I use trailer connectors from the local NAPA auto parts store - <$6 for 6
conductors, absolutely weatherproof, and VERY sturdy.
73, Pete N4ZR
At 03:59 PM 2/26/2006, Keith Dutson wrote:
>Look again at the photo. The Bulgin has separate gold plated pins. I have
>the solder type. I bought the extractor and had to use it once. The 8 pole
>connectors are rated 5A at 125VAC, much more than needed for tower relays.
>Also, the Bulgin is sealed to IP68 when mated (continuous immersion in up to
>2 meters of water).
>
>The first tower is up and operational. No problems to date.
>
>I have not found any other connector to come close to these specs for under
>$100. Maybe you can point me in the right direction for lower priced,
>comparable connectors for my next three towers.
>
>73, Keith NM5G
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: amps-bounces@contesting.com [mailto:amps-bounces@contesting.com] On
>Behalf Of Will Matney
>Sent: Sunday, February 26, 2006 2:26 PM
>To: amps@contesting.com
>Subject: Re: [Amps] [BULK] - DIN stands for....?
>
>Keith,
>
>It's according to how many conductors you will have, and the current they
>will carry. A set of AMP connectors counting the male and female contacts,
>the plug, socket, and back ends (housings) with the clamps wouldn't be close
>to $30 I wouldn't think as I used to buy them a lot. You can also by a
>gasket for outside applications if you think it will get waterlogged where
>it's at. The thing is, the Bulgin brand is like the Amphenol in that its
>contacts are permanent inside the socket or plug. If you have a contact to
>go bad, you have to change out the whole socket/plug, pins and all. With the
>AMP, you only change out the one bad pin-contact which saves a bunch of
>money. I just looked at all these in Mouser and the AMP brand, shell style 1
>would be about what you would want using probably 18 gauge wire to control
>switching relays for your array? If so, the total components would equal in
>cost about the same as a Bulgin from what I seen except buying the tool to
>remove the contact s which was about $14. You can really remove them with a
>small piece of brass tubing just large enough to slip over the contact and
>pull the contact from the rear. The tool has a small rod inside the tubing
>that shoves it out for you like a syringe the doc uses for a shot. You don't
>need to by the solder type contacts which are a shade bit higher in price.
>Buy the crimp type, crimp them and then solder them too. That's the way I
>always did do them. You don't need to buy one of those expensive had
>crimpers either, a pair of needle nose pliars will do it. If you were going
>to mount the socket in a housing, you would by a flanged socket with the
>contact type you want, male or female. The plug requires three things, the
>plug, the contacts to mate up with the socket, and the back end with the
>cable clamp on it. You size the back end housing by the size of cable your
>running. In the specs, it will give a minimum and maximum cable diameter the
>clamp will accept. To order the Bulgin , you just need to order the two
>ends but again, cant change a bad contact. Amphenol though is way too
>expensive. Miller Electric, who makes welding machines, changed to AMP years
>ago because the Amphenol was too expensive. I think Lincoln Electric and
>ESAB started using them too, except for military equipment of special
>design. If it were me, I'd go with AMP just because of the easy fix if a
>contact ever went bad. I would much rather change out one contact and solder
>one joint than do 8-10 off a tower and pay again for a whole plug or socket.
>If you want, I can help you size these since I've used them in the past.
>
>Best,
>
>Will
>
>*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********
>
>On 2/26/06 at 12:47 PM Keith Dutson wrote:
>
>>A while back I decided to plan for a multi-2 station with at least four
>>towers. Since I am only a year away from retirement and not looking
>>forward to a lot of tower/antenna maintenance in the future, I wanted
>>to design the wiring harnesses using the best cables and connectors. A
>>search for industrial connectors for the control cables yielded the
>>type of information you have described below, Will. Most of these have
>>a price around $100 each, so one connection would be double that figure
>>- much more than I am willing to pay.
>>
>>I did, however, find an industrial quality connector made by Bulgin, a
>>British firm. The 400 series Buccaneer line is what I chose. These
>>likely would not be used on military/aviation equipment, but seem fine
>>for my project. They are waterproof. Mouser sells the components and
>>the total price per connector is about $20. There are chassis/in-line
>>and in-line/in-line connectors, so there is plenty of flexibility for
>design.
>>
>>I also found a high quality, screw-in DIN connector from Amphenol and
>>use some of these in the shack. These are also available from Mouser.
>>
>>A photo of the Bulgin and Amphenol connectors can be seen here:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00053ds.JPG
>>
>>Here is a close-up of the Amphenol, showing components and assembled views:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00054ds.JPG
>>
>>Here is a close-up of the Bulgin components, chassis mount on left:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00055ds.JPG
>>
>>Last, here is a Bulgin assembled in-line connector:
>>http://www.dutson.net/Transfer/HamRadio/Connectors/DSC00056ds.JPG
>>
>>
>>73, Keith NM5G
>
>_______________________________________________
>Amps mailing list
>Amps@contesting.com
>http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
_______________________________________________
Amps mailing list
Amps@contesting.com
http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/amps
|
