[TowerTalk] PowerPole connectors

[Jim Lux]

On 11/17/14, 3:25 PM, Bill Turner wrote:
> ------------ ORIGINAL MESSAGE ------------(may be snipped)
>
> On Mon, 17 Nov 2014 15:31:59 -0600, Kelly wrote:
>
>>
>> DX Engineering is selling Powerpoles for $12.95 for a pack of 20.
>> Price is hardly a deal-breaker.
>> 73, kellyve4xt
>
> REPLY:
>
> That particular connector is not too expensive, but some others are.
> About a year or so ago I went looking for a splitter type PowerPole
> for my K3 and it was about $20 for a single one.

Yes, but that's a specialized adapter.  Think of it as a custom cable 
with 3 connectors and you're paying for the fabrication of the cable, 
not the raw connector cost.  If you were paying for labor, on a one-off, 
giving someone a sketch of what you wanted, you *might* be able to get 
it done for $5-10 in labor (depending on labor overheads, etc.).  I'll 
bet it costs a lot less if you're a PowerWerx and assembling dozens at a 
crack.

It is true that a "multi-way" connector is easier to do with ringlugs 
(depending on how much clearance you have and how big your barrier strip 
is, etc.  I've stacked 3 lugs on one screw, but that's about the limit).

My usual expedient multiway PP solution is to take 2 short PP jumpers (I 
have a lot of 2 foot PP jumpers around), cut them in half, and use 
wirenuts to join the 4 reds and 4 blacks.  That gives me a 1:3 breakout.