Electrical connector with wire management system

An electrical connector, comprising:

• a dielectric housing having at least three rows of terminal-receiving passages including a first row, a second row and a third row;
• a plurality of terminals received in the passages and including first terminals received in at least some of the passages in the first row, second terminals received in at least some of the passages in the second row and third terminals received in at least some of the passages in the third row, all of the terminals having tail portions projecting from the housing;
• and
• a pair of juxtaposed wire guide members including a top wire guide member having a top surface with top guide means for aligning a plurality of electrical wires with the tail portions of the first row of terminals, a bottom wire guide member having a bottom surface with bottom guide means for aligning a plurality of electrical wires with the tail portions of the third row of terminals, and middle guide means between the wire guide members for receiving a plurality of electrical wires aligned with the tail portions of the second row of terminals.

A method of terminating a plurality of electrical wires to a plurality of terminals of an electrical connector, comprising the steps of:

• providing a dielectric housing with at least three rows of terminal-receiving passages including a first row, a second row and a third row;
• providing a plurality of terminals in the passages and including first terminals received in at least some of the passages in the first row, second terminals received in at least some of the passages in the second row and third terminals received in at least some of the passages in the third row, all of the terminals having tail portions projecting from the housing;
• connecting a plurality of electrical wires to the tail portions of the second row of terminals;
• closing a pair of wire guide members, including a top wire guide member having top guide means and a bottom wire guide member having bottom guide means, about the electrical wires connected to the second row of terminals;
• sliding the wire guide members forwardly toward a rear face of the housing;
• and
• connecting a plurality of electrical wires to the tail portions of the first and third rows of terminals using the top and bottom guide means of the top and bottom wire guide members, respectively.