[Elecraft] bad choice: Anderson PowePole connectors

[Sandy]

Banana plugs and sockets WILL handle a lot of current, but all banana plugs 
are not capable of good low resistance connections.  (Specifically the 
"split" type banana plugs.)
Also the SOURCE of power must ALWAYS be the jack or binding post.  If active 
power is applied to loose plugs you have a tremendous fire and safety 
hazard.  Very high current sources like Ni-Cd or lead acid batteries are 
capable of burning up a cable in seconds or less if the plugs short 
together.

The beauty of the Power Pole connectors is they are "unisexual" in that they 
will mate with each other and don't have any 'live' contacts hanging out to 
get shorted easily.  It IS possible some "knucklehead" might plug a power 
source into a power source which might be catastrophic if say one source was 
24 volts and the other 12 volts!  The safety factor when dealing with 
"electrical morons" is well worth the trouble to standardize on them.

I used standard Molex connector for years, as did some of the rig 
manufacturers, for power connectors.  They reuire a crimping tool or a 
soldering iron too.  BEST dodge if you are doing something in the field or 
mobile would be to make up SPARE cables or some simple means of connecting 
to the power source  like a cable with connector to fit transceiver and 
Alligator or battery clips on the other end.  This will get you out of a 
bind where things weren't "standardized".  I have a cable with power pole 
connector on one end and bare wires on other end that will adapt to whatever 
in case I have trouble at say a field day or portable site.

The "standardization" to Power pole connectors was an attempt to have 
everyone use a common connector type which helps gobs during an outing or 
emergency situation.

73,
Sandy W5TVW
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Charles Harpole" <k4vud at hotmail.com>
To: <ron at cobi.biz>; <k0pp at acninc.net>; <elecraft at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 17, 2007 10:44 PM
Subject: [Elecraft] bad choice: Anderson PowePole connectors


> The Power Pole connectors on the K3 are a bad choice for this 
> application.... why? :
>
> 1, require either a special crimper or solder.... no crimper, no luck.  No 
> iron in the field, no luck.
>
> 2.  Break one of these puppies and if u live in 90% of the world where 
> these things are not available, no luck....
>
> 3. No plug, in the field, u are into a serious kludge up for connecting 
> power.
>
> The most flexible 20 amp connector ever devised to WORK ANYWHERE, with 
> banana pins, lugs, or bare wires, are BINDING POSTS.  These can work when 
> there is no iron, no crimper, no banana pins, no lugs, ... all u need is a 
> knife or even ur fingernail to strip the wire bare and screw it on !!! 
> And screw it on with YOUR STANDARD FINGERS.    I can buy binding posts at 
> the Thailand 7-11.
>
> Of course, binding posts are not so attractive on the back of a rig, so 
> maybe use the other industry standard used on ALL OTHER RIGS IN THE 
> WORLD.... the Molex 6-pin.  This one is not available all over the world, 
> but sure is more available than the Anderson thingys.
>
> ARRL's idea to standardize on Anderson is similarily a mistake... and 
> their idea is especially applied to emergency comm... the very place where 
> weird fixtures are another disaster.
>
> But, one mistake does not make a bad rig, and please keep my order for a 
> K3 active!!!!!
>
> PS, Astron should listen to this message too, ... on of my Astrons has 
> stupid banana socket, but at least it will take a butch bare wire too even 
> tho u need a vy small flat blade screwdriver to attach  wires to it.  What 
> r they thinking???.
>
> 73
>
> Charles Harpole, HS0ZCW
> k4vud at hotmail.com
>
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