[Amps] Which HV connector to use.

[Jim Thomson]

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From: "Carl" <km1h at jeremy.mv.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2010 1:27 PM
To: "Jim Thomson" <Jim.thom at telus.net>; <Amps at 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
>
>