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Best kind of quick-connectors for medium / high amperage loads?

A.Justice

Swears he didn't start that fire.
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I built a 12 volt generator box, and need connectors that can handle PV in (max 100 volts, 40 amps), DC charge in (30 amps) a smaller inverter connection (~50 amps) and large inverter (~200a).

I ordered some XT60 connectors, and was not impressed by the size, or feel. They seem like a good product where light weight is needed, but they don't feel "solid" in my hand, and I cant easily crimp one in the field without soldering. I have not tried XT90's yet, but the pictures don't make them look much larger, and the field soldering issue remains.

I use MC4 connectors on my PV array, my issue with them is polarization, and the surface mounts are ugly. If it's the best option, I wouldn't mind using them for my solar input though.

I like the feel, and standardization of SAE connectors, but from my understanding, they aren't rated for more than 20-30 continuous amps. SAE would have my vote if they made a higher rated connector. If anyone knows of any SAE connectors that are capable of more amperage I would love to know.

What are people's thoughts on Anderson power poles? I've never used, or even seen one before. What sizes do you guys and gals use for your projects? Any recommendations for other brands or styles that work well for high loads are more than welcome too, some of the circular Aviation connectors caught my eye, but without a direct recommendation from somebody who's used them with good results, they're a little too pricey.

Thanks in advance!
 
Anderson Power Pole connects have options for all sizes. The only one I have used is a massive one that connected an electric forklift battery.

I just placed an order for some 30a ones that I will be using on a small home built lithium battery. (50ah @ 12v).

If ordering from Amazon - make sure you get the real ones - my understanding is there are many knockoffs being sold on Amazon and some don’t play well with others. I ordered from Powerwerx.
 
For everything under 30 A you may be interested by SP-4 connectors, I talk a bit more about them here (and other styles of connectors too) ;)

As they are 4 pins connectors so you can double them to achieve around 50 A max (I don't recommend going to as much as the theoretical 60 A max because of practical reasons).

There's also beefier ones of the same style if you like the form factor but want more than 30 A.
 
https://www.amphenol-industrial.com/images/datasheets/IDS-17 Helios H4.pdfAmphenol H4 connectors. Ratings very on cable size, and the thickest, the 8 AWG, can handle 50 amps.


These look identical to MC4, but with what I’ve looked these H4 and MC4 are the sturdiest and most water resistant I’ve found. I have not used the H4 yet, and that’s got to do with my solar panels come with MC4 which are UL rated, and I did not want to cut the end off and crimp an H4. The H4 is UL rated also, and is supposed to plug into an MC4, but there’s different info on google about whether or not you should.

Molex makes a two pole I am Considering https://www.ebay.com/p/3018094220.

I started a thread on cannon plugs, but did not get a cannon plug recommendation. At $100 for each male female set and strain relief for each, I see why no one has used them.

For outside connections, the Anderson Powerpoles I have on my portable panels are definitely not IP 67 rated like the MC4 and H4. Does not appear the Molex connectors are either.
 
I use Anderson SB175's for battery->inverter connections. Despite the name - they are UL rated to 280a.

I have been using Anderson Power Pole 45's on my panels - but I find they aren't rugged or secure enough for my portable use - but since I switch between parallel/series depending on my setup - not many single-conductor options. I had made pigtails of SB50 to dual (parallel) Power Pole 45's - but I'm about to rewire to use Neutrik Power Con True1 Tops. while they are only rated to 20a, this is fine for my setups. Coming from the music industry - I was already familiar with Neutrik's line - and I like their reliability, simplicity, ruggedness, and ease of use.
 
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but I'm about to rewire to use Neutrik Power Con True1 Tops. while they are only rated to 20a, this is fine for my setups. Coming from the music industry - I was already familiar with Neutrik's line - and I like their reliability, simplicity, ruggedness, and ease of use.

Good choice ;) the Amphenol SP-4 are actually pretty similar in form and function.
 
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I'm a ham radio guy so I am biased towards the Anderson Powerpoles. The 15A, 30A, and 45A sizes are interchangeable with each other - they're just designed for use with different gauge wires. The thing I like about them - you don't have to worry about whether to use a male or female - they're all the same. The thing I don't like about them is that you have to set up a convention about the orientation of your positive and negative. There is a convention that ham radio operators use, and it is easy to get it wrong when you are first starting out. When I was first starting out I bought a few Anderson pig tails off of e-bay only to find out a year later that they were BACKWARDS from the ham radio convention. So then everything I had made up to that point I had to re-do. If you use Powerpoles for your under 45A stuff, buy a good crimper that can do powerpoles. There are some good tutorials on Youtube and some bad tutorials. I use powerpole connectors on my solar input to my solar charge controller. On my setup they should never carry more than 20A, so if I need to disconnect my panels, I just pull the connector apart.
 
Thank you everyone for the input! I went with a combination of Anderson Power Pole 45's and 30's (from PowerWerx) and couldn't be happier with them! They crimp easily, assemble in multiple configurations, and are easy to switch the polarity.

I even rewired my son's modded Razor e100 scooter so all of the individual components are connected with power poles, and are extremely easy to reconfigure. I already have more on the way, I think I'm going to use them to standardize all my electrical projects as well, prototyping will literally be a "snap"!

When I start my new battery build, I will probably try the higher amperage SBx series, If they are anything like the Power Poles I'm sure I'll be happy with them.

Sorry for the long winded reply, I'm just really excited to get a connector that I'm this happy with! I've been through a handful of proprietary ones that just didn't make the grade, and was starting to get genuinely frustrated.
 
Great thread! Just getting into this, I was already influenced towards Andersons by this great resource: https://ebikes.ca/learn/connectors.html

I will follow the ham radio convention, and I hope everybody does, but I perceive considerable risk of forgetting or misinterpreting this convention. In "red on the right, tongues up, away from you", what does "away from you" mean? From another source, "viewing from the contact side, tongue down, hood up, RED on the LEFT, BLACK on the RIGHT." Great, but based on experience I'm never going to remember that in the field. I much prefer the Wikipedia suggestion: when viewed from the contact side, Red on Right, Tongue on Top" (RRTT). Or as a sailor, if the connector is the bow and the tongue is the sail then red is to port, the same as my navigation lights. This works better for me because I am already sworn never to forget which side is port and which color that is, whether coming or going.

Outside in the salty weather I use MC4 connectors. I can confirm, they are ugly, clunky and awkward to mount. Even though almost out of sight under the panels, they can indeed be seen by a sufficiently interested observer, so I felt obliged to come up with an esthetically acceptable arrangement, photo attached. This also has to be seaworthy, and so far has ridden out numerous storms without issue. For any more prominent location I would seek another solution, both for appearance and safety.mc4.connectors.jpg
For some semi-protected applications, insulated bullet connectors seem to meet my needs.
 
Note the anderson connectors on this pack: https://bigbattery.com/products/24v-a123-lfp-battery-box-w-bms-free-shipping/

What do you think the chances are they know about or pay attention to the ham convention? I am guessing coin toss.
That's a larger 175A connector than the 15, 30, 45A ones that hams generally use. I'm less familiar with them, but I understand that there's a convention for those, too. Since these larger ones are one piece I don't think you have to worry about it - it is marked on the connector. With the smaller ones there are multiple ways they can stick together - like legos.
 
That's a larger 175A connector than the 15, 30, 45A ones that hams generally use. I'm less familiar with them, but I understand that there's a convention for those, too. Since these larger ones are one piece I don't think you have to worry about it - it is marked on the connector.
Right! A quick web search failed to turn up any formal convention, however all the sb50 connectors etc I checked followed the ham convention. So it seems to be de facto at least.

With the smaller ones there are multiple ways they can stick together - like legos.
I like that. More room for creativity and more ways to shoot myself in the foot.

Now, if only there was an ip67 version. Oh wait...

 
I enjoy this talk of conventions. After the fact, the cheap Chinese imitation Anderson pole connectors I got for cables for my portable panels do not lock together (positive and negative snapping together) in the same way my Vietnamese manufactured Anderson Pole connectors came from the factory.
 
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