[Elecraft] K3--Trouble with Power Pole connectors

[Don Wilhelm]

Bob,

It sounds like the contact blades of your APP connector are not inserted 
all the way into the housing.
The blade should extend over the spring finger in the housing.

If you do have them assembled that way, then I need to ask - just how 
much stress is being placed onto the connector housing - does is drop 
directly to the floor without any part of the cable laying on the 
table?  Just how much pull is being placed on your connector?

I don't know just how much pull force the APPs are rated for, but when 
properly assembled, they do not just fall apart - it takes a substantial 
pull to force them apart.  You may want to look to see if you are doing 
something unusual in your setup.

73,
Don W3FPR

Robert Tellefsen wrote:
> I thought these PP connectors were supposed to be such
> great stuff :-)
>
> Mine keep falling out and losing power on the rig.
>
> I assembled mine very meticulously, as I've read a lot of
> the comments here about keeping the solder away from
> the contact area.
>
> I assembled mine with the blade standing vertical in a
> third-hand tool, so the solder never came above the end of
> the cylinder that the wire end sticks into.
>
> The blades are pushed all the way into the plastic housings
> so the curved end clicks over the little ridge to keep it in
> its own housing.
>
> When I insert the plugs into the receptacles on the back
> of the K3, they go all the way to the end and bump up
> against the end of the receptacle.  No problem about being 
> pushed in all the way.
>
> It seems to me that there is very little friction/pressure
> between the male and female connectors to hold them
> together.  I tried the little cylinder pin that is supposed to
> help hold them together, but it quickly got lost when the
> male connector fell out for the third time.
>
> Can anyone tell me if the blades in these connectors need
> to be bent a bit to maintain a good contact so that will stay
> together?
>
> Otherwise, I'll have to replace the PP connectors with something
> more reliable.
>
> Thanks and 73
> Bob N6WG
>
>