send an address if interested.
The two adapters that I need is for two identical models and they have an interesting job to do.
I can likely make an IDE case to fit and keep it cool unless you have a better idea.
Kindly let me know how this works out.

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