Anderson Powerpole (APP) connectors

[tino_ale]

Hi guys,

I'm just curious if any of the shop guys were familiar with these connectors ?

I'm using them for RC stuff and I think they're good connectors. One of the reasons they're appreciated by many is because you can crimp the connectors instead of soldering them. A good dedicated crimping tool costs $40 though. It takes a few seconds to make a connector that will handle dozen of amps continuous and maybe up to 200Amps peak.

HERE's a article about them.

 

[Apollo Cree]

powerwerx.com sells these connectors and a cheaper tool that works reasonably well. Soldering is also possible, but takes some finesse to not get solder in the wrong places.

They get used a lot in ham radio emergency service usage.

The fact that they're hermaphroditic has some useful properties in terms of being able to plug a battery to either a power supply or to a load.

 

[65535]

I've never cared much for them myself. But there are some definite uses for them. Generally I prefer bullet (banana) style plugs, or deans for smaller stuff.

 

[Norm]

They are the best low voltage connectors available IMHO, I use the 30A versions on all my radio gear.
Pros, polarised, no male and female, ability to make up a plug with any number of terminal, rugged, a connection can be locked by slipping a small cable tie through the holes on both connectors.
I have numerous adapters made up with a power pole on one end this allows me to connect to just about anything I come up against.

 

[KC2IXE]

Hi guys,

I'm just curious if any of the shop guys were familiar with these connectors ?
...snip....

They are considered the defacto ARES/RACES power connector in ham radio

MY page on them

http://www.thegallos.com/ppole.htm

 

[65535]

In fact, powerpoles are rated to 600V AC/DC continuous so unless you work with super high voltages they work for just about any power handling.

I've never really used them, maybe one of these days I'll have to buy some to play with.

 

[darkzero]

I remember these but I remember their name as Sermos or Litespeed Super Connectors. But who knows, my R/C days was back in the early 90's.

Although not that big of a difference I felt these were kind of bulky. I've always prefered Deans Ultra Plugs & still do. This was always for battery applications though. Not sure if the Astroflight connectors are still around but I remember they were supposed to be pretty close to the Ultra Plugs as far as performance.

 

[65535]

Yeah, I remember Sermos connectors, I think Andersons was always the manufacture, or they bought Sermos out.

For RC cars deans and 3.5mm bullet (banana) were/are king.

God I miss RC days.

 

[turbodog]

Anderson was the maker, not sermos. Sermos just re-sold them. Anderson actually makes this connector in MANY different physical and electrical sizes/ratings. They make the connector that is used for fork lift batteries as well as the connector on the APC ups supplies.

I've still got some APP/sermos/etc connectors from the late 80s and early 90s. They are stamped APP in tiny letters on the end of the device.

As I replace APC battery packs I have been nurturing a growing collection of discarded connectors (with stubby 6" leads). Just need to find a use for them now...

 

[tino_ale]

Yes in RC people, there are many debates about APP vs. Ultra Deans vs. others... I think it's a bit like nikon vs. canon, to each his own.

It seems many consider the UDeans to be electrically supperior to APP but I've never seen any proper scientific comparison, so...

I've been using ultra deans and switched to APP, so far so good. I really like the fact that they're genderless and can be made in a matter of seconds.

 

[HarryN]

I use the Astro 521, 3 pin. It made sense when I was studying them, but I don't remember the details anymore as to why. :thinking: I think part of it was avoiding cross connections.