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Connecting a 4mm^2 cable to a pcb track

On 23 Jul 2006 04:00:44 -0700, "overgeo" Gave us:

You can place traces (big and wide @ 4 Oz copper) on both sides of a two side PCB, and then place an area (tab shaped at edge of board)that has six or eight huge through hole vias in it. with a notch about 5 or

6 mm in for the wire sheath to fill, the strands get split up and fill the eight vias evenly. Place two non plated holes around the notched area so that a tie wrap can hold the large wire sheath tight A set of four non plated holes would allow TWO tie wraps, but the notch would have to be 15 mm or such other appropriate depth. The multiple vias split up the current rushes and dissipate any heat better than mere traces do as well. The dual trace allows for some current sharing, and is not typical for this industry. Single sided is cheap for power supply industry. 2 sided is Cadillac.

There are also edge mountable solder cups that would allow you to attach one (I still recommend the vias for heat distribution if needed) and then place the cable end in the solder cup, and one solder joint later, you are in business.

For 40 Amps on the input side, I would not recommend a single sided PCB solution.

Reply to
Phat Bytestard
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On Sun, 23 Jul 2006 11:57:43 GMT, Ross Herbert Gave us:

You are almost as bad as Phil. You just come across a little nicer. Are all you guys like this? This group is a place for both folks that have experiences, and those that do not. Those that do not need assistance, not "belittling".

It wasn't his efforts you belittled. it was him.

Reply to
Phat Bytestard

Sorry you see it that way...

I assume that you do know how complex it is to design a working inverter capable of 40A output? If so, what I was getting at was that if he is capable of designing the inverter, then the complexity of selecting a suitable output cable connection system would be a relatively simple task by comparison for someone who has this level of design experience. He only needs to study the numerous examples already enumerated and do a little bit of connector research, and if the OP knows anything about designing a PCB then this part is relatively straightforward. I am convinced that he didn't do a whole lot of searching and just thought of the easy way out. The OP didn't ask about any of the problems he might encounter in the design of the inverter, just about the relatively simple task of how to connect the output cables to the PCB. If he is capable of designing the complex part without assistance, but has a problem with the simple connector part, then there is something lacking in his capability I fear. I think he may be a little out of his depth and he needs some hands-on guidance to get to the desired goal. For us to suggest via this forum how he might connect cables to the PCB is a little premature in the design phase. I'd like to see the the basic design up and running reliably using an open structure prototyping method before looking at the PCB design.

I notice that in his response to John Larkin he appears to have decided that the Molex Busbar connector 45711 is the way to go

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but I think he is not making the best choice here either. It depends on his cost structure to a large extent.

I don't know what his manufacturing run is likely to be but the going price for the Molex 45711 is US$6,532 (or thereabouts) per 1000, with an MOQ of 500. That makes them quite an expensive method to use at

2/per 40A output rail. Plus, he has to design a suitable male blade connector and a method of mounting that part. In addition, these connectors are for attachment by metal thread screws to a solid busbar, not the copper layer on a PCB. I dare say at a pinch they could be attached to a PCB but even if he uses 2oz copper he would have to provide a large track width to handle the current effectively.
Reply to
Ross Herbert

In another month or so, the cranberry beans will start coming in from the sides during bright scenes, I wouldn't worry about that Communism thing. They gave up it some time ago for National Socialism. Dirk You can damn well bet your last dollar on it ! Graham I was only 4 years old.

I grew up shooting as a sport. I never killed anything except a lot of use.

Reply to
Aristotle Eisenglas

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