Unknown Ribbon Cable (Ghostbusters)
The ribbon cable used in Ghostbusters has yet to be located. It is currently one of the most sought-after pieces, because its discovery will allow builders to start making packs screen-accurate to the first movie, rather than the second. There are only a few photos that show enough detail to actually see the cable. Some believe it is a fabric and wire combination, or that the wires were custom-made only for the movie.
Based on further research by namebrand, the ribbon cable seems to be a custom application cable containing sixteen wires with wire groupings separated by a semi-transparent flexible plastic, much the same as the laminate used on the GB2 Spectra Strip. The color pattern is as follows:
Brown - Red - Orange - Yellow - Green - Blue - spacer - Purple - Grey - White - Black - spacer - White / Brown - White / Red - White / Orange - White / Yellow - White / Green - White / Blue
Drawing namebrand
Spectra Strip Ribbon Cable (Ghostbusters 2)
The ribbon cable on the proton packs in the second movie is made by Spectra Strip, a product line of Amphenol. It has the correct number of wires, 30 pairs (60 wires total). It is model #132-2801-060 (Amphenol product listing, discontinued in 2021). Although the official part was discontinued, it is readily available from many surplus stores.
On the correct ribbon cable there is a 2-3" section of the ribbon cable that is not twisted at all. This part is usually concealed inside the curl and wrap of the ribbon cable as it goes into the cable clamp{.wikilink}. There are alternatives out there that do not have the straight section, as well as others that have fewer wires and/or different colored wires.
The color sequences for the ribbon cable, per the Amphenol datasheet 1, if you are feeling adventurous and want to make your own or cannot find some, is as follows:
Black - Brown - White - Brown - Grey- Brown- Purple - Brown - Blue - Brown - Green - Brown - Yellow - Brown - Orange - Brown - Red - Brown - Darker Brown - Brown. Repeat that pattern a total of 3 times, until you have 60 wires total.
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