12 volt residential outlets

[Engineer Guy]

I'll echo the sentiment above against using any Plug for 2 functions. I stayed away from this potential Murphy's Law Design flaw in Sound System Design.

The classic 1/4" Phone Jacks and Plugs would be a problem because one polarity would short to the other upon insertion. Using RCAs would violate the 'Avoid Dual Use' 'Rule' above.

For capability up to a couple of Amps, why not use DC Plugs intended for DC use and get these Coaxial sets, as used on about any DC PS function? The larger diameter ones carry more current, and I find them easy enough to solder and mount. Making your own Plates would require only a Drill. You could use dielectric Plates.

DC Coaxial Plugs

[Breytie]

I do prefer the coaxial DC plugs where used as a power inlet, but as outlets they are slightly dangerous as there is no physical barrier between the two poles of the socket - any metal that gets into the opening causes shorts and sparks! And inlets would look the same as outlets as the range has no purpose designed outlets.

So far I have not seen any decent DC connector system that is available in panel mount and inline in both male and female. And affordable and compact!

[Shadow Catcher]

Here it is I have seen them for 2.50 to 5.00$


How to http://www.cloudynights.com/item.php?item_id=2412

[Breytie]

I LIKE - A LOT! Now to find a supplier in Sunny South Africa!

[eamarquardt]

I'll echo the sentiment above against using any Plug for 2 functions. I stayed away from this potential Murphy's Law Design flaw in Sound System Design.

Ditto. Someone will come along, not understand your "epiphany" on how to make things "simple" and fry something/hurt themselves.

Cheers,

Gus

[eamarquardt]

:shock: I LIKE - A LOT! Now to find a supplier in Sunny South Africa!

EBay

Cheers,

Gus

[Shadow Catcher]

or
http://www.andersonpower.com/contact/co ... ca-ad.html

[bobhenry]

Does this even look safe ????

Looks like large PA type plug on these LED kit lights on this Harbor
Freight package system. This might be an answer to the receptical
question but for some reason I am just not real comfortable with it.

My guess is if used the hot would be the tip and the ground would
be the shank ????



Standard AC switches could be used to control them or a
standard toggle type switch.

For the last 4 days I have been trying to educate myself
on the wonders of photo voltaics and I am getting more
and more confused.

For the $$$ the 45 watt Harbor Freight system looks like
a good buy.

I know, I know ( insert HF insults here ) !

I intend to be off grid with the caboose build and desire
12 volt lighting, power ventilation, and a few electronics
such as radio and TV. I am curious just how many ganged
together backup batteries this system would manage.

I have almost come to the conclusion that 2 seperate 3
panel systems with 2 sets of two deep cycle gel batteries
each would be better than trying to gang all this together.
This way I will have a totally seperate "back-up" system
and simply toggle from one feed to the other.

Just how far off track am I ???

[Shadow Catcher]

HF is never a good buy for solar. You can find good panels at less than a dollar a watt. I picked up a 144W Unisolar panel and PMW Steca (German made) controller for less than $150 including shipping. This is a special case and the panel is about 10' long flexible used on a house in place of shingles, I had to soak off the glue, but it does work well and can be rolled up and stored.
I made some serious mistakes in my ignorance i.e. the big panel mounted to CR puts out 50+ volts because it was meant for a grid tie which required a MPPT controller at more than 4X what a PMW would have cost.
You also need to do the calculations on need and understand what you can realistically expect from solar. And learn from our mistakes

[rowerwet]

I was just going to use plugs with the prongs like this ( - - ) but after reading this thread I am leaning toward plugs like this http://www.amphenolaudio.com/Amphenol_M ... e_Skt.html cheap and plenty on fleabay, as long as you don't have a budding musician around who wants to plug in their mic cable, shouldn't be a problem with the wrong thing being plugged in, and the connectors lock in, they also make flat type plugs.

[eamarquardt]

Most likely pricey and not designed for much current. These are designed for current, are increasingly as "standard" for dc connectors, and probably more "cost effective".

http://www.powerwerx.com/powerpole-power-distribution/

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Gus

[rowerwet]

personally having seen both types of connectors and checked prices the microphone plugs are much cheaper and compared to the wire diameters used in cigarette lighter powered stuff, I'll try it and see how it goes.

[Engineer Guy]

Having built Sound Systems as mentioned, I've soldered up more XLRs than I can remember.

Due to the full contact area diameter and Pin length, I'd be comfy putting ~6 Amps on a Pin. You can't beat the positive locking detent, and positive orientation that prevents mis-connects.

As you can see, there's 3 Pins used for Unbalanced Mic inputs. Also, the outer Shell is used. Std. Procedure was to connect the non-current carrying Audio Cable Shield to one end of the Audio Cable [the end going to the P.A. House Mixing Board] and leave the Cable Shield unconnected at the 'far' end by trimming it ~1/4" short. This ensures that inevitable noise captured by the Cable Shield [and/or Cable w/Foil outer Ground] gets dumped to Earth Ground. When a Shield does not also carry one side, or the negative side, of an Audio Signal, you never get Noise [+ Signal] riding in to the Board Circuitry to be amplified. This makes 'hum' pretty much impossible.

My point in this detail is that you actually have 4 'Pins' at your disposal. The +12 VDC negative [return path Ground] could ride on the XLR Case + 1 inner pin of your choice. The +12 VDC could then connect to 2 XLR inner Pins in parallel, increasing current carrying capability.

One subtle advantage is that XLR Female Pins stop a bit short of the front plane of the Connector. So, you can't 'wipe' the front of the Connector; make Pin contact; and short something somehow. The usual protocol would be to put Supply Power on the Female Connector, and the Load on the Male Connector. So, while the Male Pins can be contacted somewhat, they ought never to have +12 VDC Power on them 'just sitting around'.

XLRs also have very nice Cable Clamping Strain Relief on round Cable up to about 1/4" diameter. Maybe a smidge larger diameter... Of course, flat 'Zip' or Lamp Cord could be used, too.

I thought about XLRs when this Thread popped up, but figgered they were too 'out there' as an option for most folks [or, yes, too expensive].

You'll be in your own 'Wiring World' by using them, but they should be failure proof, for sure.