multi-pin dc power connectors

[PRR]

Another hi-Volt good-price connector.


Ideal 103X Model PowerPlug Luminaire Disconnect
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Ideal-103X-Model-PowerPlug-Luminaire-Disconnect-20-Card-30-383X/303741483

Appears to be 3/4" diameter. Rated 600V 5A. 3-pole. Finger-proof. Drawback is that it is stab-in: wire size must be carefully selected for the spring-clip to work. Can go down to US #18 stranded _if_ the strands are soldered. $43 for a 20-pack (M-F) is about a buck a connector. Hardly makes sense for a one-off, but if you plan a dozen builds it gets affordable.

 

[iampoor1]

Instead of using Speakon connectors...why not use Neutrik Powercon? Its sort of like speakon, but designed for power. I believe they are rated at 30ish amps at 250v

 

[ruffrecords]

Instead of using Speakon connectors...why not use Neutrik Powercon? Its sort of like speakon, but designed for power. I believe they are rated at 30ish amps at 250v

Mainly because they are only 3 ways and I need 8.

Cheers

Ian

 

[My3gger]

> I really need pins capable of 16 amps

Your house is full of 13 Amp pins. Can you imagine eight of those in one shell??

Clearly you want a "mix" of big pins and small pins. That limits your choices unless you have National Budget.

Yes, the UK 13A pin is generous. US 15A/20A pins are smaller, but also trouble-prone.

Paralleling is dubious. Pins have various contact resistance. One "good" pin can hog MOST of the current. Sometimes the heavy current degrades the contact and it tends to self-equalize. But I have seen parallel contacts who did not get that memo.

A functional and VERY inexpensive alternate is PC motherboard power connectors. You want "extender" (M and F with a foot of wire between; unless it is convenient to have pin-header on your mixer).

TH has an essay on these connectors and ratings. (Skip way down to ATX; you can't get AT-type today).
https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,review-32338-7.html
Today the 24-pin version is more common:
https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,review-32338-8.html
My experience is that cheap ATX connectors have no trouble with 80W 5V (16A) on four pins. They are widely used to ~150W 5V or 3.3V (30+A). I do not know if the "Plus" design is common.

Current rating depends on wire-size... they depend on the wire to draw-out heat.

The Molex spec says 600 Volts. As a double-shrouded connector it is hard to imagine any trouble at 300V.

Mating is tested (for Molex) to 30 cycles. This is far more than most PCs see. It may be an issue in prototyping or a console which is regularly dismantled and serves several decades.

There is a 4-pin variant used on most modern motherboards as CPU supply (12V to an onboard 1.97V converter). This would surely do your heaters; the other-stuff can use a cheap connector.
https://www.tomshardware.co.uk/power-supply-specifications-atx-reference,review-32338-9.html

I don't have to tell you that 48V 2A is much less copper and contact than 6V 16A, if you can series-string your heaters.

Hi,

i need similar connector as Ian and ATX12V looks ok. It should connect power from 50W guitar power amp chasis to preamp chasis of 60's FBT 500R2:
https://www.mercatinomusicale.com/mm/a_fbt-500-r-2-cassa_id5164046.html  (power amp is bottom chasis)

500R2 already has solution of a bundle of 7 non twisted or shielded wires with diameter of ~0,5mm, lenght is 50cm between two chasis. As this will be one off 18W style amp i would like to avoid problems and twist wires, shield them where needed. ATX12V works to 16A/12V, so extension cable like this looks right for HT too:
http://www.short-circuit.com/product/4pin-p4.html#
It would also make it easy to disconnet when needed, even lenght is 30cm instead of 50cm. PI signal should be ok through many styles of connections being shielded and at higher signal than line level, separate ground wire isn't a problem either.

Preamp has 4 tubes at 6,3V/3-4A, HT is ~300V/~20mA max. Power amp runs on 2xEL84 at ~300V/~35mA and there is lots of space in both chasis made of 3mm steel.

I normally don't use Molex or similar connectors in tube builds, except for low cycles of connectors (could be a problem) which would connect two chasis i don't see a problem. Not even with 24 pin ATX version like quoted.
Does amp like this really needs power connectors as some suggested, or would ATX12V work? 30 connection cycles doesn't look good on a paper, but since they would work well under their max P i imagine they are just fine and better than what i have now.

Mischa

 

[ruffrecords]

For my prototype Mark III tube mixer I am going with an 8 way Speakon. Plenty of voltage and current capability, enough contacts and a reasonable price. Other pluses include screw connections which are ideal for prototyping but which can also be soldered after removing the screws for a more permanent installation. I shall also be building an all switched mode power supply using four off the shelf SMPSUs.

Cheers

Ian

 

[Newmarket]

You could always split it across two connectors. That might seem to be admitting defeat but there would be upsides: One high-voltage, low-current connector and one low-voltage, high current one

A relays to verify both are connected before the psu fires up and you're "Golden", as they say in Hove

Nick Froome

Do they say that in Hove ?
As it happens I had pizza on New Church Road this afternoon but I'm back in 'proper' Brighton now

Agree about splitting the connectors btw.

 

[My3gger]

For my prototype Mark III tube mixer I am going with an 8 way Speakon. Plenty of voltage and current capability, enough contacts and a reasonable price. Other pluses include screw connections which are ideal for prototyping but which can also be soldered after removing the screws for a more permanent installation. I shall also be building an all switched mode power supply using four off the shelf SMPSUs.

Cheers

Ian

Thanks for reply, i really like Speakon connectors you decided to power mixers. My amp would require additional drilling of original chasis which i would like to avoid and be able to put it back as it was, or make 36W Bluesbreaker later. Cost is an issue at this point, so for psu and grounding of 18W amp prototype something like this should be ok:
https://en.traconelectric.com/product/SF60AH/Flexible-terminal-stripe--H-shape--12-blocks--black-25mm2--450VAC--80A--PP
PI signal wires can go trough now unneeded cap holes on both sides using xlr. Ground wire can be soldered right after exiting connectors to make sturdy connection, same with power when it works ok and use Speakon only if i decide on Bluesbreaker later. 18W will be my practice amp so unsoldering 4 or 5 wires wouldn't be needed often. 30 mating cycles with ATX12V doesn't sound like good idea even with both sides soldered, i never liked pcb/Molex for a few tube channels. Of course mixer is another thing if they are used properly.

Agree about splitting the connectors btw.

Yeah, my FBT and others heard on Youtube are quite noisy, probably because signal isn't separated and shielded, grounds inside aren't best either. I mostly work up to line level signal, so a bit of paranoia from interferences sets in at every build. Thanks for feeding it

 

[Michael Tibes]

More options, but not round: min-D are also available with bigger pins for power connections. I used them a long time ago for a console. There were many possible configurations, I'm sure something would fit your needs. I got them from RS. Another option I haven't checked might be old Tuchel connectors. I guess they might be good for some current, and they were used for 220V AC in the V7x series, so voltage capabilities should be sufficient. Quite some of the models are totally out of fashion now (the bigger ones used for multipin Audio some decades ago), so they should be cheap or just lying around somewhere.

Michael

 

[Newmarket]

Yes, just substitute the two connections to each pot with an LDR.

The trick (and somewhat repeating what others have said) is to make the LDRs' resistances track. There's a lot of variation between LDRs (they'll have different resistances for the same amount of light), so you should start with more than two (maybe ten), and find the two that match best.

Second is making sure both get the same amount of light in the circuit. Offhand I'd say put them physically next to each other and put a translucent piece of plastic as a diffuser over them, maybe an inch above, and have the volume between the diffuser and LDRs be light-tight so no other light can get in.

Posted in wrong topic ?

 

[My3gger]

More options, but not round: min-D are also available with bigger pins for power connections. I used them a long time ago for a console. There were many possible configurations, I'm sure something would fit your needs. I got them from RS. Another option I haven't checked might be old Tuchel connectors. I guess they might be good for some current, and they were used for 220V AC in the V7x series, so voltage capabilities should be sufficient. Quite some of the models are totally out of fashion now (the bigger ones used for multipin Audio some decades ago), so they should be cheap or just lying around somewhere.

Michael

One model has 9 pin D-sub M/F made have soldering cups with ~2mm dia, they allow max 5A at 250Vac-dc/50Hz. 250V max should do at ~350V and less than 100mA dc, cost is under 1eur for both:
http://www.amphenolinfocom.eu/NavData/Catalogs/SD%20Solder-Cup.pdf
Yes, not rounded and each connection has to be well insulated, i might find "closed" models to avoid exposed contacts. Thanks.