[Elecraft] Anderson Connectors

[Art Bross]

Your probably not making sure the pins are flat when inserting into the housings. The pin should just snap over the internal SS spring. The pin should just rest on the spring but not press it down. Look at the business end of the Powerpoles. If the surface of the silver pin does not stick up above the plastic face by at least 3/32 to 1/8 inch then take a small screwdriver and insert it down between the pin and the front of the housing. Bend the pin up but not so much to make it leave the spring. It should just rest on top of it with no downward pressure. If you pre-load the spring by pressing the spring down you will loose some of the holding power. You may have to make this adjustment on brand new one if the maker didn't pay attention.  I check mine when they start feeling loose. One sign of miss-adjustment is that there is no "snap" when they are put together.

For those of you who keep puling them apart, a short piece of 12 gauge bre wire bent into a U shape and inserted into the two roll pin holes makes a good and inexpensive locking link. I don't use the roll pins because everyone knows they will drop out and seek the the one place in the radio where they can do the most damage. Use a spot of Superglue between the housings when assembling. Why would you ever want to take them apart?

There is some fine nuances to   PowerPoles and getting them right. Not as simple as some people might think. But then , what do I know, I've only built a few thousand of them.

Art - KC7GF
Rfstuff.com


Message: 3
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 2013 08:08:42 -0400
From: david Moes <dmoes at nexicom.net>
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Anderson Connector
Message-ID: <51CAD9CA.3010403 at nexicom.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

10 Lbs?  Ive used APP for years and I am quite satisfied the whole shack 
is done that way. however Ive never had one set strong enough that I 
think could dangle the weight of the K3 let alone a full 10lbs    what 
am I doing wrong?

David Moes

dmoes at nexicom.net
VE3DVY
Art

KC7GF