Anderson Powerpole Connectors

Home ] Up ] [ Anderson Powerpole Connectors ] Emergency Repeater ]


These connectors are suitable for just about all 12 volt applications. There are 3 sizes available with current ratings from 15 to 45 amps. Connectors of all three sizes are compatible with each other. That is, the 15 amp connector will mate with either the 30 amp or 45 amp connectors, because they all use the same physical housings and contact design. The different current ratings are due to the different wire sizes which can be accommodated by the crimp-on contact. (There are also higher ampere-rated Powerpole connectors available but they use different sized housings and are not compatible with the 15 to 45 amp connectors).

Powerpoles have several unique features that make them ideal for radio equipment power connectors:

Powerpoles are "unisex" connectors. That is, there are no male/female pairs. One connector will naturally mate with another of the same type. This means that you don't need to buy two different types of connectors for each job. It also makes it easier to make "adapters" to other connector types since you don't need to adapt to both a male pair and a female pair. I have adapters in my kit that adapt Powerpoles to Jones connectors, banana connectors, phone-plug type power connectors, molex connectors, etc.

Powerpole connectors are polarized.  If properly assembled (see figure below), it is not possible to connect them up backwards thereby reversing the polarity.

Powerpoles slide together to make pairs or multiple-pair blocks. You can slide a red and black connector together to make a single pair, or you can slide two red/black pairs together to make a 4 connector block to handle twice as much power. I use a 4 connector block for a connector on my 12 volt batteries. That way I can plug a single 4 connector block into the battery to power a HF radio, or slide in two 2-connector pairs to power a TNC and a laptop. Many other combinations of connectors and blocks are possible.

Powerpoles are easy to assemble. No special tools are required. Simply insert the wire into the contact and crimp (I also like to solder the crimped joint for additional ruggedness). Then insert the wire and contact into the housing. When the contact is in far enough you hear and feel a "click" when the contact locks in the housing. Once the contact is locked in, it won't pull out.

Powerpole connectors are high quality.  Anderson Power, the manufacturer of Powerpole connectors is an ISO 9001 quality certified company.  The contacts are heavy copper construction with silver plating.  The housings are polycarbonate and contain a stainless steel leaf spring that tensions the contact. The 30 amp contact produces only 18 millivolts drop at full rated current!

Powerpoles plug together easily and hold firmly by the force of their spring-loaded contacts. They disconnect simply by pulling them apart. Pins and keepers are available to lock them together if you don't want them to pull apart easily once plugged in.

Powerpoles are quickly becoming the standard power connector for e-comm.  They are endorsed by a large and increasing number of ARES organizations across the country. Click on the link to see a list of some of them.  

I have been testing them myself for over a year now (as of 1/1/03) and their electrical and mechanical performance have been flawless.  I have used them in home, mobile, and field operation for HF base-station rigs, VHF mobile rigs, keyers, TNCs, HTs and laptop computers.  I've used them on 12 volt power supplies and on batteries.  The only complaint I have is that one must make a rectangular hole in order to panel-mount them.  I have yet to see one fail for any reason.

Besides the usual 12 volt power applications, I have been considering the use of Powerpoles in terminating 300 ohm twin-lead feed lines.  The size and spacing is just about right.  The rated dielectric withstand voltage is 2200 volts.  I'm currently using Molex connectors for this job but I believe the Powerpoles will have less contact resistance, and with the pins and keepers, will lock the feed-line more securely at the antenna.  They can be made weatherproof by wrapping in a suitable protective covering.

Powerpoles are available on the web from Powerwerx, and are also available at all the major hamfairs through Wes Allen, K7WWG in Beaverton, OR.  Wes Allen also takes phone orders at (503) 531-3721.

Complete electrical and mechanical specifications are available on this Anderson Power webpage.  Detailed mechanical drawings in PDF format are also available elsewhere on the Anderson Power website.

At least one company is making a high-quality power-strip using Powerpoles.  Called the "Rig Runner", it features 30 amp Powerpole connectors, power-good LEDs, with each circuit individually fused, in a rugged steel box with pre-drilled mounting tabs. The Rig Runner is available in several sizes from 5 to 12 outlets.  I've seen them at Wes Allen's table at the Rickreall hamfair and at Seaside.

Some people may find the Rig Runner to be needlessly expensive.  Before it became available I made my own 12 position fused power-strip shown on the left.  It uses the 4 connector block panel mounts also available from Powerwerx or Wes Allen.  The power-strip features 6 blocks of 2 connector pairs each for a total of 12 red/black connector pairs.  It also features an on-off switch, a single 30A fuse for the entire power-strip and a 4 foot 12 awg red/black zip-cord terminated in a 4 connector block.  I would have to say in retrospect however, that if the Rig Runner had been available sooner I would have simply purchased one instead of spending the time and effort required to make my own.


Tips on using Powerpoles

When joining a red and black connector into a red/black pair, always put the red connector on the left side and the black connector on the right side as viewed with the open end of the connector facing you and with the closed plastic tabs at the bottom, as shown in the figure below.

Use a 30 amp connector and 10 or 12 awg wire for solid state HF rigs capable of 100 watts output power.

I've found the contacts difficult to insert into the housings when used with 10 gauge wire.  It's best not to deform the contact too much when crimping.  It helps to solder the contact after crimping and before inserting into the housing because it makes the last 1/2 inch of wire stiffer and you don't need to deform the contact as much when crimping because the solder makes the connection more mechanically secure.

Use a 30 amp connector and 12 to 14 awg wire for VHF mobile rigs to 50 watts output.

Use a 15 amp connector and 16 to 18 awg wire for TNCs, keyers, laptop computers, and QRP rigs.

Keep a few housings and contacts in your ready kit.  In a pinch they can be crimped on with a pair of pliers, vice-grips, or a common automotive terminal crimper.   If securely crimped they can be used without soldering.


 
Send mail to WA6KHG with questions or comments about this web site.
Copyright © 2003 by Oregon Section ARES District 5, all rights reserved.  Permission is hereby granted to use material on this site under the following conditions: Credit must be given to The Oregon ARES District 5 Website, and a hyperlink to this site must be provided from the article in which the material is used. 

Last modified: 04/30/09