Connecting electrical equipment through wiring harnesses

1. A connector for use in electrically connecting a piece of electrical equipment with a female connector through one or more conductors, the connector comprising:

a male header pin connector having a header and a plurality of pins extending through the header, each pin having a first end connectible with a female connector and an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the header, and a second end connected with an end of a corresponding one of one or more conductors; and

a protective housing abutting the header and surrounding the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends;

wherein the exposed portions of the plurality of pins are connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

2. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises one or more of the following: a molding material, and hot melt grade of polyamide.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends comprise one or more of the following: a splice connection and a crimp connection.

4. A wiring harness assembly comprising the connector of claim 1 .

5. A control panel kit comprising the connector of claim 1 .

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends comprise one or more splice connections; and

the protective housing comprises a molding material surrounding the one or more splice connections.

7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more connections between the one or more pin second ends and conductor ends comprise one or more barrel crimp connections; and

the protective housing comprises a molding material surrounding the one or more barrel crimp connections.

8. A method of making a wiring harness assembly for electrical equipment, the method comprising:

using one or more splice connectors, connecting one or more conductor wires with a plurality of corresponding pins of a male header pin connector to make one or more splice connections; and

applying a molding material around the one or more splice connections to cover the one or more splice connections;

whereby a connector of the wiring harness assembly is configured for connecting the conductor wires to an existing wiring harness;

wherein the plurality of pins have an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector and connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the molding material includes one or more of the following: a resin, and a hot melt grade of polyamide.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein using one or more splice connectors comprises:

positioning a conductor wire end in a first side of a barrel crimp connector;

positioning a corresponding pin end in a second side of the barrel crimp connector; and

crimping the barrel crimp connector.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein a plurality of conductor wires are spliced with a plurality of pins at first ends of the conductor wires, the method further comprising connecting a matrix crimp housing plug to the conductor wires at second ends of the conductor wires.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the matrix crimp housing plug is connectible with a furnace control board.

13. A wiring harness assembly for electrical equipment, the assembly comprising:

a male header pin connector configured for connecting to a wiring harness;

a board connector configured for mounting to a panel;

one or more conductors connecting the male header pin connector with the board connector;

the one or more conductors coupled with the male header pin connector by one or more splice connections; and

a molding material surrounding the one or more splice connections;

wherein the male header pin connector comprises a plurality of pins having an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector and connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

14. The wiring harness assembly of claim 13 , further comprising one or more crimp connectors in which the one or more splice connections are made.

15. A method of replacing a piece of electrical equipment using an existing wiring harness, the method comprising:

connecting a first end of a wiring harness assembly with the existing wiring harness, the first end including a male header pin connector having a plurality of pins connected with one or more corresponding wires at one or more pin-wire connections and extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector, and protective molding material around the one or more pin-wire connections; and

connecting a second end of the wiring harness assembly with a replacement piece of electrical equipments;

wherein the plurality of pins have an exposed portion extending alongside and past a locking wall of the male header pin connector and connectible with a female connector of a furnace wiring harness, the locking wall having a configuration suitable for frictionally locking the male header pin connector to the female connector of the furnace wiring harness.

16. The method of claim 15 , performed to replace a furnace control panel.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein connecting the second end of the harness assembly comprises connecting a matrix crimp housing plug with a control board of the replacement piece of electrical equipment.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein connecting the first end of the wiring harness assembly comprises positioning the locking wall of the male header pin connector onto the existing wiring harness.