[TowerTalk] DC multi outlets

[Jim Lux]

On 1/11/14 2:35 PM, Jorge Diez - CX6VM wrote:
> Hello
>
>
>
> I need to buy a power strip, multi outlet, to connect all thing I have in my
> towers that need some voltage.
>
>
>
> I actually use this one
> http://www.vectronics.com/Product.php?productid=VEC-316 but is hard to do
> connections with fat fingers on it.
>

I use a variety of Anderson PowerPole based distribution schemes.  The 
basic connector is available in a whole lot of different current ratings.

West Mountain Radio makes a variety of fused and unfused distribution 
panels. Rigrunner 4005, etc.

PowerWerx.com has been a good vendor for me
http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-power-distribution/
I get my West Mountain stuff from them (as well as the connectors)..

A crimper for the inserts is nice, but not essential.  For field work, I 
improvise with a pair of pliers, and then solder. Yes, I know that 
soldering connectors designed to be crimped is a bad idea: but using a 
non-standard crimper isn't ideal either.

I will say, though, once you have a crimper, you'll wonder why you ever 
fooled with anything else:  If you don't crimp them perfectly (i.e. they 
squash out a bit) then it's hard to get the insert into the housing, so 
you wind up doing multiple squeezes with the pliers, etc.)


If you want to use binding post/banana plugs..  Get the dual plugs, that 
makes life a lot easier.  We use hundreds of them at work for 
breadboards, and typically we put a diode (1n540x) reverse biased across 
them so that if you plug it in backwards, your exotic microwave circuit 
doesn't vanish in a puff of smoke.

THere are two flavors of banana plugs: solder and screw connectors.. 
They're both ok, but a bit of loctite on the screw is a good idea. 
Solder is better, but I find them hard to assemble properly.  The techs 
at work, though, don't seem to have any problem.




There's a fair number of other companies that make them as well.  You 
can get ones with 19" rack mount ears (very convenient for repeaters 
where everything is in a rack).



>
>
> Any suggestion about something similar? Maybe something that use a
> connector/plug on the cables so will be easy to connect to the outlet
>