I'm struggling a bit to understand your preference to the
Molex connectors. I find them troublesome from the
standpoint of making your own connectors as opposed to the
APP's. By the way, I think the "standard" Molex seems to be
the 6 pin rather than the 4 pin--at least of late. My Icom
and Kenwood rigs use the 6 pin, and the same pinout pattern.
The Molex connectors are nice in that they are gendered, and
they lock. I certainly like that. But I question that they
are more durable. I just stepped on an APP (with my 200
plus pounds), and nothing happened--it's still fine.
My biggest concern with APP's is that they don't lock
together. It hasn't been a problem, but it just seems it
could be. They do make some plastic accessory clamps to
hold two connections together--guess I should try those.
But for me, it's all about how easy it is to put together a
connection, and the APP's seem the easiest right now by far.
However, I crimp, which you (and several others) don't like.
But I concluded from the arguments back and forth about
soldering vs. crimping that soldering was just fine for most
uses since we aren't using them in high stress situations
more often than not. But I did not conclude that soldering
was better! It was just that most seemed to feel it was
only important if you were dealing with issues like jet
plane vibrations, etc. I'll certainly buy that. But I
think you still have to draw the ultimate conclusion from
that argument that crimping is better, but not necessary!
Maybe most would agree with that, and I would too.
So, I would conclude that the popularity of APP's is
substantially because they are fast and easy, yet effective.
They are fastest if you crimp. It would be nice, however,
if they locked together, and maybe it would be better if
they were gendered. Also, many folks want to standardize
their connections. That too is more easily done using
APP's.
APP's are not the ultimate answer--not by a long shot. But
they do serve a good purpose for many. If that wasn't true,
people wouldn't be using them so much. If you don't like
them, don't use them. If you don't like the fact that the
K3 has them, make a pigtail adapter, and then use what you
want. That's certainly easy enough to do.
Dave W7AQK
----- Original Message -----
From: "Charles Harpole" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Cc: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 6:51 AM
Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Alternatives to PowerPoles?
The major 13vdc ham radio equipment input power connector is
the 4 pin Molex. This connector has proven in thousands of
uses to be adequate to the voltage, the current, and the
physical demands of this utilization. It is the de facto
standard on K, I, and Y radios (for the vast majority) and
the single only connector (other than the PL259-SO etc) that
all three mfgs. amazingly agree on, making at least this
matter so much easier for hams with different equipment
mfgs.The four pins are often all used to increase the power
handling capacity of the two-wire application. However,
theMolex in all its pin configurations has a number of
drawbacks.... -one time installation (unless the use of a
special tool to retract the installed pins is used), i.e.,
not reusable,-lack of strain relief.-lack of positive
attachment fixture (i.e., it could be accidentaly pulled out
rather easily).Good points are resistance to crush (step
on), can stand multiple plug in and out, is very well keyed
and can take solder with care. It is reasonably available,
but not in India, for example. It does not need glue.
Formerly, some mfgs. used a two pin mic connector which
likely had the power handling ok, took soldering well altho
the pins are close together, and had both a great positive
attachment (screw on) and a fairly good strain relief.
Drawback was possible confusion of thisconnector with a
mic.The Cinch Jones is a good alternative because it comes
in many pin configurations, including two, is very well
keyed, takes soldering very well, has a good strain relief,
is vy reusable, is medium resistant to crush, can be pulled
out too easily, is widely available (altho its uses are
dropping, restricting its availability), The size of the
two-pin version is nearly the same as the 4 pin Molex. The
A Power Poles are the weakest of this line up of connectors
and a very strange choice for ham radio applications.Charles
[EMAIL PROTECTED] >
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