Standardized DC Power Connector

For Amateur Radio and Professional Use

Colorado ARES has designated the Anderson Powerpole as the standard DC power connector for use by all ARES districts to standardize connectors. The ARRL has also recommended this connector. Some of the advantages of this connector over the previously used Molex (Radio Shack) connector are it's color coding as well as the varity of power sizes the connector can be used for - up to 45 amps. Using this standard, highly reliable connector allows quick and easy installation and substitution of radios, power supplies, batteries, and other equipment.

NOTE : Housings should be mated according to the diagram above, viewing from the contact side (opposite the wire side), tongue down, hood up, RED on the LEFT, BLACK on the RIGHT. Use a 3/32-inch-diameter roll pin, 1/4 inch long, to keep the housings from sliding apart.

Either the 15-ampere or 30-ampere sizes may be used, and both sizes mate with each other. The plastic parts are the same for both sizes. The barrel area (which holds the wire) of the 15-ampere silver-plated contact is smaller than that of the 30-ampere contact, but the contact area is the same. The connectors dovetail together into a compact unit. Highly conductive silver-plated copper contacts allow minimal contact resistance at high currents. Self-wiping action on make and break keeps conducting surfaces clean. Contact dents keep connectors mated in high-vibration applications and provide quick-break, snap action upon disconnect.

Noncorrosive stainless-steel leaf springs maintain constant contact pressure—ideal for frequent connections/disconnections and intermittent overloading. Durable, high impact-resistant, polycarbonate housing with UL94V-2 flammability ratings comes in many colors for circuit traceability and coding.

Identical connector halves are genderless—making assembly quick and easy and reducing the number of parts stocked. Molded-in dovetails allow for a customized harness in a variety of configurations. When the connectors are disconnected, no metal parts are exposed.

The 15-ampere contacts are designed for 16-20 AWG wire and the 30-ampere contacts are designed for 12-16 AWG wire. The contacts can be soldered or crimped to wires. A crimping tool is available from Anderson. It is also recommended that the connectors be soldered to further insure conductivity and strength. After a contact has been attached to a wire, it should be installed into the housing so that the housing spring mates with the underside of the contact.

To remove a contact from the housing, use Anderson insertion/extraction tool #111038G2. You may also substitute a very small blade (jeweler's screwdriver or X-acto knife) to depress the spring, allowing the contact to be removed.

Here are the Anderson part numbers:

30 A Black Red

Complete Connector #1330G4 #1330

Housing #1327G6 #1327

Contact #1331 #1331

Roll Pin #110G16 #110G16

The connectors can be panel mounted with clamp receptacles, consisting of two aluminum plates (Anderson part #1462G1), notched to hold the plastic housings when they are dovetailed together.

The plastic housings come in other colors also. Red and black are suggested for standard dc connectors (red as positive and black as negative).

Anderson Power Products Web Site: http://www.andersonpower.com/

Sources of Anderson Powerpoles:

Allied Electronics
Tel: 800-433-5700
Parts #803-0100, 803-0108, 803-0125, 803-0164
http://www.allied.avnet.com/

Cable X-Perts
416 Diens Drive, Wheeling, IL 60090
Tel: 800-828-3340 (orders only) or (847)520-3003
Fax: (847) 520-3444
http://www.cablexperts.com/
mailto:cxp@ix.netcom.com

D&L Antenna Supply Co.
3410 Gibbs Rd, Kansas City, KS 66106-3308
Tel: 800-965-8880 (orders only) or (913) 677-8674
Fax: 800-219-9392 (orders only) or (913)-677-2648
http://www.wavehunter.com/
dandl@birch.net

DC Power
2870 S.W. 199th Place, Aloha, Oregon 97006
Tel: (503)649-3295
http://www.dcpwr.com/
wesa@dnc.net

Ford Electronics, Inc.
8431 Commonwealth, Buena Park, CA 90621-2594
Tel: (714) 521-8080
Fax: (714) 521-8920
http://fordelectronics.com/
sales@fordel.com

Richard Heryford, WD6ESZ
1175 Baker Street, Bldg. D-13, Apt #210, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
Tel: (714) 851-8176
mailto:wd6esz@quick.net

PowerWerx.com
401 S. Harbor Blvd., F-320, La Habra, CA 90631
Tel: (714) 570-3303
Fax: (714) 990-5532
http://www.powerwerx.com/
info@powerwerx.com

Another Connector Standard:
This was chosen due to its readily availability in local stores. There are other, better type of connectors available, but not as readily available. The positive lead (red wire) shall be connected to the pointed end. All Power will be terminated in a Female Connector. This type of connector is readily available at Radio Shack as Heavy Duty 20 amp rating. The price is about 99 cents each.

The standard low current (<8 amp) SRA DC power connector is two pin molex crimp/solder connector available and any Radio Shack for about $1 each. These connectors are Radio Shack Cat. No. 274-222, "2-Conductor Male/Female Molded Nylon Connector Pair With 0.093" crimp terminals."  Each package contains two connector housings, one plug and one receptacle making up one pair of connectors.

Power Source	Load
Female RS 274-154	Male RS 274-151

 

This connector has been a long-time standard connector used by the ARRL and many ARES and RACES organizations. 

Here are the Molex and Digi-Key numbers:

• Plug Housing: 03-09-2021, Digi-Key WM13505-ND
  

• Receptacle Housing: 03-09-1027, Digi-Key WM1304-ND
  
• Male Terminal: 02-09-2103, Digi-Key WM1100-ND
  
• Female Terminal: 02-09-1104, Digi-Key WM1101-ND

#18AWG wire size is recommended.

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