Anderson Technical Information Thread

[amberwolf]

I discovered there is a good reason why many of the PP15/45 connectors come out so easy--there are two kinds of contacts. One has a low-detent (3lbf) force, and one a higher force (5lbf) to pull apart. The low-detent ones are the ones Powerwerx, PowerRideStore, and probably everyone else is selling.

I'm sure that as small as that difference seems, it would make a world of difference to the problems of connectors just disconnecting on their own, even without all the other workarounds, because it is almost double the amount of force required by the contacts we all are likely using right now.

(I did a few searches to see if this info is on ES, but did not find it by any of the search terms I could think of, including the p/n's.)

I have been doing a little searching to find the right part numbers to get a quote from Avnet on some various parts that they don't list in their online catalog, but I'm sure they can get if they tried. (Avnet because I have a free shipping coupon, and what I'm after is all so small that shipping costs would be negligible if things were normal, but we all know that shipping tends to be $12-$30 for a packet of stuff that'd fit in a padded envelope for a couple bucks if they'd just do it that way. )

Anyhow, in that search, I started reading the Anderson Power Products site and specifications. In doing so I found the notes about the different pull-apart-force contacts for these.

Now, I don't have an individual contact p/n for the High-Detent force 45A contacts, as they seem to have accidentally left that off the datasheet. I know one exists because there is one for the LD-force individuals, and there is a full reel p/n for them. I list below what I *think* the p/n is, with an * since it might be wrong.

Datasheets are all on their Anderson Power Pole pages:
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/standard-powerpole.html

Contact p/n's for the PP45 series:

P/N             Description             Wire AWG
261G2-LPBK      Individual - LD         10/14     
269G3-LPBK*     Individual - HD         10/14 
261G2           Reel - LD               10/14     
269G3           Reel - HD               10/14     
200G1L          Superflex, reel - LD    10/14     
201G1H          Superflex, reel - HD    10/14

Contact p/n's for the PP15 series:

P/N            Description             Wire AWG 
1332           Individual - LD         16/20
269G2-LPBK     Individual - HD         16/20
262G1          Reel - LD               16/20 
269G2          Reel - HD               16/20 
200G2L         Superflex, reel - LD    16/20
201G2H         Superflex, reel - HD    16/20

Some other good info:
Under No Load (no power applied) mating cycles= 10,000
Under Load (with 120V applied) mating cycles=250, at 15A to 75A (depending on which kind of contacts you have installed)
The 45A contacts use a 30A load for that test.

Contact retention force (how hard you have to pull on the wire to yank it out of the housing):
(lbf) 25 to 170
(N) 111 to 756

Contact detent force (how hard you have to pull two connectors to separate them):
(lbf) 3 to 20
(N) 14 to 89
(depends on which contacts for each size)

Operating Temperature
(°C) -20° to 105°
(°F) -4° to 221°
(they can make higher-temperature-rated ones, apparently, not sure why not lower-temperatures)

They are all rated for up to 600VDC or VAC.

I am going to try to get the higher detent force contacts via Avnet to see if there's much of a difference. I can definitely say that the few I have here already on some things I've gotten from various ES members don't take much to pull them apart. I do not know but do believe that they are all likely the low-force contacts. In some cases, just the weight of very heavy gauge wire could be expected to disconnect them, under shock loads from road bumps and potholes, depending on how many plugs are bound together in a block.

 

[amberwolf]

Personally I have used the much larger cousins, the multipole versions:
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/multipole-sb.html
For battery connectors, I think these would be better. Especially since they could be used to ensure no one could connect the battery to the phase/etc.

Also, they CAN'T be connected backwards, as long as you installed the contacts on the correct sides in the first place. The shells even have a + and - molded into them to help with that.

Additionally, they come in different colors that are generally already used for different voltages, so that standard could be followed. The colors are keyed so they cannot be plugged into each other unless they are the same color (it is possible to remove the key but it is a PITA and weakens the shell). I've seen this color code used in most of the things I've found these types in. Ignore the color chart link on the page--it's not the right chart. Use the one in the family spec sheet.

There are a number of accessories for them that make them easier to use for battery connections as well, both for charging and for discharging, such as panel mounts, t-handles (for quick-disconnect use), cable clamps (to ensure that the cables don't wiggle around in a way that could possibly make the contact lever loose from the spring (which is very hard to do--there is a 50lb contact-pullout force on them before you can yank the contact out the back). I've got a couple of them with those clamps on there out of a UPS, and they are pretty good.


There is a newer version I have no experience with that looks a little more grip-friendly:
http://www.andersonpower.com/products/multipole-sbs.html

I'm also asking Avnet about getting these.

 

[amberwolf]

For the PP15-45 series, they also have stuff like rear splash boots, to cover the wire-entry end of the shell. Those could be useful to us, but I haven't seen them at most of the sites I found the shells and contacts at (just Powerwerx).
http://www.powerwerx.com/anderson-powerpoles/accessories/

The APP list:

P/N      Description
1441G1   Female splash boot
1442G1   Male splash boot
110G21   Blok lok, 2 pole
110G12   Blok lok, 4 pole
1399G9   Red mounting wing
1399G8   Blue mounting wing
1399G1   Red short spacer with end hole
1399G2   Red long spacer
1399G6   Red short spacer without hole
1462G1   2 & 4 pole mounting clamp set

 

[Glyn]

A noob question: With these Anderson connectors, am i right in thinking that there is no male and female? i.e. two identical housings will plug into each other?

 

[Rube]

A noob question: With these Anderson connectors, am i right in thinking that there is no male and female? i.e. two identical housings will plug into each other?

Yes, you are right, the male and female housing and contacts are the same.

 

[tomjasz]

It pays to poke around for parts. Ebay is where I find the best prices. Some items, not connectors, are fine from China. I got 20 of these for $2.89.Powerworx and acer-racing have had the best prices and consistently American made. I use them on most of my stuff since I don't run high power. Over 30A. Having the right tool helps too. Again shop around. I found a great crimper for $25. I have their little tool for taking wired connectors apart. It works best, but a small screw driver and a two needle nose will recycle just fine.
Shop around this tool can vary from $29 with ten sets of Black and Red, all the way to $65. Goofy!
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Powerpole-Ratcheting-Wire-Crimping-Tool-for-15-30-and-45-Amp-Anderson-Connector/272477111495?hash=item3f70e6c4c7:g:RhEAAOSwfVpYo7w6
AMBER Thanks for the detent info. have never seen that!

 

[Raisedeyebrows]

tomjazy, I went ahead and ordered one of those, figured it's one step closer to doing away with a few cheap ring terminals/solder I'm using on a couple of my bikes. Had no trouble with them so far but over time I likely would. Thanks for posting.

 

[SniperGaulois]

I melted and wore out most of the Andersons I had above 20A, both for battery and phase wire. They totally can't deal with a lithium switch current from the main battery. Now I use gold plated 60amp phase wires, and 3 euros french 2 pin 240V plugs which snap into place for the battery wires. That's my experience with them above 20A/1200W, I must have melted, fused, 10-12 of the Andersons in 25k miles.

 

[tomjasz]

I melted and wore out most of the Andersons I had above 20A, both for battery and phase wire. They totally can't deal with a lithium switch current from the main battery. Now I use gold plated 60amp phase wires, and 3 euros french 2 pin 240V plugs which snap into place for the battery wires. That's my experience with them above 20A/1200W, I must have melted, fused, 10-12 of the Andersons in 25k miles.

Not a single fail on 6 batteries. Up to 30A with BBSHD. Over 4 years. What was your wire size? I tried XT90 but not worth the expense based on my use.

 

[SniperGaulois]

If you trigger the low voltage limit and have to unplug the battery N times, that's way beyond anderson's specifications, they aren't made for hotswapping. The mechanical flexing from plugging them many times, some dust and water, the standard grin Andersons last about 200-300 runs off road, i.e. 2 years.

I melted about 2 battery connections,using the Ping batteries and Crystalite controllers, the contacts oxidize and the flat things aren't very fixed in position, they can rattle and move in the plastic housing, dust and water can get inside Andersons from the wheel, the metal contact is not stable, one day it moves 2 millimeters backwards, and there is less contact. two times the 3x phase wire too since 2003, plugs that i had to throw away. It's just on standard grin 1500W kit. I also finised an XT90 phase wire after about 10,000 km off road, the wire just frayed mechanically. Hotswappign XT90 i am seeing black on the contacts after 2-3 hotswaps and it's starting to friction, i'll have some pics of the XT90 because 1 week is very fast, it's arc oxidation, the cables are cool.