-----Original Message-----
From: Mike S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
At 11:07 PM 4/6/2008, [EMAIL PROTECTED] 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
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