[Elecraft] Power pole connection comes loose

[nr4c]

In normal operation a K3 will not get a properly assembled and 
connected PowerPole "pretty warm".

I have gotten them warm, but in circuits pullng 50-70 Amps on some 
serious electric motors in high performance electric model sailplanes.

The most common error in assembling Anderson PowerPoles is not 
completely seating the silver plated contact in the plastic housing.  
When you insert the contact with wire attached, you should hear two 
distinct 'clicks' as the curved end of the contact slides over the end 
of the spring.  When you look into the end of the plastic housing, you 
should see the curved tip of the housing covering the spring. I don't 
have a K3 manual handy, so I can't verify that there is a cut-away 
picture of a properly assembled contact, but there are many such images 
on the web, just "Google" "Anderson PowerPole" and the Anderson site 
shows the assembly very well.

To remove the contact, you must lift the curved tip over the spring 
while pulling back on the wire.

When PowerPoles are correctly assembled, they make a wiping contact 
when mating with another PowerPole, this wiping action actually cleans 
the surface and the spring insures proper contact pressure.  Proper 
assembly and mating of the connectors will result in very low 
resistance, and no significant temperature rise during service with an 
K3.

The roll pin is used to retain alignment of the Red and Black plastic 
housings for one cable.  there is no 'roll' pin hole to insure proper 
mating of the connectors.  I have seen a device that looks like a 
'chain' locking link than can be used to hold a connector set together, 
but I think the hole in the K3 connector is obscured by the case panels.

...bill  nr4c

On Mon, 3 Dec 2012 06:14:01 -0800, Ron Midwin wrote:
> I was working cw with about 95 watts when my K3 shut down.  I checked 
> the
> power pole connection and it had come slightly loose and was pretty 
> warm,
> so I let it cool and then re inserted it to the radio, and this seems 
> to
> work OK.  I've seen some comments about how to make this a more 
> positive
> connection.  I don't see the roll pin hole on the radio connector?
>
> any suggestions?
>
> Ron
> AE6RH