[Elecraft] Alternatives to PowerPoles?

[Charles Harpole]

The major 13vdc ham radio equipment input power connector is the 4 pin Molex.  This connector has proven in thousands of uses to be adequate to the voltage, the current, and the physical demands of this utilization.  It is the de facto standard on K, I, and Y radios (for the vast majority) and the single only connector (other than the PL259-SO etc) that all three mfgs. amazingly agree on, making at least this matter so much easier for hams with different equipment mfgs.The four pins are often all used to increase the power handling capacity of the two-wire application.  However, theMolex in all its pin configurations has a number of drawbacks.... -one time installation (unless the use of a special tool to retract the installed pins is used), i.e., not reusable,-lack of strain relief.-lack of positive attachment fixture (i.e., it could be accidentaly pulled out rather easily).Good points are resistance to crush (step on), can stand multiple plug in and out, is very well keyed and can take solder with care.  It is reasonably available, but not in India, for example.  It does not need glue.  Formerly, some mfgs. used a two pin mic connector which likely had the power handling ok, took soldering well altho the pins are close together, and had both a great positive attachment (screw on) and a fairly good strain relief.  Drawback was possible confusion of thisconnector with a mic.The Cinch Jones is a good alternative because it comes in many pin configurations, including two, is very well keyed, takes soldering very well, has a good strain relief, is vy reusable, is medium resistant to crush, can be pulled out too easily, is widely available (altho its uses are dropping, restricting its availability), The size of the two-pin version is nearly the same as the 4 pin Molex.  The A Power Poles are the weakest of this line up of connectors and a very strange choice for ham radio applications.Charles Harpolek4vud at hotmail.com   > To: w8ur at flatsurface.com> Date: Mon, 7 Apr 2008 09:14:15 -0400> From: n2ey at aol.com> Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Alternatives to PowerPoles?> CC: elecraft at mailman.qth.net> > -----Original Message-----> From: Mike S <w8ur at flatsurface.com>> > At 11:07 PM 4/6/2008, N2EY at aol.com wrote...> > >>What would you use instead? Particularly given the desire for a> >>genderless> >>connector that can carry considerable current (20+ Amps)?> > >Considering these are used for carrying polarized power signals, why > do> >you want/require that they be "genderless?"> > Convenience and flexibility.> > >There's a very good reason> >that wall outlets aren't hermaphroditic.> > That's because they are much higher voltage, and always a source. > They're also meant to be used by people who know almost nothing about > electricity. As radio amateurs, I'd hope we'd know a little about what > we are doing. We use the same RF connectors (although gendered) for > everything from the legal limit of power down to receiver inputs; make > a mistake and the results can be very unpleasant. Is 12 volts somehow > more dangerous?> > >The only reasonable argument I've seen is that it allows charging> >batteries without "adapters." But, given that improper charging of > many> >modern battery technologies can be dangerous if a specialized charger> >isn't used, making it easy to connect a 13.4V, 20A regulated supply to> >a 12V lithium pack doesn't seem wise.> > The problem is that with adapters it's just as easy to make such > mistakes. If you adopt gendered connectors, you'll get in the habit of > having adapters everywhere, and there goes the advantage.> .> There's also the advantage of a universal standard - all cable ends the > same; you never have the wrong end, multioutlet systems are all the > same.> > ---> > And there's still the original question: what would you use instead? If > there were a gendered PowerPole configuration, would that solve the > problem?> > 73 de Jim, N2EY> > > > > > > _______________________________________________> Elecraft mailing list> Post to: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net> You must be a subscriber to post to the list.> Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.):>  http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft    > > Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com