Yes, you are correct Pete. I had forgotten about them, and for good reason.
I was tempted to use them at first. They are already on all of my TIC
Ringrotors. They are such a pain to connect/disconnect. Also, I don't like
to have cables spliced and taped to a sealed connector with open wires. So
I decided against using them. However, they are NOT absolutely weatherproof
as I have discovered, but would likely last for 10-15 years anyway.
Keith
-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Smith [mailto:n4zr@contesting.com]
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 8:27 AM
To: Keith Dutson; amps@contesting.com
Subject: Re: [Amps] [BULK] - DIN stands for....?
I use trailer connectors from the local NAPA auto parts store - <$6 for 6
conductors, absolutely weatherproof, and VERY sturdy.
73, Pete N4ZR
At 03:59 PM 2/26/2006, Keith Dutson wrote:
>Look again at the photo. The Bulgin has separate gold plated pins. I
>have the solder type. I bought the extractor and had to use it once.
>The 8 pole connectors are rated 5A at 125VAC, much more than needed for
tower relays.
>Also, the Bulgin is sealed to IP68 when mated (continuous immersion in
>up to
>2 meters of water).
>
>The first tower is up and operational. No problems to date.
>
>I have not found any other connector to come close to these specs for
>under $100. Maybe you can point me in the right direction for lower
>priced, comparable connectors for my next three towers.
>
>73, Keith NM5G
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: amps-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:amps-bounces@contesting.com]
>On Behalf Of Will Matney
>Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 2:26 PM
>To: amps@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [Amps] [BULK] - DIN stands for....?
>
>Keith,
>
>It's according to how many conductors you will have, and the current
>they will carry. A set of AMP connectors counting the male and female
>contacts, the plug, socket, and back ends (housings) with the clamps
>wouldn't be close to $30 I wouldn't think as I used to buy them a lot.
>You can also by a gasket for outside applications if you think it will
>get waterlogged where it's at. The thing is, the Bulgin brand is like
>the Amphenol in that its contacts are permanent inside the socket or
>plug. If you have a contact to go bad, you have to change out the whole
>socket/plug, pins and all. With the AMP, you only change out the one
>bad pin-contact which saves a bunch of money. I just looked at all
>these in Mouser and the AMP brand, shell style 1 would be about what
>you would want using probably 18 gauge wire to control switching relays
>for your array? If so, the total components would equal in cost about
>the same as a Bulgin from what I seen except buying the tool to remove
>the contact s which was about $14. You can really remove them with a
>small piece of brass tubing just large enough to slip over the contact
>and pull the contact from the rear. The tool has a small rod inside the
>tubing that shoves it out for you like a syringe the doc uses for a shot.
You don't need to by the solder type contacts which are a shade bit higher
in price.
>Buy the crimp type, crimp them and then solder them too. That's the way
>I always did do them. You don't need to buy one of those expensive had
>crimpers either, a pair of needle nose pliars will do it. If you were
>going to mount the socket in a housing, you would by a flanged socket
>with the contact type you want, male or female. The plug requires three
>things, the plug, the contacts to mate up with the socket, and the back
>end with the cable clamp on it. You size the back end housing by the
>size of cable your running. In the specs, it will give a minimum and
>maximum cable diameter the clamp will accept. To order the Bulgin ,
>you just need to order the two ends but again, cant change a bad
>contact. Amphenol though is way too expensive. Miller Electric, who
>makes welding machines, changed to AMP years ago because the Amphenol
>was too expensive. I think Lincoln Electric and ESAB started using them
>too, except for military equipment of special design. If it were me,
>I'd go with AMP just because of the easy fix if a contact ever went
>bad. I would much rather change out one contact and solder one joint than
do 8-10 off a tower and pay again for a whole plug or socket.
>If you want, I can help you size these since I've used them in the past.
>
>Best,
>
>Will
>
>*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>
>On 2/26/06 at 12:47 PM Keith Dutson wrote:
>
>>A while back I decided to plan for a multi-2 station with at least
>>four towers. Since I am only a year away from retirement and not
>>looking forward to a lot of tower/antenna maintenance in the future, I
>>wanted to design the wiring harnesses using the best cables and
>>connectors. A search for industrial connectors for the control cables
>>yielded the type of information you have described below, Will. Most
>>of these have a price around $100 each, so one connection would be
>>double that figure
>>- much more than I am willing to pay.
>>
>>I did, however, find an industrial quality connector made by Bulgin, a
>>British firm. The 400 series Buccaneer line is what I chose. These
>>likely would not be used on military/aviation equipment, but seem fine
>>for my project. They are waterproof. Mouser sells the components and
>>the total price per connector is about $20. There are chassis/in-line
>>and in-line/in-line connectors, so there is plenty of flexibility for
>design.
>>
>>I also found a high quality, screw-in DIN connector from Amphenol and
>>use some of these in the shack. These are also available from Mouser.
>>
>>A photo of the Bulgin and Amphenol connectors can be seen here:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00053ds.JPG
>>
>>Here is a close-up of the Amphenol, showing components and assembled
views:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00054ds.JPG
>>
>>Here is a close-up of the Bulgin components, chassis mount on left:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00055ds.JPG
>>
>>Last, here is a Bulgin assembled in-line connector:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00056ds.JPG
>>
>>
>>73, Keith NM5G
>
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