Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers
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Hi
I use or have adapted everything in my shack that uses 13.8 volts to PowerPoles. I have several RigRunners and have bought several pre-assembled cables from West Mountain Radio as well as made up bunch of them myself. The convention used is "TOP RED RIGHT" meaning when looking into the connector with the metal contacts at the TOP, horizontal and side by side, the RED connector is on the RIGHT. PowerPoles are unisex so the same orientation is used for all connectors. This is the same convention used by Elecraft on the KPA100 and the XVxxx transverters as well as the RigRunner products. I thought at one time you could put them together several ways but after experimenting with them I have found they can only be assembled two ways and have the dovetails fit and the polarity the same on all sets of connectors. The first way is the standard Elecraft and RigRunner uses. This is the TOP RED RIGHT with the blades of the contacts horizontal side by side. The only other way to assemble them is to have the blade of the contact one over the other with the red on top. If you try to assemble them with the black on the right in the first method or the black on the top in the second the red and black do not mate with proper color when the connectors are plugged into another connector. Any other combination and the dovetails do not match or the connectors will not plug together. The second assembly method could be useful where you would not want to plug something into your radio that could be confused. An example would be a solar panel that needs to connect to a controller first then the controller output would have the standard configuration to connect to the battery and/or RigRunner. I have soldered them and crimped them with the $10 GB tool. I prefer to crimp them although the GB tool is a little tricky to use. I have made up probably close to a hundred of them for myself and others. At HamCom this year I bought the proper ratcheting hand crimper. It is about $50. This is the way to go. It really does a nice job and it works on 15, 30 and 45 amp contacts. I am glad I added this tool to my collection of crimpers. Soldering IS ok if you don't have the tools but the correct tool does a better job. Don Brown KD5NDB _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers-- more
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Hi
After experimenting a little more it now appears there is only one way the PowerPoles will assemble so the dovetails fit, the polarity matches, the connectors will plug together and they are unisex. That is the way Electaft and RigRunner configure them. A little better way to remember the correct configuration is "TERMINAL TOP RED RIGHT" or TTRR. The second method of configuring them I mentioned in the post below works except the red and black needs to be reversed on the mating connector, so they are NOT unisex. This still could be useful in some applications like the solar panel example below. Something else you can do with the PowerPole connectors. The little roll pin is not recommended to lock the connectors together. It tends to loosen with age and will fall out, maybe into a place where it could short out something. A drop of super glue on the dovetail works better and leaves the little hole open so you can lock two cables together with a piece of hookup wire passed through the two holes and twisted a couple of times. This way you can connect two cables together and not have them pull apart if someone tugs on the cable but can still disconnect the connectors by removing the hookup wire lock. The more I look at the PowerPole design the more I appreciate the engineering that went into them. Don Brown KD5NDB ----- Original Message ----- From: Don Brown<mailto:[hidden email]> To: Elecraft<mailto:[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 10:02 AM Subject: [Elecraft] Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers Hi I use or have adapted everything in my shack that uses 13.8 volts to PowerPoles. I have several RigRunners and have bought several pre-assembled cables from West Mountain Radio as well as made up bunch of them myself. The convention used is "TOP RED RIGHT" meaning when looking into the connector with the metal contacts at the TOP, horizontal and side by side, the RED connector is on the RIGHT. PowerPoles are unisex so the same orientation is used for all connectors. This is the same convention used by Elecraft on the KPA100 and the XVxxx transverters as well as the RigRunner products. I thought at one time you could put them together several ways but after experimenting with them I have found they can only be assembled two ways and have the dovetails fit and the polarity the same on all sets of connectors. The first way is the standard Elecraft and RigRunner uses. This is the TOP RED RIGHT with the blades of the contacts horizontal side by side. The only other way to assemble them is to have the blade of the contact one over the other with the red on top. If you try to assemble them with the black on the right in the first method or the black on the top in the second the red and black do not mate with proper color when the connectors are plugged into another connector. Any other combination and the dovetails do not match or the connectors will not plug together. The second assembly method could be useful where you would not want to plug something into your radio that could be confused. An example would be a solar panel that needs to connect to a controller first then the controller output would have the standard configuration to connect to the battery and/or RigRunner. I have soldered them and crimped them with the $10 GB tool. I prefer to crimp them although the GB tool is a little tricky to use. I have made up probably close to a hundred of them for myself and others. At HamCom this year I bought the proper ratcheting hand crimper. It is about $50. This is the way to go. It really does a nice job and it works on 15, 30 and 45 amp contacts. I am glad I added this tool to my collection of crimpers. Soldering IS ok if you don't have the tools but the correct tool does a better job. Don Brown KD5NDB _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]> You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft<http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm<http://mailman.qth.net/subscribershtm> Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com<http://www.elecraft.com/> _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers-- more
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I have found the Saratoga APP products nice for portable use. They have
a 4-connector fused distributor that fits in the palm of your hand and an 8-way one I use at home. They are much smaller than thr WMR products, if you need only 4 or 8 APPs. They sell them at http://hamstop.com -- I have seen the folks at a couple of hamfests and they're helpful. 73, WA5ZNU Leigh _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers
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In reply to this post by Don Brown-4
Hi
Well you need to buy some more so you can build up a few spare 3-4 foot PP to PP power cables, several PP to Elecraft round barrel connectors, a PP to large battery clips, PP to banana plugs for a power supply or add PP pigtails to all of your power supplies. My bench supply has two cables connected to it with a round barrel connector and a 12 Ga wire with a PowerPole on the end. I can power a K1, KX1, K2 or a K2/100 with this setup. You may also want a 3 or 4 way Y PP cable. If you use solar panels then a 50-100 foot 12 ga cable with PP on each end so you can set up your panel out in the clear. I also found a little clamp on goose neck lamp at Office Depot for $10 that had a 12 volt wall wart transformer. I cut the wire and installed PPs on each end. Now I can use the transformer or plug it into my RigRunner for a portable desk lamp when running on battery/solar power. You may also want a PP to cigarette lighter plug. If you use a laptop with a 12 volt cigarette lighter plug adapter then you may want to build up a PP to cigarette socket so you can run your laptop portable. There are probably dozens of other uses but this should use the better part of a 50 piece package so you can better justify that crimper You bought. Don Brown KD5NDB ----- Original Message ----- From: WQ8Q<mailto:[hidden email]> To: Don Brown<mailto:[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 12:46 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers Hi, Don . . . I got caught up in the moment and bought the $50 crimpers AND a Rigrunner at Dayton . . . and all the way home wondered why I spent the money . . . then when I got home I converted all of my cables to the powerpoles and now wouldn't part with that crimper now for anything! What a great tool - and now everything's running off the powerpole and the wiring in the shack looks extra "neat" for a change! The only sad part is that I've "crimped" every cable I could find onto powerpoles and now have none left to play with! 73 de Rick, WQ8Q _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Don Brown-4
Better than soldering, Don?
Stan Rife WD5EWA Houston, TX K2 S/N 4216 -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Don Brown Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 10:03 AM To: Elecraft Subject: [Elecraft] Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers Hi I use or have adapted everything in my shack that uses 13.8 volts to PowerPoles. I have several RigRunners and have bought several pre-assembled cables from West Mountain Radio as well as made up bunch of them myself. The convention used is "TOP RED RIGHT" meaning when looking into the connector with the metal contacts at the TOP, horizontal and side by side, the RED connector is on the RIGHT. PowerPoles are unisex so the same orientation is used for all connectors. This is the same convention used by Elecraft on the KPA100 and the XVxxx transverters as well as the RigRunner products. I thought at one time you could put them together several ways but after experimenting with them I have found they can only be assembled two ways and have the dovetails fit and the polarity the same on all sets of connectors. The first way is the standard Elecraft and RigRunner uses. This is the TOP RED RIGHT with the blades of the contacts horizontal side by side. The only other way to assemble them is to have the blade of the contact one over the other with the red on top. If you try to assemble them with the black on the right in the first method or the black on the top in the second the red and black do not mate with proper color when the connectors are plugged into another connector. Any other combination and the dovetails do not match or the connectors will not plug together. The second assembly method could be useful where you would not want to plug something into your radio that could be confused. An example would be a solar panel that needs to connect to a controller first then the controller output would have the standard configuration to connect to the battery and/or RigRunner. I have soldered them and crimped them with the $10 GB tool. I prefer to crimp them although the GB tool is a little tricky to use. I have made up probably close to a hundred of them for myself and others. At HamCom this year I bought the proper ratcheting hand crimper. It is about $50. This is the way to go. It really does a nice job and it works on 15, 30 and 45 amp contacts. I am glad I added this tool to my collection of crimpers. Soldering IS ok if you don't have the tools but the correct tool does a better job. Don Brown KD5NDB _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers
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Hi
Yes it is a well known fact that a properly made crimp connection is more reliable and can be made more consistently than a soldered connection (as well as faster). The problem with soldering is it takes skill while the crimp connection does not. Another problem with soldering is the solder will wick up under the insulation and over time may make the wire brittle causing it to break at the solder connection. I have also seen flux that wicks up under the insulation attract moisture and corrode up under the insulation. Over time the wire disintegrates. These problems are rare but do happen. When I say a properly made crimp I am talking about the tools with the correct die for the contact and the ratchet mechanism so the crimper will not release until the proper pressure has been applied. These tools cost between $50 and $250. The cheap $10 tools will not make a good crimp unless you know what you are doing and then it may be a two or three step process. If you do not have the proper crimper then soldering is about the only way to do it. BTW wire wrap is also more reliable than soldered connections for the same reasons. Again soldering requires a certain amount of skill to make consistent connections. While wire wrap the skill is in the design of the tool. Anybody can make reliable connections with no skill required and 5 minutes of instruction. This was one of the reasons Digital Equipment built wire wrap back planes in their computers up through the 80's Don Brown KD5NDB ----- Original Message ----- From: Stan Rife<mailto:[hidden email]> To: [hidden email]<mailto:[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 1:53 PM Subject: RE: [Elecraft] Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers Better than soldering, Don? Stan Rife WD5EWA Houston, TX K2 S/N 4216 _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers
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Here is a link to some interesting info on powerpole crimping:
http://www.connex-electronics.com/?url=/html/products/anderson/powerpole/pp_main.html 73, Tony W7GO _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
Re: Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers
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In reply to this post by Don Brown-4
Go to the "other tools" folder
----- Original Message ----- From: "Tony Morgan" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 2:49 PM Subject: Re: [Elecraft] Kpa100, powerpoles and crimpers > Here is a link to some interesting info on powerpole crimping: > http://www.connex-electronics.com/?url=/html/products/anderson/powerpole/pp_main.html > > 73, > Tony W7GO > > _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
New Solar Powered QRP Station on the air!
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OK, this is off-topic, so I'll keep it brief.
AMSAT-OSCAR Echo was launched from the Baikonur Cosomodrome in Kazakhstan on 2004 June 29 at 0630 UTC, inserted into orbit at 0645, and first communications were established at 1452 when it passed over the US in range of the command station(s). Echo is an Amateur radio communications satellite, supporting simultaneous voice (FM) and digital modes. Details at www.amsat.org You can uplink to Echo once it is commissioned (1 to 3 weeks, probably) using an XV144. Downlink is on 70 cm, so you'll have to wait for the XV430 (no this is not a product announcement!), or on S-band, which can feed into your XV144 (see, I did get it to on-topic :-) Yes, I am excited. I designed the flight computer in this spacecraft, participated in the design of many other subsystems, and was part of the launch integration team at Baikonur just over a week ago. -Lyle KK7P _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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Lyle,
Congratulations to you and all the team. Great job! Signal reports are already coming in and the satellite looks like it's doing great so far. Let's get some of those Elecraft transverters working the sat! 73 and thanks, Ed Long WA4SWJ Editor, The AMSAT Journal K2 #2078 ---- From: "Lyle Johnson" <[hidden email]> To: <[hidden email]> Subject: [Elecraft] New Solar Powered QRP Station on the air! Date: Tue, 29 Jun 2004 08:35:17 -0700 OK, this is off-topic, so I'll keep it brief. AMSAT-OSCAR Echo was launched from the Baikonur Cosomodrome in Kazakhstan on 2004 June 29 at 0630 UTC, inserted into orbit at 0645, and first communications were established at 1452 when it passed over the US in range of the command station(s). Echo is an Amateur radio communications satellite, supporting simultaneous voice (FM) and digital modes. Details at www.amsat.org You can uplink to Echo once it is commissioned (1 to 3 weeks, probably) using an XV144. Downlink is on 70 cm, so you'll have to wait for the XV430 (no this is not a product announcement!), or on S-band, which can feed into your XV144 (see, I did get it to on-topic :-) Yes, I am excited. I designed the flight computer in this spacecraft, participated in the design of many other subsystems, and was part of the launch integration team at Baikonur just over a week ago. -Lyle KK7P _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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In reply to this post by Lyle Johnson-7
Congratulations Lyle!!! I need to get my Sat station back
operational. I miss working the Sats...It's been about 6 or seven years. Stan Rife WD5EWA Houston, TX K2 S/N 4216 -----Original Message----- From: [hidden email] [mailto:[hidden email]] On Behalf Of Lyle Johnson Sent: Tuesday, June 29, 2004 10:35 AM To: [hidden email] Subject: [Elecraft] New Solar Powered QRP Station on the air! OK, this is off-topic, so I'll keep it brief. AMSAT-OSCAR Echo was launched from the Baikonur Cosomodrome in Kazakhstan on 2004 June 29 at 0630 UTC, inserted into orbit at 0645, and first communications were established at 1452 when it passed over the US in range of the command station(s). Echo is an Amateur radio communications satellite, supporting simultaneous voice (FM) and digital modes. Details at www.amsat.org You can uplink to Echo once it is commissioned (1 to 3 weeks, probably) using an XV144. Downlink is on 70 cm, so you'll have to wait for the XV430 (no this is not a product announcement!), or on S-band, which can feed into your XV144 (see, I did get it to on-topic :-) Yes, I am excited. I designed the flight computer in this spacecraft, participated in the design of many other subsystems, and was part of the launch integration team at Baikonur just over a week ago. -Lyle KK7P _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com _______________________________________________ Elecraft mailing list Post to: [hidden email] You must be a subscriber to post to the list. Subscriber Info (Addr. Change, sub, unsub etc.): http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/elecraft Help: http://mailman.qth.net/subscribers.htm Elecraft web page: http://www.elecraft.com |
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