Anderson Power Poles ????

[kyleservicetech]

Little history here:
The company I worked for for 45 years used these type connectors in our $$$$ controls and high voltage (38KV) breakers for decades. Our usage rate is on the order of thousands per month through out several different product lines.

I ordered these connectors and their respective pins for home use several years ago, and have been using them ever since. The exact part numbers of the pins and connector shells were taken off the companies SAP computer records.

But, stock is running somewhat low, so it was time to re-order the connectors and their pins.

Lo and behold, could not find them anywhere. Finally wound up buying 100 pins and an assortment of shells from www.Powerwerx.com. These parts from Powerwrex are not the same item. The original pins in the connectors from where I work are 0.035 inches thick, Powerwrex (and everyone else) measure 0.025 inches thick. I've measured the contact resistance of both connectors, the Powerwrex units measure about 30% higher in DC resistance. It should be noted that many of the suppliers such as Digikey, Mouser and similar show similar photos to the attachment on this thread. But, if you drill down to the vendors supply info, you get the thinner pins.

Finally, found and ordered some pins from Allied Electronics, www.alliedelec.com that have just arrived. These pins are the 0.035 inch thick pins same as used where I worked. These pins are notably heavier than the standard items.

Here is where it gets sticky. The Allied Electronics part number is #512-8991, with Amp/Tyco part 53892-4. That Amp/Tyco part number is the same part number used by the other suppliers with thinner contacts.

The part number I ordered from Allied Electronics is per below, the 45 ampere contact. Allied currently has about 5000 45 Amp pins in stock.
http://www.alliedelec.com/search/pro...px?SKU=5128991

Also note that even though the Anderson Power Pole assemblies will plug into the Amp Tyco connector from Allied Electronics, the pins and shells must both be from the same supplier. You can not put an Allied pin into a Powerwrex connector, or vice-versa. FYI, the Powerwrex crimper works just fine on both type pins.

Take a look at the attached photos I took of the two different pins. It looks like if the supplier does not specify the thickness of the pin at 0.035 inches with silver plating on copper pins, you will get the thinner pin.

So I don't know what's going on here. If anyone has any ideas, would be good to respond to this thread.

(Photos by Kyleservicetech with my Cannon SX20IS camera.)

[Wildflyer]

Probably someone in China, told someone here, "Oh yes they are fully compatible"

I can see the difference, I will watch to find the ones where the center tabs are not bent up. If you found higher resistance in the thinner ones, it is unlikely they will carry 45 amps.

Not everyone is as careful as you are, Denny
Thanks for the heads up.

[Sir Crash-A-Lot]

Actually the 15, 30, and 45 amp Anderson Power Poles have bee tested up to 200 amps. I can tell you I have the 45 amp ones on a 50cc Extra that uses 12 cell lipos and draws 100 amps without any issues at all. The connectors have NEVER even gotten warm to the touch.

A couple good links as well:

http://www.westmountainradio.com/con...?page=optipsrr

http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t659659p1/

Mike

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Sir Crash-A-Lot

Actually the 15, 30, and 45 amp Anderson Power Poles have bee tested up to 200 amps. I can tell you I have the 45 amp ones on a 50cc Extra that uses 12 cell lipos and draws 100 amps without any issues at all. The connectors have NEVER even gotten warm to the touch.

A couple good links as well:

http://www.westmountainradio.com/con...?page=optipsrr

http://rc.runryder.com/helicopter/t659659p1/

Mike

Hi Mike
What makes these connectors so suitable for our purpose is the manner that we are using them. Normally the "Good" manufacturing companies specify their equipment by running heat runs on them. These heat runs are likely conducted inside a metal or plastic wiring enclosure with little or no air circulation. Those heat runs can last for hours, or even days depending on the supplier.

With this test, the connector temperature is not allowed to rise above certain limits.

If you put these connectors inside a small sealed plastic electrical box, and try to run a continuous 75 Amps (for example) through them for five days, you'd likely run into serious melt down problems.

But, we are running these connectors for brief periods of time, on the order of minutes. On top of that, we've generally got a blast of air flowing through the model and these connectors, keeping temperature rise very low.

Before retiring, company I worked for would run heat runs on 800 Ampere three phase 38KV circuit breakers. These units would about a hundred temperature sensing thermocouples inside the unit to measure just about every surface that might be an issue. Typical heat runs would be several weeks.

[breck]

I am a complete power pole fan. After suffering with Deans I got the West Mountain Radio tool and have never looked back. They are far superior for my very dirty environments than Deans, XT60's and the like.

Please tell me that the original manufacturer is still making them.

Breck

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by breck

I am a complete power pole fan. After suffering with Deans I got the West Mountain Radio tool and have never looked back. They are far superior for my very dirty environments than Deans, XT60's and the like.

Please tell me that the original manufacturer is still making them.

Breck

I did send an inquiry to Allied Electronics about this terminal. Allied responded that they will continue to supply this exact pin as long as their supplier makes them.

Right now, Allied has some 5000 pins in stock. I've ordered 100 of the pins, and still had 50 of the original pins in stock for 150 pins total.

Also have 100 of the lighter gauge pins from Anderson Power Poles.

[breck]

I am just a bit confused. Apologies. Has Anderson licensed production to other manufactures? A brief check at West Mountain Radio reveals apparent availability
of the 30A connectors:

http://www.westmountainradio.com/pro..._id=pp_lock_12

Are they too expensive?

Breck

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by breck

I am just a bit confused. Apologies. Has Anderson licensed production to other manufactures? A brief check at West Mountain Radio reveals apparent availability
of the 30A connectors:

http://www.westmountainradio.com/pro..._id=pp_lock_12

Are they too expensive?

Breck

I'm not certain who supplies who, or who came first in this product line.

Amp has been a major supplier of a wide variety of connectors of all types for many decades. Amp has been supplying their version of the Anderson Power Pole for some 30 years. (That's when the company I worked for before retiring came out with one of the worlds first computerized circuit breaker controls that actually survived while controlling a high voltage circuit breaker that can get a direct hit by lightning.) Its 16 ampere hour, 24 volt DC backup power lead acid battery used that AMP connector back in the early 1980's. They are still using it by the thousands every month to this day.)

At any rate, IMHO, the Anderson Power Pole connector they are currently selling is of a lower quality than the original AMP connectors. I'll save my 100 APP pins for low current non critical applications. Take a look at the photos of posting #1 of this thread of the two different connector pins.

[Larry3215]

Denny, which housings go with the Allied contacts?

Have you tried crimping the Allied contacts using the Power Werks $40 crimper?

Im wondering if those Alied contacts are the same as the old Sermos connecters that are no longer available?

[kyleservicetech]

Originally Posted by Larry3215

Denny, which housings go with the Allied contacts?

Have you tried crimping the Allied contacts using the Power Werks $40 crimper?

Im wondering if those Alied contacts are the same as the old Sermos connecters that are no longer available?

Hi Larry
Take a look at the Allied page below: You need the Series I terminals and housings. (I've got the Series II terminals for other uses, that thing is twice as long, twice as thick, twice as wide)

http://www.alliedelec.com/catalog/pf.aspx?FN=300.pdf

I've crimped both the cheaper Anderson Power Pole connectors and the Amp terminals in this thread with the same $39 crimper. Works just fine on both of them. Only issue is the plastic alignment fitting on the back side of the $39 crimper. I just took it off.

Note that a wide variety of colors are available.

Can't comment on the Sermos connectors, never had one in my hands.

This terminal/housing from Allied is the same unit we used at work by the thousands. Very few, if any problems with them.

[Larry3215]

Thanks Denny!