Power Pole Connectors

[KA2ODP/7]

Last week at the monthly meeting for the Great Falls Area Amateur Radio Club (GFAARC) we had a demonstration by Evan (W7ETY) on how to install Anderson "Power Pole" connectors. He used a small butane-powered torch to solder the contacts onto the wire, before they were inserted into the plastic housing.

For those not familiar with Anderson "Power Pole" connectors, they are red/black connectors that you attach to the 12-volt DC power cord of your radio equipment. Various manufacturers make DC outlet strips with Power Pole connectors that can be wired to a centralized 12-volt DC power supply on your radio desk. Connecting your radio equipment to the 12-volt power supply is now just a matter of plugging it in to the 12-volt DC outlet strip (similar to plugging in an AC powered device into the common AC "outlet strip"). No more messing with binding posts or ring terminals! Plus, if you need to move equipment around or borrow it for field day, just unplug it from the power strip and go. When you return, just plug it right back in to the power strip and you are done.

I have attached a few articles about the Power Pole connector if anyone is interested in learning more about them and how to install them. There are two methods: soldering and crimping. While crimping works, you have to be careful not to crimp so hard that you flatten out the contact (as happens with regular crimp terminals). If the Power Pole contact is flattened too much, it will not fit inside the plastic housing. There are several crimp tools available that will allow you to crimp the terminal without flattening it. Because of this problem, you cannot use the standard crimp tool used for crimp terminals. Likewise with the soldering method, care must be taken to avoid an excess amount of solder on the finished terminal. Too much solder will also increase the diameter of the terminal, preventing it from fitting inside the plastic housing.

For those who are interested in obtaining Anderson Power Pole connectors, GFAARC has a number on hand. Please see the posting in "The Swap Meet" section of this forum site. Scroll down to "For Sale (Ham Related Only") and select the posting titled "Power Pole Connectors for Sale".