[Elecraft] Anderson Powerpole connector

[George A. Thornton]

I am not an electronics expert, but I work closely with someone who spent 40 years installing custom electronic equipment in commercial and military aircraft.  

Approaching PowerPoles from the perspective of a novice, it has been my experience that PowerPoles take some learning to properly assemble.  There are times when I thought I had it but I actually did not.  However, once I finally learned how to do it, everything works just fine with no heating and no significant voltage drop.  The connector has to snap in place into the housing, if it does not something is wrong.  Usually either the contact is upside down or the crimp or soldered connector became deformed.

The main advantage of a PowerPole is that it can be reconnected for all practical purposes an unlimited number of times without degrading the contact. Further, the contacts are well protected greatly reducing the chance of an unintended short. These features plus the fact that PowerPole connections are standardized and modular make them popular in EmComm and other field work, where equipment must be frequently assembled and disassembled in the field.  Life in the field is a great deal safer and simpler if everyone is using PowerPoles.  If you need to move your rig into someone else's vehicle, all you have to do is plug your equipment with PowerPole connectors into their PowerPole system.

I have been taught that properly applied crimp connections are better and more reliable than solder connections.  My electronics expert agrees with this position.

My expert friend objects to PowerPole connectors because they have no positive lock and could easily become disconnected.  That would certainly be a huge issue in aircraft electronics.

I don't have such critical uses so I don't worry about an inadvertent disconnect.  

For anything serious, the PowerPole connection can be secured either with zip ties or some plastic locking inserts they supply.

-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of george fritkin
Sent: Friday, March 25, 2011 9:39 AM
To: Elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Anderson Powerpole connector

I solder crimp connections especially RF.  My only question is what harm can it do?  In production is saves lots of time, but how many crimp connections does a typical ham do in a year?  At 82 feet up on a tower I rather be safe than "climb"
George, W6GF



--- On Fri, 3/25/11, Jeff Herr <herr42 at comcast.net> wrote:

From: Jeff Herr <herr42 at comcast.net>
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Anderson Powerpole connector
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Date: Friday, March 25, 2011, 8:10 AM

If those connectors were no good I would have to ask why every electric fork
lift on the planet uses that connector design?

How long would a connector last at your voltage drops while operating at 48
volts @ 200 amps?  Can you imagine the heat dissipation?

Crimp the connector as specified!

______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html



      
______________________________________________________________
Elecraft mailing list
Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft
Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
Post: mailto:Elecraft at mailman.qth.net

This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
Please help support this email list: http://www.qsl.net/donate.html