I suggest Powerpole connectors, since they are becoming quite
popular among hams active with RACES and ARES. One source
is http://www.powerwerx.com/ (the 15/30/45 ampere model;
the shells are all the same and the metal insert is chosen based on
wire size).

Note that the crimp connector from Anderson is expensive.
Powerwerx suggests a GB crip tool, which I have. It tends
to make the metal pieces a bit too wide, so you have to
squeeze them with pliers to make them fit into the shell.
You might want to solder them, if you're good at that.

73
de WY2Y

"KC4UAI" wrote in message
...

It's not been an issue for me until this Christmas when my wife
decided to get me a VHF/UHF mobile rig. I've been using an older Icom
2 meter rig in both the cars for years so both cars have Icom power
cables in place, but the new rig doesn't use the same power
connectors.

I'd like to settle on a common power connector for both the radios,
but I'm not all that sure where to go to find something that is
reasonably priced and is not going to disappear in the future and
force me to go out and buy all new connectors again.

I figured I'd not remove any of the existing connectors on the radios,
but build up short jumpers that adapt to the connector of choice. I
also figured that I'd use the existing power wires by replacing the
current Icom power connector with what ever I pick.

Any suggestions on what to use and where to get them?

-= bob =-

On Sat, 22 Dec 2007 18:18:30 EST, "Geber"
wrote:

Note that the crimp connector from Anderson is expensive.
Powerwerx suggests a GB crip tool, which I have. It tends
to make the metal pieces a bit too wide, so you have to
squeeze them with pliers to make them fit into the shell.
You might want to solder them, if you're good at that.

You might want to use the correct tool - the West Mountain ratchet
crimper. I invested in one of those several years ago and consider it
one of my best tool investments in all the years.
--

73 de K2ASP - Phil Kane

From a Clearing in the Silicon Forest
Beaverton (Washington County) Oregon

e-mail: k2asp [at] arrl [dot] net

In article ,
Phil Kane wrote:
Note that the crimp connector from Anderson is expensive.
Powerwerx suggests a GB crip tool, which I have. It tends
to make the metal pieces a bit too wide, so you have to
squeeze them with pliers to make them fit into the shell.
You might want to solder them, if you're good at that.

You might want to use the correct tool - the West Mountain ratchet
crimper. I invested in one of those several years ago and consider it
one of my best tool investments in all the years.

Do you know whether the die (anvil-and-punch) sets for the PowerPole
connectors are available separately? There are several brands of
ratchet crimper handles which take interchangeable die sets (Ideal and
Paladin among others). I've got one such, and I'd rather spend $25 or
so on a die set to add to my collection rather than buying a whole new
set of handles.


--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Friends of Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 19:08:28 -0500, Dave Platt wrote:

Do you know whether the die (anvil-and-punch) sets for the PowerPole
connectors are available separately? There are several brands of
ratchet crimper handles which take interchangeable die sets (Ideal and
Paladin among others). I've got one such, and I'd rather spend $25 or
so on a die set to add to my collection rather than buying a whole new
set of handles.

The dies are removable on the West Mountain crimper (I just checked), but

it is a different style handle than the RF Industries Handle I have at
work. I didn't try to see if they would interchange and I don't know if
WMR would sell the dies seperately. I recall paying about $50 for the
WMR crimper from Powerwerx.

The WMR crimper gives a perfect crimp so long as the handles aren't
squeezed beyond the point where the ratchet releases.

73, de Nate

--

"The optimist proclaims that we live in the best of all possible worlds,
the pessimist fears this is true."