| N4BFD |
Rating:  |
2008-10-13 | |
| Garbage. |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
I can't believe these things are some sort of A.R.E.S. standard. What a joke, the standard T connector that comes on most VHF/UHF radios is ten times better... and guess what, it is probably already on your rig!
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| K5NT |
Rating: |
2008-10-10 | |
| A Great Product |
Time Owned: 0 to 3 months. |
| I just completed converting my home station over to battery power using the West Mountain Radio 4012. I had no problem installing the connectors, using the crimper sold by West Mountain. Since tolerances inside the plastic housings are small, I would hesitate to use the solder method of installation. All connections are tight and secure. If I were using them in an evironment where vibration was present, as in a mobile installation, I would take the extra step of securing the attachments somehow. Several methods have been described, and Anderson makes an inexpensive clip for the purpose. |
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| N0ANE |
Rating: |
2008-09-07 | |
| Miles of use |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
It seems amazing how many different experiences these connectors bring.
Our club uses them for everything, new rigs and old. I have them set them up for every mobile application with well over 150,000 miles of use and and always find snug connectors. I don't use any means of securing them and they stay rock solid. That has been in HF as well as VHF/UHF applications.
I build up a harness in my vehicles as well as the shack with plenty of connectors ready to use. They have been reliable and cost effective. Gone are the days of incompatible DC connectors. If someone brings a rig to me I can plug it in and go.
I was disappointed with a cheaper crimping tool and found inconsistent results. The best installation for me has been to solder the contacts to the cable. A little practice goes a long way. New contacts are available at a cheap price for practice or connector re-use.
All I can say is try them first. If you like them as we do they will become a permanent part of your DC power applications.
Mike, WQ0A |
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| WO8USA |
Rating:  |
2008-09-07 | |
| Awful |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I used these connector, properly installed, and they are a step backwards. I have to tape mine together which takes away the usability and quick disconnect. I think they ae only used becasue the public service people have nothing else and its easy for power supply. So we tolerate the connectors.
Use anything else that's safe, you'll be happier. |
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| K6JPA |
Rating: |
2008-09-06 | |
| Unfortunate |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
| In my opinion, it's unfortunate that these things have become any kind of "standard" at all. Poorly designed, and as others have mentioned, pull apart much too easily... and yes, they are properly crimped. I want a reliable connection for my equipment, and no, I'm sorry, but a secondary "zip tie" arrangement is not a satisfactory solution. |
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| K6IHC |
Rating: |
2008-09-05 | |
| OK for most amateur uses |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
Not aerospace-grade, but they've worked quite well for the equipment I've used them on. I actually think that the easy-to-disconnect feature is good, if you have a plug that needs to be frequently connected/disconnected. For mobile/high-vibration applications, these clips:
http://www.powerwerx.com/product.asp?ProdID=35736&CtgID=1679
should work ok.
For some reason, my mobile application connections haven't had any problems coming apart, even though I haven't used the clips. Maybe it's my assembly technique?
I still use Molex connectors (20 amp polarized, w/ twin round pins) for some of my mobile equipment. |
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| AE5EH |
Rating: |
2008-09-05 | |
| Sorry, cheap is just that! |
Time Owned: 3 to 6 months. |
Just aren't that good. Sorry, I'm used to, and use better quality. It does exist, and not that much more expensive. Long before I decided to dabble in ham radio, I spent many years repairing, servicing avionics on the bench and installing it in numerous fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. No, not the space shuttle, SR71, or anything like that. If you have done the type of work I've described, then perhaps you know what I'm getting at. It's really no big deal at all. If not, then you probably don't have a clue.
Any electrical/mechanical junction that is meant to be taken apart, and put back together should have enough friction and mechanical interference in the connection, and simple integral mechanical locking device to ensure that it stays snug and cannot be pulled apart easily. If you need to install a separate locking device in addition, or "ty-rap" it to make sure that it doesn't come back apart easily, that's a bad design. Even properly assembled, the powerpoles are not that good. But, if you have nothing else to compare them to and/or have not experienced the use of anything better, they may be wonderful to you.
There is nothing immature about telling the truth, but if you do not have the experience to realize it, then...oh well.
That folks are willing to let something like this be pushed on them as some kind of a standard is laughable and sad. The fact that many would defend them as having some reasonable quality doesn't say much.
It just seems rather odd, and somewhat silly that some would take an amateur science such as the use and proliferation of multiband/multimode 2 way radio, and its petty little acessories so seriously.
One mans junk, may be another man's treasure, so do enjoy what you want, as its your money and your time.
Take care,
Terry-AE5EH
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Earlier 1-star review posted by AE5EH on 2008-07-21
Gotta love it!
A little clearer this time.
Mission critical? That's good! No really....a snug, secure, electrical connection. One that's mechanically, AND electrically sound. You should not be able to pull it apart TOO EASILY. Something that's pulled apart as easily as Junkderson Power poles can't be that good. Sorry, that just isn't "good. I do feel sorry for you if you can't understand that.
SR-71? I believe too much is being read into something that's not there.
There are connections that have been around longer, and are cheaper than the Powerpole that are much better. But how can you appreciate them if you have never used them? Whatever you have is only as good as the last thing you had to compare it to. Am I being too plain and simple here? Sorry, although I'm sure I can express myself in a more eloquent way, I can't see to wasting a lot of flowery baffle gab on something like the Powerpole. We are talking junk here, not fine wine, not the Space Shuttle, not the Manhattan Project, not Jonas Salk, not anything high tech at all. Just over priced, crappy little connectors that pull apart too easy, used in a "not so high tech anymore" hobby known as amateur radio, where "cheap" and "crappy" are venerable attributes.
"aerospace/military critical connections" No, no my friend, we are dolling that up much more than it needs to be. Here again, we are reading more into this than what is there. "Wiring aircraft". And "Rockwell Collins" Not, powerpoles should be used in aircraft. One more time, just in case it got missed, "cheap and crappy connectors that pull apart too easy" Am I getting through? Sorry for the sarcastic tone. Lets make sure we don't get away from the main complaint which is, "cheap and crappy connectors that pull apart too easy". No need to flower that up too much. Yes they were crimped correctly. And since we're talking about crimping, $49.00 is not too much at all for any well made, specific use crimping tool. But, I keep forgetting, we're talking about ham radio, and cheap. I know some folks were spending more on lovely junk food and drink at Dayton. Buy the tool and you have something tangible, spend that much on food (I saw people spend lot's more!) and it goes...well you know what I mean.
Sorry, folks for stepping on any toes, or hurting anyones feelings. But as Forrest Gump might say "cheap junk is, as cheap junk is". Perhaps some of the other posters either own the company, or have stock in the company.
If you truly enjoy them, I'm very happy for you!
Rambled long enough.
Just can't get excited about something that pulls apart easier than unplugging my vacuum cleaner from the wall.
Not good!
Thank you for your time folks.
Happy trails!
Addio, e fino a quando ci incontriamo di nuovo, de ae5eh |
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| AH6ZZ |
Rating: |
2008-09-05 | |
| A worthy standard |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I agree with ah6rh: Powerpoles are a great answer to most ham radio power distribution problems.
The critical part of construction is the crimper. The cheaper ones may work for some extremely talented connector makers -- but the rest of us need a solid tool like the ratcheting one West Mountain sells for about $50.
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| AH6RH |
Rating: |
2008-09-05 | |
| The real story |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
I find the Anderson Powerpole more than adequate for the average amateur radio operator use. A lot has been written in these reviews about how difficult it is to crimp, solder, or restrain the connector. That is not true. Even under extreme vibration conditions, there are both make-do and off-the-shelf solutions available to restrain the connectors together. The Powerpole connectors are not that hard to use.
For the full story and capabilities about the Anderson Powerpole connectors for amateur radio use, see:
http://ronhashiro.htohananet.com/am-radio/emcomm/powerpole.html
If you are having that much trouble with the connectors, find someone who has some experience with it and watch them assemble it together. (A ratchet crimp tool is really not that hard to work.) It goes together much easier than an RF connector, or soldering a 1/4-inch phone plug. You can solder it, but I've graduated to the ratchet crimp tool, for it's ease, speed and reliability. As a system, it's affordable and reproducible compared to exotic high end solutions, and avoids the pitfalls of other low end connector systems.
For the cost, ease, utility, reliability, resistance loss, and overall market place support and options, nothing compares to the Anderson Powerpoles for amateur radio use.
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| PA0ERC |
Rating: |
2008-09-04 | |
| Can't do without |
Time Owned: more than 12 months. |
OK, IMHO you don't need any crimpingtools, just solder them and you're fine. Never had problems and they are very reliable. Do not understand at all how some have trouble with them.
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