Reusing power-poles

[yoyoman]

I'm a big fan of reuse, and I'd like to reuse a set of power-poles. Is there a special way to remove the pins from the connector? Do I just jam a flat head screwdriver inside and push something while I pull?

 

[Ypedal]

if you want to recycle the housings and discard the pins.. then yes.. just push up the pin at the end and pull the wire..


if you want to recycle the whole thing, cut the wire an inch or 2 away from the housing so you can resolder it to another wire.

 

[JS Tyro]

The Anderson web site gives information somewhere on how to remove the pins. At least, ISTR it was that site. I did find info on this just a few days ago. Pushing the spring part down before pushing the pin back helps. The spring is the flat tab that stays inside the plastic cover. You'd need a small screwdriver in addition to the Power Pole tool (or a second screwdriver or something) and a third hand. It can take quite a bit of force sometimes. If you Google "anderson power pole tool", you should find the info I found.

Personally, I haven't been too impressed with Power Poles. I use the 45A rated pins and find that with 10 gauge wire, the pin barely fits into the cover. It is very difficult to push the pin all the way in with the result that when two are connected, the connection is not solid - wiggling the connectors can result in a broken connection. I can't get the pin the last 1/64" or so to the end of the connector. Anyone else having a problem like this?

 

[swbluto]

The Anderson web site gives information somewhere on how to remove the pins. At least, ISTR it was that site. I did find info on this just a few days ago. Pushing the spring part down before pushing the pin back helps. The spring is the flat tab that stays inside the plastic cover. You'd need a small screwdriver in addition to the Power Pole tool (or a second screwdriver or something) and a third hand. It can take quite a bit of force sometimes. If you Google "anderson power pole tool", you should find the info I found.

Personally, I haven't been too impressed with Power Poles. I use the 45A rated pins and find that with 10 gauge wire, the pin barely fits into the cover. It is very difficult to push the pin all the way in with the result that when two are connected, the connection is not solid - wiggling the connectors can result in a broken connection. I can't get the pin the last 1/64" or so to the end of the connector. Anyone else having a problem like this?

I've found that the housing's "acceptance" of the pin is quite dependent on the shape. When I get it pretty good but apparently not perfect, I typically end up grabbing the wire and banging it against something until I get that satisfying click. If the usual trick doesn't work, I go back to reshaping it to make it better square-ish and compact. For extra securing the wire, I typically add solder. (I "grab the wire" right before the housing with the blunt part of a standard 10-12 crimper - that way it doesn't slip and the bendability of the wire is at a minimum.)

The "Power pole" tool is supposed to be the painless and secure way to do this - I'm just cheating with the $7 home depot crimpers, so my results typically aren't perfect but it's been working. It just takes on average of 2 minutes for each powerpole, now. (With the tool, that could probably be brought down to 10 seconds, maybe.)

 

[dogman dan]

I use a thin knife, like a box cutter to get into the housing though the slit on the side on the 30 amp housings. Once the knife blade is between the spring in the housing and the contact, a little pry will lift the contact off the spring and release it. Once crimped, the only way I'd reuse a contact is to leave some wire on it, and solder a connection on that. The contacts are very cheap, just buy a bag of 50 or so from powerwerx.

 

[Joey]

I bought a special tool some time ago for removing Anderson powerpole pins from their housings. I don't recall where I bought it but it might have been Powerwerx. I'll try to find out after work today.



Joey

 

[docnjoj]

by dogman » Tue Jul 07, 2009 5:53 am

"I use a thin knife, like a box cutter to get into the housing though the slit on the side on the 30 amp housings. Once the knife blade is between the spring in the housing and the contact, a little pry will lift the contact off the spring and release it. Once crimped, the only way I'd reuse a contact is to leave some wire on it, and solder a connection on that. The contacts are very cheap, just buy a bag of 50 or so from powerwerx."

Hey dogman! That technique works like a champ! Thanks!
otherDoc

 

[dogman dan]

Good at taking shit apart, funtional reassembly is still a challenge every time. I should dye my hair and change my handle from dogman to yahoo serious.

 

[docnjoj]

Omly if you dye it International Orange!
otherDoc