--------------------------------------------------
From: "Carl" <km1h@jeremy.mv.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 1:27 PM
To: "Jim Thomson" <Jim.thom@telus.net>; <Amps@contesting.com>
Subject: Re: [Amps] Which HV connector to use.
> When I was selling high power parts in the 80's and 90's the Alden's far
> outsold the Millen to hams and commercial customers. At first just plugs
> and sockets were available that would take up to #18 20kv wire. Then they
> switched to a socket with a 24" #22 molded wire which was OK for most as
> the plug could still take up to #18. They had a bigger set at higher
> voltage but there was a huge price jump and I only sold those on special
> order.
## OK... But I require a lot more than a 24" pigtail. I don't want to
have to
..."splice" onto any 24" pigtail. HV supply [ xfmr + FWB] is in one
box. Filter
caps are in a 2nd box. RF deck is in a 3rd box. HV supply is across the
other
side of the basement.
>
> Ive a small box in the basement with arced Millens returned by customers.
> Examination shows that no flights of fancy with polished metal would have
> prevented failure. They were simply defective and dangerous, especially
> for 4-1000A builders. I often show these to visitors and take them to
> hamfests.
### agreed. The New Red Millens are red. The really old ones are almost
a purple colour.
The electrical power engineer's at work just laughed when I showed em a
new pair.
>
> Perhaps the manufacturing process had problems as there were 2-3 changes
> of ownership at the time.
> My Millen sales were often replacements to hams whose old ones had cracked
> or arced over decades even at modest voltages so it wasnt entirely a new
> phenonoma.
>
> I still wont use them at any more than half their ratings; Ive enough safe
> alternatives here to choose from for higher voltages.
## agreed. They work fine on my 3 x L4B's. [2650vdc no load] They were
fine
with +6900 vdc on my HB supply for 3 x years, then blamo, cut loose.
## Until I can come up with a HV connector that has strain relief, and is
safe, I will
continue to just hardwire the HV line at each end, with sta-kon's, crimped,
soldered
then bolted down with SS machine screws. Then good strain relief on the HV
wire.
It only takes 2 x mins to remove the 10-32 / 8-32 SS machine screw, IF the
HV cable
just has to be removed. This is for the HB Hv supplies + HB RF Decks.
Jim VE7RF
>
> Carl
> KM1H
>
>
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